After a season spent ”working from home,” the Hawks Talon Gaming team will play their 2021 season in a state-of-the-art facility tucked inside downtown Atlanta. The “Gaming House” is located on the fifth floor of State Farm Arena, and is over 4,000 square feet and will be used for both practices and remote completion.
“We are thrilled to continue investing in Hawks Talon by creating this new space for them inside of State Farm Arena,” said Hawks’ Vice President of G League and 2K League Operations Janice Koon.
“We are grateful for the collaboration between our creative team and building operations team who worked diligently to get the Gaming House completed in time for the upcoming season.”
Inside this new facility is six PlayStation 5 consoles along with six corresponding gaming stations, all arranged in a semi-circle. Each player will be seated in a special gaming chair, and will have access to a locker with custom plates for each player.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better space for our team this year,” said Hawks Talon Gaming Team Manager and Head Coach Wesley Acuff. “While we do our competitions on the virtual court with the best of the best, it is important we put ourselves in a place that optimizes our performance for both practices and remote competition.”
Last season, the Hawks E-sports team played the season remotely, which at times seemed to affect their cohesion on the floor. Even with a top-three player like Michael “BP” Diaz-Cruz on the team, the Hawks failed to make a deep playoff push during the 2020 season, nor did they win any of the in-season tournaments.
Coach Acuff and the front office prepared for this season by making some roster moves, adding players like rookie Mike Swanegan to the mix.
“The gaming house has absolutely exceeded all of my expectations. From playing at home to now having a dedicated space at State Farm Arena that provides us everything we need like top-tier equipment. This will keep us focused and motivated throughout our long gaming workdays. You can’t beat it.”