Fnatic and BMW unveil Esports Performance Facility in Berlin

Fnatic has unveiled another addition to its list of facilities around the world, this time in Berlin, Germany. Built in partnership with the known German car maker, the BMW x Fnatic Esports Performance Facility is packed with solutions designed for the various needs of esports professionals. 

According to the announcement, Fnatic will use the training centre primarily for its League of Legends team, which is set to compete in the upcoming Summer Season of the League of Legends European Championship (LEC). In order to secure a spot at the LoL World Championship, the team will reportedly look to step up their game by leveraging the perks of the brand-new training centre.

New standard for esports training facilities in Europe

The BMW x Fnatic Esports Performance Facility is equipped with two gaming performance rooms, a content studio, a match review room, a dedicated office space and a BMW sim racing rig. The facility also features dedicated units intended to cater for players’ needs, including an in-house gym, a fully serviced kitchen and a relaxation and recreation area. Furthermore, the centre is outfitted with ultra-fast broadband and high-quality networking systems.

According to Fnatic’s official statement, the facility looks to “set a new standard for European esports training centres”. Jens Hofer, Director of Fnatic’s High Performance Unit, commented on the reveal:

“The BMW x Fnatic Esports Performance Facility has been specifically designed to support our League of Legends players as they strive for excellence in the upcoming LEC Summer Season. We’re so excited to finally be opening the unit alongside BMW and setting a new standard for esports facilities in Europe. This facility is another step forward for our HPU as we plan our return to the top of European League of Legends”.

Fnatic’s esports performance strategy

Fnatic’s newest esports facility is said to endorse the organization’s wider esports performance strategy, which is seemingly trying to take a complex approach to operating professional esports teams. The strategy is built on eight “performance pillars”, which include health, in-game performance, research, education, youth structure, technology and software, processes and operations, and infrastructure. The organization hopes that the facility in Berlin will help to consistently improve the performance and capabilities of its players. 

Javier Zafra, Fnatic LoL Team Director, added: 

“It is crucial to be able to offer our players a great 360º experience that covers all their needs. That combined with the right staff in all meaningful areas like sport psychology and performance, in-game knowledge, management and content, gives our players the resources they need to be able to get to their best version.”

Complex designs

Such a comprehensive approach to operating an esports organization is not by any means rare. Most of the top esports orgs now boast similar purpose-built facilities, thoughtfully designed to provide players and staff with everything they might need in order to comfortably prosper while maintaining their well-being and healthy work-life balance. 

Another example could be Team Liquid’s Alienware Training Facility in Utrecht, which, in addition to all of its top-range equipment, has been designed to feature a video game layout with spaces to hide behind and to pop up in a playful “shootout”. TSM is another org to have revealed its newest esports facility, allegedly the most expensive one in the world. 

Header: Fnatic