Guild Gaming & Drive Lounge launch Shoreditch simulator venue and open-access academy
Guild Esports and Gaming has partnered with sim racing venue operator Drive Lounge to launch a state-of-the-art 20-simulator venue at Guild’s London gaming facility in Shoreditch. Opening in February 2025, ‘Drive Lounge at Sky Guild Gaming Centre’ will cater to drivers of all skill levels, from casual fans through to those competing at the top levels of sim racing.
This first-of-its-kind collaboration gives talented amateur drivers the opportunity to train, improve and take a step toward going pro. Participants in events will be enrolled into a grassroots racing system designed to spot and nurture future talent, opening the door to potentially competing for Guild Racing in international sim racing events or even for Guild Prodigy Racing, Guild’s real-world motor racing team. Based in the US, Guild Prodigy Racing features sim racers who have successfully transitioned to the real-world track.
The simulator venue will offer members of the public an affordable entry point into the world of sim racing, as the professional sim racing rigs required to compete at a high level can be prohibitively expensive for talented racers. Members of the public will be able to race at the venue for as little as £16 per session, with food and drink available on-site.
Guild Racing and Drive Lounge will co-develop regular league races, professional training, and driver development programmes, with plans to expand this partnership to further locations across the UK. Additionally, Drive Lounge will introduce its ‘After School Club’ to the Shoreditch venue, a programme which combines academic learning with sim racing for young people aged 11 to 16. The After School Club has been a great success across Drive Lounge’s venues, engaging over 500 students nationwide.
Guild has seen significant sim racing success throughout 2024, with Guild Racing establishing an Academy roster and Pro racing teams that claimed victory in the British F4 Esports Championship, placed sixth in the Esports World Cup, and now compete in real-world racing.
Guild is committed to democratising access to sim racing, especially for women who are traditionally underrepresented in the sector. It recently conducted a UK-wide search and training programme for women racers with its partner Sky Broadband, an initiative that saw it contract two of the competing drivers to its roster.
Drive Lounge launched its first venue earlier this year and has plans to open 12 sites across the UK, offering a blend of fun, social, multi-format racing and competitive gaming to racers across the country. Each location is an immersive space where anyone can experience the thrill of virtual racing, share in the fun of motorsport events, and enjoy the ambience of an entertaining venue.
Luke Jones, VP Commercial, Esports and Gaming at Guild Gaming, stated: “Simulator venues have grown in popularity over recent years, but what makes our partnership so unique is that when you walk in the door, you aren’t just signing up for a one-off experience - you may have made your first step to becoming a racing driver with a pro team. Guild has always focused on developing talent, and we believe that there are hundreds of potential future racing stars out there who either don’t know it or don’t have the pathway opportunity. With the Drive Lounge team, we have the perfect partnership to create accessibility, authenticity and viability for young drivers and their sim careers.”
Paul Bolton, CEO and Co-Founder of Drive Lounge, commented:
“We are incredibly excited to announce our partnership with Guild, marking a major step forward in nurturing the next generation of sim talent across the UK. The launch of a flagship venue in Shoreditch is a thrilling step for us, our second venue this year and the culmination of 12 months of development. Working with Guild allows us to build on one of our core principles; to support the wider community and give talented drivers a route into esports.”
