Creator, Publisher And Distributor Of Video Games Ubisoft's Office In Montreal, Quebec
Console hardware is not the only technology seeing a breakthrough by way of next-gen developments. New company Shinra Technologies, based in New York, has its sights on changing multiplayer gaming.IN PHOTO: People work at the office of Ubisoft, a leading creator, publisher and distributor of video games in Montreal, Quebec August 30, 2011. Ubisoft, the leading video game employer in Montreal, plies its 2,100 game developers in Montreal with a full-time doctor on staff, an in-house gym with personal trainers and a rooftop bar area overlooking the city. The company, which came to Montreal from France in 1997, helped put the city on the map as a video game center. Picture taken August 30, 2011. Reuters/Christinne Muschi

Many of us would be unaware what an e-sports bar is a place where video games are played and watched. Meltdown is one such e-sports bar in London. The e-sports bar is the first of its kind in U.K. that was opened last June by Duncan Morrison, who was living in Paris where there are plenty of these kind of bars. One of Morrison's flatmate opened a French one and he got the idea to start an e-sports bar in London. According to Morrison, business is good and people are growing interest since it was opened and there is a feeling of community in the bar.

The e-sports bar is made for those who are interested in gaming. The games played in these bars are not the regular game that the general public would be aware of. The games are designed to be watched. These games are specially made and require high levels of skill and mental work.

The e-sports bar is equipped with many computers, around five people will sit playing their favourite game. Dota 2, which is an online multiplayer battle arena game that is set in the World of Warcraft fantasy style is played and the ongoing game appears on screens around the bar. Simultaneously, different games that are played also appear on screens around the bar and spectators watch these games like watching a regular game of football.

Though e-sport is not very popular, it definitely is big business and a money spinner. The video streaming service Twitch was bought for $970 million by Amazon in August. The prize money offered for the winner of the Dota 2 world championship was more than $10 million.

According to the Guardian Morrison said that these are not games that are relaxing, but rather a sport that is very demanding and requires skill and mental work.They also state that the atmosphere at Meltdown is basically geeky and relaxing. Not a lot of women frequently go to the place like they do when a football match is going on.

However, the popularity of the gaming industry would definitely change this.