Game on! Chicago’s bold vision for the future of esports

In Chicago, a city famous for deep-dish pizza and world-class sports teams, a new competitive scene is quietly taking root. It’s esports. Leading this digital revolution is Adam Abbas, owner of Midlane Esports, an arcade that is dedicated to esports and casual gaming.

“There’s definitely an appetite for esports in Chicago,” Abbas says. “We have very diverse and big gaming communities, but we don’t have any pro teams. The last one we had was the Chicago Huntsmen in the Call of Duty League, but they moved to Texas a few years ago.”

Since the opening of Midlane Esports in February 2020, Abbas has worked tirelessly to fill this void. His venue has become a community hub, hosting weekly tournaments for games like Super Smash Bros and Tekken, as well as larger, one-off tournaments featuring titles like Call of Duty and Rocket League. The space also doubles as a gathering place for fans of traditional sports, with watch parties for events like the Super Bowl, further blurring the lines between physical and digital athleticism.

“We do a little bit of everything: tournaments, watch parties, birthday parties,” Abbas explains. “We’ve had organizations like the Chicago Bulls, Team Liquid, Dignitas, and Evil Geniuses come through. We’ve even had artists like Steve Aoki play Call of Duty with us.”

Despite the enthusiasm, Abbas acknowledges that the Midwest has struggled to match the investment seen on the coasts. “If you look at the East and West Coasts, that’s where esports is primarily,” Abbas says. “They get a lot more investments, big sponsorships, endorsements, venture capital funding. But that’s why I opened Midlane, to give Chicago a foundation for esports.”

Abbas is determined to change the narrative and put Chicago on the esports map. “I know there’s a lot of potential here. Our gaming communities are just waiting for a space and an organization to get behind, and that’s what I’m building.”

While Chicago lacks a professional esports team, Abbas envisions that changing soon and plans to start his own professional esports team. “For me, a Valorant team would be huge,” he says. “There’s so much talent here, and a strong team could ignite the city’s esports scene. But really, any game could help us grow.”

With Abbas’ dedication and a growing community of esports enthusiasts, Chicago may soon become a formidable player in the competitive gaming world.