Team Liquid and Alienware have created the most advanced esports training lab in the world in downtown Los Angeles. But what exactly sets it apart?
Team Liquid and Alienware’s Pro Lab is the newest training facility in competitive gaming. The esports gym uses advanced brain-measuring software and traditional sports-inspired gear to kickstart Team Liquid players into peak pro gaming condition. Players enjoy all the trappings of traditional sports training with high-tech warmups and cooldowns with custom nutrition.
The biggest feature is a comprehensive test that evaluates a player’s mental abilities based on their performance in a variety of games. That information is then converted into a chart that shows players’ reaction time, calmness, decision-making speed, and more. Team Liquid plans to use this information to determine the optimal role for a player in a team. Calmer players are more valuable in the clutch while strategic brains are better suited to in-game leading.
Super Smash Bros Melee icon Juan “Hungrybox” Debiedma demonstrated some of the brain training software during the virtual tour. He played a few games designed to test players’ abilities. The one shown below involves memorizing the location and direction of icons on a grid in less than a second. The second required players to shoot falling orbs with angled cannons, which he joked should be easier for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Valorant players than it was for him.
From an aesthetic perspective, The Pro Lab sports a clean look with minimalistic esports-inspired artwork and Team Liquid branding on the walls. The lab’s most eye-catching feature is a massive computer with six monitors attached to the walls. Alienware’s custom rig is the focal point for data collection at The Pro Lab. Each player gets a custom pamphlet showing their stats at the end of a session.
Data drives new Team Liquid and Alienware training center
In addition to advanced training software, The Pro Lab also has several tools players can use to put themselves in an ideal state of mind for competition. Blaze Pod warmup stations prep players for a day of intense practice with reaction-based games meant to wake up the brain.
When scrims are finished, players enjoy zero gravity massage chairs that loosen up muscles and remove stress from the body. In addition, The Pro Labs offers an optional compression suit for more holistic relaxation.
Lastly, Team Liquid players enjoy a full in-house kitchen complete with a private chef. Pro gamers have access to everything from custom meals to supplements suited to their training regimens. The team emphasized Liquid’s focus on hydration, noting that a player’s brain activity can be strongly affected by a lack of water.
Team Liquid Alienware The Pro Lab represents the future of esports training. With a sister facility planned for the Netherlands, Liquid looks to continue being a leader in developing gaming talent.
