Team Liquid has increased its presence in Brazil by unveiling a new 13-story, 3,092 square metre floor plan training facility in São Paulo, which they claim is the largest esports facility in the world.
Officially named the Alienware Training Facility, this is the third of its kind opened by Liquid following the unveiling of a Los Angeles base of operations in 2018 and a European office in Utrecht in 2020. Their newest training facility is twice the size of both of these and is designed to be used by over 80 Liquid employees.
Included in this space is a floor dedicated to team scrimmages, review rooms for coaches, and soundproofed streaming booths. Four more floors of offices are to be used by Liquid’s local staff, including 10 conference rooms, and rooms for editing and video production.
Up to 20 employees will also be able to live at the facility across five floors with a gym, Pilates studio, decompression spaces, a restaurant, and a full-time chef available to employees.
Finally, the ground floor will also be open at pre-scheduled times to fans for watch parties, meet and greets, and includes the first physical TL store.
This investment is a continuation of a growing push by the Netherlands-based esports organization into Brazil, with Liquid currently having signed Brazilian players in Rainbow Six Siege, VALORANT, Fortnite, and Starcraft 2, as well as previously holding a Brazilian Free Fire roster. When including streamers and content creators, Liquid has 24 signed professional gamers from Brazil.
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Over the last few years, Liquid also opened a localized online store for Brazilian fans and launched Liquid+, the org’s rewards program, in the country.
Liquid isn’t alone in setting its sights down on South America, with Riot Games hosting the VALORANT LOCK//IN tournament in São Paulo from February to March of this year with plans to do the same for the 2023 Game Changers Championship from November to December. Counter-Strike also visited Brazil twice in the last year for the 2022 and 2023 Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major, while Ubisoft announced Brazil will host the next Rainbow Six Siege Six Invitational in Feb. 2024.
Alongside Liquid, the organization has been joined in Brazil by both U.S.-based FaZe Clan and Sweden-based Ninjas in Pyjamas, who both also hold title-winning Brazilian Rainbow Six Siege rosters, while NiP signed a Brazilian Rocket League team in January. FaZe had previously detailed plans to expand further into Brazil but has since announced these plans have been put on hold due to ongoing financial concerns.
Combined, this marks a significant movement by some of the biggest companies in esports towards a growing Brazilian scene.
Rafael Queiroz, the general manager of Liquid in Brazil, stated the launch of this facility “reflects the importance of the country within the organization’s global strategy”. At a time when many companies within the esports scene are announcing cutbacks, such a big investment by Liquid is a big signal to the country the organization is here to stay.
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