Toronto is about to get Canada's largest eSports lounge

Looking for somewhere to play Smash Bros. with like-minded gamers in person? Somewhere to produce a professional-looking Twitch stream? Somewhere to compete in tournaments for hefty cash prizes without flying to the States?

An ambitious new 13,000-square-foot eSports facility is gearing up to open early next week after years of planning at 2160 Steeles Avenue West in Toronto, just minutes from York University.

It's called Waves eGaming, and if it's even half as impressive as its staffers make it sound, the place is going to be major.

"We feature top of the line gaming equipment, a fully equipped stage for tournaments, a full production room, and a live commentary base," said a representative for the venue near Keele and Steeles. "We aim to be the home of all things eSports here in Toronto."

The company says it will be hosting events for popular (and highly competitive) games such as League of Legends, Fortnite, PUBG, Super Smash Bros. and Call of Duty over the next few months.

Members will also be able to join weekly leagues for their games of choice and participate in "community nights," which are basically new-school LAN parties.

Waves is far from the first dedicated gaming lounge we've seen in Toronto, but it will be the biggest — in all of Canada, actually. And with the nearly $1 billion eSports industry exploding across North America, it's likely we'll see others of this size and calibre soon.

"At Waves eGaming we're focused on providing a space for PC and console gaming enthusiasts where they can watch and play their favourite games while participating in a social environment," reads the company's Facebook page.

"We aim to be the central hub in the Toronto area for gamers to socialize, play casually, train to improve, be provided with recruitment opportunities, and compete for prizes."

With a permanent stage and an abundance of custom-built "top of the line" gaming setups, it looks well-poised to do just that.