Dream Cruises as unveiled the world’s first permanent eSports facility at sea aboard the World Dream.

The 1,700-sq.ft venue is part of ESC Experience Lab, the VR games central aboard World Dream, which homeports in Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

eSports has emerged as a rapidly growing sector globally with vast market potential, Genting said, helping drive the decision to add it to the ship.

In Hong Kong, the Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-Po has pledged HK$100 million in the 2018-2019 budget to promote eSports in the city, namely to promote eSports as a mainstream sport and to educate the public on this emerging trend.

Thatcher Brown, president of Dream Cruises said: “We are excited to announce that the world’s first dedicated eSports facility at sea is now available on World Dream, where professional and recreational e-players can compete in state-of-the-art setting with a great variety of games. This initiative also supports the Hong Kong government and Tourism Board’s commitment to promote eSports in the region.  We look forward to inspiring our guests from millennials to the young in spirit in these exciting eSports activities.”

To celebrate the unveiling of World Dream’s dedicated eSports facility and in anticipation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Dream Cruises collaborated with CR1, the most listened-to radio station in Hong Kong, to host an eSports football competition on the cruise ship, where football enthusiasts enjoyed an exciting match of FIFA 18 at sea with their favorite radio hosts and a cheering crowd, which was streamed live on the only 4K LED wall to be installed on a cruise ship.

The dedicated eSports facility on World Dream can accommodate a live audience of 80 persons and up to 10 players; any eSports event in the facility can be streamed live to all guests on LED screens and monitors of the cruise ship.