Red Bull launches first-of-its-kind gaming hub in Waterford 

The new hub at SETU Waterford follows the launch of Ireland's first esports scholarship for students

The Red Bull Gaming Hub will help SETU students of all abilities to develop their skill sets while also connecting them with leading partners in the global gaming industry.

Red Bull has launched a new gaming hub at Waterford's South East Technological University (SETU) to support third-level gamers across Ireland.

The hub is the first of its kind at an Irish third-level institute and will support the university which recently became the first to launch a student esports scholarship.

The initiative represents Red Bull's most significant esports venture in Ireland as the brand expands its footprint across the country's growing gaming scene. 

In addition to helping students, the hub will also host national tournaments, interactive workshops, and live-stream events with gamers also having the opportunity to qualify for global esports tournaments hosted by Red Bull.

While just launched this week, Red Bull has already announced that in November, it will host the Irish National Final of the global Valorant tournament, a first-person hero shooter video game that attracts around 14 million players per month.

The Red Bull Gaming Hub will help SETU students of all abilities to develop their skill sets while also connecting them with leading partners in the global gaming industry.

Open only to those in third-level education, Red Bull Campus Clutch sees over 200 national and regional tournaments take place across the globe this autumn. The best of the best advance to the World Finals, this year hosted in Istanbul, with a cash prize of €20,000 on offer.

"We are delighted to further set the standard in the Irish third-level sector by opening our new Esports Gaming Hub," said SETU Waterford Campus Sports Manager, Katie Redmond. 

"Our goal with this is to create a sports community where all students, current and future, who participate in Esports can receive the same support and facilities as all our sports teams."

The hub is kitted out with a casual gaming area equipped with Xbox consoles, an immersive sound system and gaming bean bags. The facility also includes a chill-out area where students can connect to the high-speed network and work on their own projects.