Australia's first gaming bar to open in Brisbane

PALGN News | Heaven on earth?

Ever been out for a night on the town only to think that you’d be having more fun back at home playing video games? Well now you can combine both your addiction to alcohol and gaming in the one convenient location!

Australia’s first dedicated video game bar – the ‘Mana Bar’ – will open its doors in February in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, offering punters “a stylish geek chic interior design with multiple LCD screens attached to the walls with playable next-gen console systems”.

The bar is the brainchild of Brisbane locals: Guy ‘Yug’ Blomberg (Australian Gamer co-creator), Ben ‘Yahtzee’ Croshaw (Zero Punctuation’s hat-wearing, vile-spewing presenter), Pras Moorthy (Senior Designer at Sega Creative Assembly), and Shay Leighton (an experienced bartender).

Offering free entry, free gaming and a cosy 50-person maximum capacity, this unique establishment sounds like it will be an ideal place to relax with a colourful drink without all that pesky dancing. Mana Bar is also set to host many special events such as game release parties, Guitar Hero tournaments, trivia nights and game launch events. For more infomation, check out the website: http://www.manabar.com.au.

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38 Comments

James

2 years ago

I recon this is a great idea. Combines two of my favourite things; drinking & video games.

Sin Ogaris

2 years ago

E55 could be a gaming bar, they have the PC's there, but they shut down that section at night.

JP2daMC

2 years ago

Totally agree with you there. Very smart idea - I just hope it expands to other cities.

I also wonder how many controllers they'll go through with the combination of drunken accidents and spillages?

LeonJ

2 years ago

Interesting idea. Although I foresee grubby controllers...

I'll certainly check it out anyway.

Newland

2 years ago

Instead of drunken fights about sports or whatever the cool kids fight about these days, it will be about which console is better.

Fanboys + Alcohol = Win!

BurnZ

2 years ago

I remember them talking about this idea back in their Podcasts lastyear. (or the year before)

It's good to see that they went through with it.

Cyberwaste

2 years ago

I'm definitely going to be checking this out when I come to Brisbane. Seems like an awesome idea... Shotgunning zombies and sipping a classy drink.

Slipvayne21

2 years ago

fantastic idea

Karai Pantsu

2 years ago

... and all I can imagine are drunken brawls being started by matches of Smash Brothers, and Yahtzee wandering about the place, martini in hand, doling out caustic remarks to people trying to game.

This can only end in violence

Azza

2 years ago

How come this kind of good stuff never happens in Perth? ...I think I just answered my own question.

Zhou

2 years ago

max 50 people? wow.. suppose it could be kinda cool for people to just hang out and meet other gamers. Tekken Sf4 etc other multi player games and what not. Its just too bad I never really go to the valley anymore =/

mrcool37

2 years ago

1 bourbon and nuka-cola thanks barkeep. And my mate will have a full rejuvination potion (red bull).

I hope they have a drinks board where they display the stats of each drink. +1 aggression for rums, +1 charm for certain ****.

Sounds very gimmicky, am worried it may not last long term. as long as the 'bar' aspect remains their main focus with decent tuneage I reckon it will be successfull.

Will definitely check it out on my next night out in the valley.

grim-one

2 years ago

Azza wrote

How come this kind of good stuff never happens in Perth?

I don't know. Maybe you should also open a gaming bar so we can all come visit?

fullmetal_adam

2 years ago

Awesome!!! Totally gotta hit up the Valley when it opens!

JackSlack

2 years ago

Interesting. I do think this has become the premier venue for PALGNCON if that ever happened.

Benno

2 years ago

we shoud get a group and make a night of it somtime after the initial opening period. I hope beers aren't too expensive...

PixieGirl

2 years ago

Humm.

Well I live in Brisbane, I don't think I'm interested though. Gaming is for alone time, when I'm relaxing. When I go out I want to dance and party.

I am completely unsociable when I'm gaming and very social every other time.

GreyWolfJai

2 years ago

I can see this working well and I finally get to say HAHA to Sydney and Melbourne because we finally get something first. :P

Longterm wise. It will be interesting to see how it works out. 50 people only means expensive drinks. Most gamers like cheap drinks at home with LANs or console split screen games.

mrcool37 wrote

I hope they have a drinks board where they display the stats of each drink. +1 aggression for rums, +1 charm for certain ****.

Completely agree... If your doing nerd go all the way!

timmay33

2 years ago

Sounds fun. I am also dubious about how well the hardware will hold up to drunken people playing.

50 people is also a sting. Will wait for the initial craziness to subside (couple of weeks?) before I go check it out. Will expect drinks at about the same price as everywhere else.

Something different to the countless pubs and clubs which try to be different but all have the same 3 things, alcohol, people and music.

XtremeXfactor

2 years ago

Newland wrote

Instead of drunken fights about sports or whatever the cool kids fight about these days, it will be about which console is better.

Fanboys + Alcohol = Win!

instead of glassings, people might start using controllers as weapons

JackSlack

2 years ago

Nah, Xtreme. They'll take it into the GAME.

Karai Pantsu

2 years ago

So it'll be just like The Wizard, but alcohol fuelled? Hrmm... maybe a guest appearance by Freddy Savage is on the cards?

jesuslol

2 years ago

I was talking to Yug about this a while ago. They don't want to go for the 'nerdy' crowd. They are a bar first, and a gaming place second. There won't be any stats or anything like that. They don't want to alienate their main clientelle which will be people just looking for a drink and some fun.

JackSlack

2 years ago

Karai Pantsu wrote

So it'll be just like The Wizard, but alcohol fuelled? Hrmm... maybe a guest appearance by Freddy Savage is on the cards?

See, I'd love to make a drug/alcohol joke to counter, Karai, but he's actually lead a pretty clean life from what we know. And he's a director now. So, hey. Good on him.

jesuslol wrote

FANTASTIC. That's what I wanted to hear.

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