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Game on at The O2
The latest development in a naming rights partnership brokered in 2007 by AEG Global Partnerships and O2 , the Virgin Media Gamepad was opened at The O2 in June . Virgin Media director of partnerships & sponsorship Gareth Griffiths tells us what the activation means for the brand , the venue and the public
Words : Christopher Barrett
Since free-to-access , purposebuilt , gaming space Virgin Media Gamepad opened on 30 June under the world-famous domed roof of The O2 , it has proven to be a hit with gamers , with lengthy queues outside the activation being a regular sight . The brand activation provides gaming pods equipped with Xbox Series X consoles , a dedicated space enabling group gaming for Virgin Media broadband and O2 customers , and a streaming studio hosting leading gaming talent who livestream from the venue .
What was the thinking behind bringing the Gamepad to life at The O2 ? It was a year in the planning . After our business became a joint venture between O2 and Virgin Media in 2021 , we extended our sponsorship rights at The O2 beyond the mobile category and took on the broadband , TV and gaming categories . We took over Sky ’ s rights and inherited their experiential space in the foyer and thought it would
Virgin Media Gamepad
be a perfect way to bring gaming into The O2 campus . It is the world ’ s number one entertainment venue but there wasn ’ t that permanent gaming presence , so we saw it as a huge gap in the market .
What has been the response from customers and the broader gaming community ? It ’ s been an unprecedented success . We book out areas of the Gamepad and they sell out immediately . More than 35,000 people have used it since July , and there is a 95 % positive sentiment , which in the experiential world is unheard of .
What are the benefits of the activation beyond audience engagement ? It ’ s an incredible thing for our brand and our business . It presents an
opportunity to build the relationships in gaming and that is really crucial for us . The O2 is very well established in music and Virgin Media does have some gaming heritage but the Gamepad is a platform to bring together games publishers and strike partnerships , and to interact with the
Gareth Griffiths
gaming industry and media . It ’ s all powered by our superfast broadband so the tech is absolutely the best it can be .
What does the future hold for the Gamepad ? It is a permanent installation , it ’ s going nowhere . We ’ ve got our deal with AEG until 2028 and I can ’ t ever see us giving up The O2 . There ’ s a lot of symmetry between live entertainment and gaming , a lot of music artists are big gamers so there are
“ You are pushing at an open door when it comes to artists and gaming .”
opportunities to bring gaming and The O2 arena closer together and that is certainly the plan into 2024 . You are really pushing at an open door when it comes to artists and gaming because they all go backstage and play . So , we ’ re looking to hook up the backstage area of the arena with the Gamepad and stream in between the two .
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