A new gaming lounge has opened in downtown Brockville, Ont.
Checkpoint Game Lounge is located on King Street West, and it’s the first of its kind in the city.
“A gaming lounge is somewhere where you can meet and play with friends,” explained Tiara Johnny, the owner of Checkpoint Game Lounge. “A lot of people game from home. So it’s good to get gamers out and socializing.”
The lounge provides customers with the ability to book specific time slots, with different consoles and equipment to use, including a virtual reality escape room.
“During the pandemic, I was online with my friends gaming,” Johnny said. “During lockdown we formed a community. It’s important to kind of develop those relationships, especially if you’re feeling lonely.”
The lounge has only been open since April 17, but gamers in Brockville are already soaking it all in.
“You come in and they have it all set up,” explained Josh Hong, a resident in Brockville. “They hook you up. I think it’s awesome.”
The inspiration behind the lounge, according to the owner, is to make video games more of a social activity.