Playlabs esports lounge opens in Farmington Hills for video gamers of all ages

FARMINGTON HILLS — A gamer's paradise where people can compete and hone their skills has set up shop inside The Hawk.

Playlabs recently held its grand opening in the community center's third-floor suite, 29995 W. 12 Mile Road. Partner Nathaniel McClure said he hopes the business serves as a community space for gamers of all ages.

"Traditionally, gaming is an at-home experience for a lot of reasons," he said. "You combine the pandemic with that, and it’s been isolating for a lot of gamers. We wanted to provide that social aspect. That’s so critical, especially for youth who just went through a pandemic."

Playlabs held a soft opening in the spring, and McClure said the reaction has been positive. He said users enjoy having a place to play games in-person with people who share their interests.

"Learning how you can connect esports with your community has really broadened my vision of what I think can happen with video games," said Jake Harless, a recent Farmington High School grad and employee at playlabs. "For a long time, especially through quarantine, I kind of figured it was just an online environment where you couldn’t really socialize. Playlabs completely changes the game."

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Playlabs offers leagues, parties, training and free play opportunities. McClure said he emphasizes physical health, mental health and communication with competitive players. People who come in for free play will pay $8 to $10 per hour depending on the day.

McClure has a professional background in video game design and said he hopes to highlight gaming's most positive aspects. He said esports will create experiences for gamers that others get from playing traditional sports.

Esports is growing and can be pursued in college. In Michigan, Oakland University in Rochester, Lawrence Technological University in Southfield and Michigan Technological University in the Upper Peninsula are among the schools that offer esports as part of their athletic departments.

"We have a vision of using the love of games as a positive tool to build a lifelong hobby and engage with our community," McClure said. "As a parent of teens, I understand there’s such a thing as too much games. At playlabs, our goal isn’t more gaming. It’s better gaming."

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Contact reporter Shelby Tankersley at stankersle@hometownlife.com or 248-305-0448. Follow her on Twitter @shelby_tankk.