Fortress Melbourne: Interview with Alienware GM - Upcomer
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Fortress Melbourne opened its doors to gamers in March this year. Dubbed “the home for gamers” or the “Disneyland of gaming,” there are plans to open similar esports venues all around the world. Fortress is really a wonderland for gamers. It has the largest esports arena in the Southern Hemisphere, DnD themed bar, board game area, VIP booths, streamer pods, and tonnes more. Alienware partnered with Fortress to provide the best hardware for all gamers. We were lucky enough to chat with Ben Jackson, the ANZ General Manager for Dell Technologies. Alienware is the gaming arm of Dell. Jackson tells us how excited he his for this partnership with Fortress.

Partnership with Fortress Melbourne

When we spoke with Alienware a few years ago, they told us about their commitment to esports. Their partnership with Team Liquid allowed them build one of the best esports facilities in the world. Melbournians are now experiencing this same high quality. Jackson told us the Fortress Melbourne allows Alienware and Dell to build this great venue:

By partnering with Fortress Melbourne, we are able to create the first true professional-grade esports facility in Australia that is open to the public. Through this venue, we are helping to inspire the next generation of esports pros and support the ever-growing gaming community in ANZ.

Fortress is built around gamers, where everything is designed to bring gamers “home.” There is a huge emphasis on community and Jackson says this lines up with Dell’s mission:

Our collective mission is to create a home for all gamers, and to introduce millions of people to live, social game play.

This partnership will allow Fortress and Alienware to bring gamers together. To build communities, and to inspire generations of gamers.

Growing the esports and gaming communities

Esports and gaming are rapidly growing. To many however it still seems like a niche. By having Dell involved in Fortress Melbourne, we hope to see esports reach broader audiences. Jackson says through their partnership with Fortress, Australians will have access to more high quality esports:

Both brands [Dell and Alienware] help ensure that Fortress Melbourne is truly a state-of-the-art environment and one that was built by gamers, for gamers in mind. It is our hope that this space will be the new home for esports and social game play in Australia for both pros and casual gamers alike, which will grow the local community and expose more Australians to quality esports.

You’ll remember from our earlier article that Dell is providing a complete end-to-end infrastructure solution to the venue. So it’s not just PCs that gamers will experience. It’s high quality networks, fast speeds, and unparalleled communication—at least in Australia!

Home for all gamers

With all this amazing gear, it’s easy to see why Fortress is the home for all gamers. We asked Jackson how he thinks the opening of Fortress Melbourne will impact the gaming and esports communities more broadly. He’s very positive about the way Fortress will shape the industry:

What makes this venue different is that it’s a new entertainment destination; combining the best bits of esports, casual gaming and pop culture, all with the best talent, equipment and content. It’s also open every day of the week, which allows gamers to meet regularly in person, creating a vibrant community and a hub for activity.

Fortress Melbourne will give gamers a place to go and connect in person, giving a face back to Australia’s gaming community, creating a more sociable and inclusive environment.

Alienware have provided a lot of gear including PCs, chairs, and peripherals. Dell installed all the back end tech to ensure high quality connection speeds and unparalleled performance. Image: Supplied

Fortress Melbourne closed amidst pandemic

Like many places around the world, Fortress had to close their doors just weeks after opening. But they aren’t doing nothing. With the shift to digital, Fortress is running online tournaments, giveaways, and trivia nights. Whether you’re a pro or an amateur, there’s a competition for you. You can stay up to date on all the latest action and events over on the Fortress website. We’re all looking forward to seeing Fortress open up just so we can enjoy a glass of their house beer and sit by the pixel fire.


Michelle is a Content Producer in the realms of innovation and technology. Known as the “Hackathon Queen” 👑 you'll often find her on stage MC’ing or speaking on a range of topics from artificial intelligence, to business, community engagement, the future of work, and esports. With a background in both science and arts, Michelle writes extensively on a range of topics including innovation, startups, corporate culture, esports, business development, and more. She has a passion for gaming and combines this with her experience in a range of industries. Michelle brings a unique insight into esports innovation and draws many parallels between the physical world of sport, and the digital world of esports.


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