Mentioned in this article
- Space will open a seven-floor gaming and music hub in Stockholm’s city center, in 2021.
- The location will feature 500 gaming stations, a 650-800 seat arena, recording studios, and a co-working space.
- Space is led by Gustav Käll, head of esports for Universal Music Group, with investment from Pop House Sweden.
Space, a Swedish company building hubs for gaming, music, and content creation, has announced its first location in Sergels Torg, the public square of Stockholm. The 7,500 sq. m (80,729. sq. ft.), seven-floor area will feature the largest permanent esports venue in Europe, music recording studios, and co-working spaces. It is expected to open in the first half of 2021.
The company is co-founded by Gustav Käll; currently head of the esports music label Enter Records, Lars Bloomberg; chairman and partner of the center’s architecture partner DAP Group, and Per Sundin; former managing director of Universal Music Sweden. Sundin is CEO of Pop House Sweden—majority-owned by ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus and EQT founder Conni Jonsson—which has invested an undisclosed amount into Space.
Käll worked with Sundin when he joined Universal Music in 2016, after leaving Clutch Entertainment. He told The Esports Observer that a gaming center had been an idea of his for the last five years. “I’ve seen the gaming center as not the final piece of the puzzle, but a very important part in the growth of esports,” said Käll. “It makes it accessible for everything – not everyone can buy high-end computers today. It just enables esports and gaming to become even more mainstream.”
Space Stockholm will be fitted with 500 high-end PC gaming spaces, as well as areas for console and VR gaming. The company is expecting 5,000 visitors a day and is currently developing an app for customers to pay by the hour to use its facilities. A membership program will also grant visitors access to the hub’s three floors of co-working spaces, gym, Space Club (with a 23 year age limit), and free hours for the gaming machines.
As well as its music studios, the center will feature video and podcast production facilities. “In online culture, people are interested in gaming, music, and content creation,” said Käll. “They are the three biggest pillars in terms of what the youth enjoy. We want to bring that under one roof.”
Käll said he would like to operate Enter Records from Space Stockholm, though this is not confirmed yet. As CEO of space, Käll will remain head of the ESL and Universal Music joint record label. “I don’t want to create tension by saying this, but if Elon can do it, anyone can do it,” he said. “I’m very fortunate to have extremely talented colleagues around me. At this moment, I see no issue doing both.”
Sweden’s recent landmarks in music, tech, and gaming include the late electronic musician and songwriter Avicii, streaming platforms Spotify and Soundcloud, and game developers Mojang and King. Swedish media firm Modern Times Group is also a majority owner of ESL, and owns the digital festival company DreamHack. In 2020, the city of Stockholm will host The International, the biggest Dota 2 tournament of the year.
“Space Stockholm, with its unique location at the heart of Sweden’s capital, is poised to become a cultural landmark – not only for the city, but for the entire country,” said Anna König Jerlmyr, mayor of Stockholm, in a statement. “It promises a bright future for Sergels Torg by creating a modern, progressive hub for digital culture.”
