In partnership with Tencent, Tim Hortons has opened a state-of-the-art esports-themed coffee shop in Shenzhen, China.
In an unlikely partnership, Tencent, a Chinese multinational technology company, has teamed up with fast food doughnut food chain Tim Hortons, to build an esports escape.
Created this month, the new Tim Hortons is a dedicated space for gamers to watch esports tournaments, or inspire famous content creators in an interactive social setting.Â
The coffee shop has themed food and drinks, for gamers to have in between playing Counter-Strike Global Offensive, League of Legends, or whatever the hottest game on the market may be.Â
The idea for the venture was proposed after identifying that the traditional internet cafe businesses, which are very popular in China, are outdated for the modern gaming needs of the gaming community.Â
Thus the innovative facility is similar to an internet cafe, but with more modern technology to better suit the needs of mobile and offline gaming, including features like fast wi-fi, gaming chairs, and fast charging ports.
According to games industry analyst Daniel Ahmad, this is the first of many esports-themed Tim Hortons that Tencent is planning to introduce, with plans to expand the business across 1500 outlets over the country.Â
