Category Archives: esports

Will you participate in the 1st Dutch HADO Championships?

On October 16, 2022, the H20 Esports Campus together with HADO Netherlands will organize the first NK HADO in Purmerend. HADO is a techno sport that can be seen as digital dodgeball. In Japan already a big sport from 2014 and also in Europe it is starting to become a big sport. Next November 5 is the European Championship HADO in France and the Netherlands may represent itself there with a team. The winner of the NK will go to France paid for by HADO to play for the European Championship.

Never played HADO before? 

H20 organizes introductory afternoons for all tenants, partners and schools at the H20 VR Game Center. Here you will be guided by a trainer who will give you the experience of HADO. If you like it, you can sign up with a team and even play in the NK. A team consists of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 members. 

These trainings and participation in the NK are free of charge. The trainings will take place on Wednesday afternoons from 1 pm - 5 pm. A training session lasts 1 hour, so if you can manage to free up a spot in your schedule, it is definitely worth it. The first day of training will take place on Wednesday, September 21.

If you have signed up with a team for the NK, we organize training nights on Wednesday evenings from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. These training sessions are for everyone to get better at HADO. Here you and your team will come up with tactics and strategies together to become HADO champions. H20 also offers these training sessions for free at the H20 VR Game Center.

Got interested? You can sign up for training by emailing dave@h20.gg. Put in this mail how many people you are coming with, which tenant, partner or school you are coming from and what time you want to come. If you don't have a team and would like to join, or you just don't have enough people, also just send an email. We'll see if we can pair you up.

If you want to sign up for the NK right away, do so at this link https://forms.gle/bN981F1neatwRb8s6, for training you can also mail to dave@h20.gg.

If you don't want to compete with your team you are welcome to come and watch the NK on Oct. 16, 2022. The tournament starts at noon.

For more information on HADO: https://hado-sports.com/nl

Hado, the sport of the future, comes to H20 Esports Campus in Purmerend

HADO, the new sport of the Netherlands, is coming to the H20 Esports Campus in Purmerend. HADO is the first sport in the world that combines traditional sport with gaming through Augmented Reality (AR).
The sport is immensely popular in more than 35 countries worldwide and is already played by millions of people in Japan, the United States, Germany, France and Spain, among others. HADO now sets foot on Dutch soil and is ready to be the first AR sport to conquer the Dutch market. From early December 2021 HADO can be played, in combination with various activities, in the VR / AR centre of H20 that will be opened soon. Do you want to become one of the first HADO masters of the Netherlands? Then come and join us at H20, we are looking for talented players who want to start training right away!

Sport of the future

HADO was conceived in 2014 by Japanese-born Hiroshi Fukuda. As a child, he dreamed of throwing "hadoken" (powerful energy balls) like his favourite character Ryu from the game Street Fighter and defeating opponents. With HADO, Hiroshi realised his dream. In a short time HADO has become the international sport of the future. Professional competitions are organised worldwide, including an annual European Cup and the World Cup in Tokyo. The unique and accessible concept offers players a perfect mix of sport, game and strategy. HADO uses revolutionary technologies to combine movement with gaming elements. This makes HADO a pioneer in the field of recreational and professional sport.

H20 Virtual & Augmented Sports

Dirk Tuip, founder at H20: "Right at the start of H20 we wanted to do something with VR/AR gaming and esports. We set this in motion with the help of our partner HP/Omen. However, this often remained a piece of entertainment, whereas we give gaming and the technology that drives it more substance. We want to offer a physical experience that you can't have at home, preferably with several people at the same time. And we love competition. HADO has all these elements!"
Tuip continues: "HADO is truly the sport of the future. HADO has many characteristics of gaming, new technology and competition, which makes it a perfect fit for our campus. Besides that, we, as former handball players, found it extra cool that HADO is like a 3.0 version of handball. HADO will be incorporated into our gaming and esports activities as part of our 'explore esports' programmes. Also, real fanatics can train and even compete in events and tournaments."

Ecosystem

Michiel Verhage, co-founder of HADO Netherlands: "Michael Reibestein and I both have a passion for sports, gaming and technology. Our goal is to encourage a healthy lifestyle by combining sports and gaming with technology to stimulate the youth to keep moving. We want to realise this with HADO! After our first HADO game we were hooked and started a partnership with meleap inc., the creator of HADO, to make HADO big in the Benelux. We are doing this by building an ecosystem around this new sport by rolling out courses throughout the country with the help of licence holders, organising (inter)national competitions and hosting events."

Collaboration H20

The cooperation between HADO and H20 is the basis for the introduction of HADO as a sport in the Netherlands. Both parties have the intention to make H20 the HADO centre of the Netherlands where national tournaments and competitions will take place with the ultimate goal to organise the European Cup in the Netherlands. Besides that, H20 sees a lot of possibilities to exploit a HADO track successfully, but they also want to organise events in the Rabo Esports Stadium. This way HADO and H20 can show in a spectacular way what is possible with HADO.
Come and see for yourself! Game on!

TOP talents have successfully completed the first TOP course

During the weekend of Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 June, the H20 Esports Campus Amsterdam was the location of the last TOP weekend of the current programme! In the Talent Development Programme (TOP) we train nine talents to become professional esports players.

Saturday, 26 June:

The final weekend of the Talent Development Programme (TOP) Spring Edition took place last weekend. After each participant was tested, the talents started the final learning steps towards a full-fledged esports career.
Today, the participants started making a plan of action: what do they want to achieve after TOP? And where do they see themselves after completing this programme? Led by Dirk from the Talent Academy, the talents forged their own plan. Then it was time for lunch!

With their bellies full, the participants went to work on their own games. This allowed them to prepare for what was still on the programme in the evening. For some participants, this was still a challenge. 
The last activity was a so-called game-athlon. The participants got to work with the games of the other TOP talents. First, they went on the virtual race track of our sim racer Tim, where the participants had to race against each other. Then came building and speed in the game Fortnite. Finally, it was all about precision, with games such as Rocket League and Valorant. 

Sunday 27 June

The participants had to get up early for an early gym session. There is nothing better than starting the day actively to wake up well. 
The first workshop focused on maximum performance. Through small exercises with the body and the mind, the participants gained insight into how they can perform better and how the body helps them to do so. They also practised meditation, which made the participants feel relaxed and calm. 
The next workshop was given by Senaptec. Here, the participants could once again enter the world of precision and speed. All participants were tested and had to undergo a number of measurements and it turned out: there was still a lot to gain! Only one of the participants measured a precision of no less than 100%! This rarely happens. After the Senaptec exercise, it was time for a hearty lunch and then the conclusion of the TOP programme.

The family members of the participants were invited to the closing of the programme. After all, a TOP programme also needs a TOP closing. The parents and participants were addressed by Dirk Marcellis of De Talentenacademie, H20-Founder Dirk Tuip and H20's Operational Manager Mike de Jongh. They also received a cool shirt with their own nickname and the logos of TOP and H20. They received this as a gift for concluding the first TOP course. After all the speakers, the participants and their parents could go to the Esports Lounge Cafe to have a drink while the last interviews were conducted in the H20 Streaming Studio. Finally everyone went home and the very first TOP had come to an end.

Are you the next TOP talent?

The current course may have ended, but not to worry! In September, we start again with a new edition.
Do you want to apply for the Autumn Edition of the Talent Development Programme? Sign up quickly via h20.gg/talent/ and maybe you will become the new esports talent of the Netherlands!

Netherlands' biggest game talents started with unique esports talent development programme of H20 and TAG

The first group of game talents who want to become professional esports have started today with the H20 Esports TOP Program. The H20 Esports TOP Program is the first independent esports talent development program of The Netherlands. From more than 100 entries are 10 talents selected who want to get the best out of themselves. H20 Esports Campus develops this program together with strategic partner Talent Academy Group and several partners like Senaptec, Gladiator Sports, BodyResults and NLSportpsycholoog. The ambition is that this talent programme for game talents will be repeated after the summer (Winter Edition) and will run twice a year for the biggest game talents of the Netherlands.

Using experience from top sport

Dirk Tuip, former athlete and founder of H20 Esports Campus: 'We are very happy that we have started this programme. The knowledge and experience that we have built up with our team and partners in the sport we can now use to facilitate talents in the next steps of their development. This is based on Total Athlete Development. Our team and partners consist of a nice mix of people who have experienced what it takes to reach the top.

Before the start of the programme, the participants underwent a quick test.

From more than 100 entries, 10 talents have been selected from various esports titles. Over the next few months, four two-day bootcamps will help them improve. All factors that contribute to a better performance (except the game itself) will be addressed during this programme. Think of reactivity, physical fitness, nutrition, mental development and performance, presentation and promotion, etc.
 

The participants of the first H20 Esports TOP Talent Program listen to Dirk Marcellis in the Rabo Esports Stadium

 

You have talent. Success is earned

Dirk Marcellis, former professional footballer and coordinator of the Talent Academy Group (TAG): "A great programme awaits the talents. Everything is aimed at developing everyone's talent and putting the ambition of the talent first. We help and facilitate them with the challenges they face and create the conditions for success. It is great to see and hear what dreams the selected participants have and it is fantastic to be able to contribute to that. Together with the entire TAG team, we are looking forward to helping them in the coming months.
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Note to editors:
For more information on H20 Esports Campus, visit www.h20.gg or contact Sjaak Kuil at sjaak@h20.gg.
About H20 Esports Campus:
H20 will be a platform for Developing the Next Generation through gaming, esports and creative tech. Esports is a strong growth market with which youth and young adults feel strongly connected. The H20 Campus brings worlds together and explicitly connects with personal development, competition and education. Gamers, esporters and influencers are the developers of the future.
About Talent Academy Group:
Talent Academy Group has been a leader in elite sport, entertainment and business for 17 years. Achieving optimal performance behaviour is central. The performance coaches of TAG do this at individual, team and organisational level. In its own way, TAG always contributes to an optimal performance climate in which every professional can perform healthily.

OMEN Gaming Club in the H20 Rabo Esports Stadium in Purmerend opens every day from 2 October

Until now, it was mainly group activities that could be booked in the Rabo Esports Stadium, part of the H20 Esports Campus in Purmerend. But the largest esports centre in the Netherlands opens every weekend in September. This weekend, for the first time, you can come and play, race and chill in the new Omen Gaming Club. And you can watch the semi-finals and finals of League of Legends on a mega LED screen. From 2 October, the Omen Gaming Club will even be open every day.

"After months of delay due to construction challenges and Corona, it is finally here," says manager Sjaak Kuil. "During the summer we started the group activities. Now it's time for the next step. The OMEN Gaming Club will be set up within the Rabo Esports Stadium just like a sports club or fitness club. So there will always be supervision present and you can become a member. A Valhalla for interested people of all ages. Members can participate in a variety of activities such as coaching sessions, training sessions, online and offline tournaments, events and more. And it will also be a friendly club where young people can socialise with each other."

Gaming with high-end equipment.

Everyone can game on the latest high-end desktop PCs, Playstations and racing simulators! This is made possible by our partners OMEN, ACER, Game Seat and PlayStation. We focus mainly on competitive gaming titles such as League of Legends, CS:GO, Rocket League, Fall Guys, Fortnite, PUBG. But Brawl Stars, Roblox, Minecraft and many other games are of course also available. During the months of September and October we have an opening promotion where you can play 3 hours of games for only 4 euros. Check www.h20.gg for more information. Don't miss out on this opportunity, will you? 

Responsible gaming and talent training
The club is for young and old. Of course we keep it responsible and that is why you can play a maximum of 3 hours a day. Sjaak: "There are still few places where parents and children can go when it comes to gaming. We want to be a place where counsellors can point out the rules of conduct to young people. We use a lot of knowledge and experience from sports, so regular exercise and good nutrition are very important to us. More is not always better. Also, really great talents can get extra support in a special Talent Development Programme that is currently being developed."

Opening hours
In September 2020, the Omen Gaming Club will officially open every weekend with the following opening hours: 

  • Saturdays from 14:00 - 21:00
  • Sundays from 14:00 - 21:00 

From Friday 2 October, the Omen Gaming Club will be open 7 days a week with the following opening hours (start 2 October)

  • Monday 16:00 - 22:00
  • Tuesday 16:00 - 22:00
  • Wednesday 16:00 - 22:00
  • Thursday 16:00 - 22:00
  • Friday 16:00 - 24:00
  • Saturday 12:00 - 24:00
  • Sunday 12:00 - 22:00

Sjaak concludes: "I would say join the Omen Gaming Club now, part of the H20 Esports Campus, the largest Esports Gaming centre in Western Europe! We hope to welcome many young people to the Rabo Esports Stadium soon!"

Movamento Fysiotherapie opens new office at H20 Esports Campus Amsterdam

Movement specialist Movamento, with several physio practices throughout the Netherlands, starts a new branch at the H20 Esports Campus in the Amsterdam area. The sixth office of owner Jelle Heisen will focus on the guidance of gamers and esporters. With this step the ambitions of H20 Esports are underlined to facilitate talents of a future in a responsible and safe way. 

Jelle Heisen
Dirk Tuip, founder of H20: "I've known Jelle for a long time, both from my time as an active top athlete and from the last two years when we worked together in the Expert team around the handball ladies. Here I have been involved as coordinator of the national team. Jelle is the regular physiotherapist of the ladies who became world champions last December. Our vision on top sports is similar, and we want to use this vision within esports.

Jelle Heisen, owner of Movamento: "H20 has a great ambition and that appeals to me. I can't wait to use the insights and knowledge I gained in my life at Ajax, the Dutch Handball Federation and within our physiotherapy. We have had some pretty big challenges with COVID in recent months, but we do see this as an opportunity to use our experience in this new industry."

Vision Movamento on ergonomics within gaming
Heisen continues: "As physiotherapists, we see the impact it has if there is a hitch somewhere in a movement. The goal of3rbeteren. The optimal performance for each individual at each level is the starting point to work with! We see that more and more people are sitting down a lot for their work. In gaming and esports this is of course a topic and we want to do something about this preventatively and in case of injuries."

Using knowledge of esports and Virtual Reality in healthcare
There is still a lot of undeveloped territory in the field of gaming and esports and we are very motivated to tackle this within the H20 Esports Campus. Our knowledge to prepare the body optimally, in combination with good ergonomics, can make the difference in top esports. We will also use the knowledge and experiences from esports in healthcare. Developments such as Virtual Reality and the use of data will be used to innovate healthcare.

DIMITRI VEGAS, LIKE MIKE AND OUR PARTNER MIRANDA HUYBERS START UP NEW GAMING, MUSIC AND LIFESTYLE AGENCY.

World number 1 DJs and producers Dimitri Thivaios and Michael Thivaios, better known as Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, have joined forces with Miranda Huybers. Miranda has over 14 years of experience in the Game industry. She was part of the Call of Duty team at Activision and Marketing & PR Manager at Nvidia Benelux. Together they form a new agency called 'The Smash Universe', which focuses on the synergy between music and gaming. In the coming period various activities will also be developed within the H20 Esports Campus Amsterdam. Keep an eye on the website and our social media channels of H20 and The Smash Universe. 

The Smash Universe will focus on providing management services for content creators, gamers and lifestyle influencers. The focus will also be on the creative development of events and marketing concepts both online and offline. The agency is at the forefront of gaming, tech, lifestyle and music on a professional level. 

Nick Depauw, co-founder SMASH esports (professional e-sports league), is a partner of The Smash Universe. This partnership allows Nick and his team of gamers to participate in a wide range of activities. Other professionals joining this new venture are Nick Royaard (manager of Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike & Lost Frequencies), as well as Perry van de Mosselaar and Dwayne Megens. They are part of Smash The House Records, an independent record label that releases music by top dance artists. The Smash Universe is supported by Smash The House Records' years of experience in the music industry. 

Besides management services, the company plans to be a resilient partner with their marketing and PR activities for global brands. They want to achieve this by offering different packages for offline and online exposure.

Dimitri Thivaios (Dimitri Vegas): "I'm super excited about this new project, which connects music and gaming. Both worlds are very important to me!".

Miranda Huybers: "Creating a new universe that combines the worlds of gaming and music has been a dream of mine for years. Therefore I am very excited to work with this great team and introduce everyone to The Smash Universe. The focus is on online content and unique concepts in which we are part of the entire customer journey and always ready for everyone."

In the coming period various activities will be developed within the H20 Esports Campus Amsterdam. Keep an eye on the website and our social media channels. 

Twitch channel The Smash Universe: https://www.twitch.tv/thesmashuniverse/videos

Boot camp at the SEG Esports Training Centre

Are you a fan of LAN parties, but is it always just too much of a hassle to get everything working? That's now all in the past as you can boot camp together with your friends in the SEG Esports Training Centre within the Rabo Esports Stadium!

The old maths room now houses 12 high-end gaming Desktop PCs with the latest monitors, racing chairs, mouse, keyboard and headset. There are lockers, lightning fast internet and all kinds of catering possibilities to make it as comfortable as possible for the gamers. Currently, one of the best League of Legends teams in the Benelux, the Lowland Lions, is playing here on the Campus. So the first weeks of the SEG Esports Training Centre are immediately booked with esports talents!

Rowan Stroo, Sports Entertainment Group's Esports Director, said:

"With the SEG Esports Training Center, SEG wants to enable teams and players of all levels to train under optimal conditions and also help to further develop the Dutch esports scene in cooperation with H20 Esports Campus."

Rowan Stroo - Esports Director of SEG

Now that the SEG Esports Training Centre is complete, several professional and amateur teams can train here.

"Bootcamps are essential among esports players for all game titles. We are proud to now be able to offer a full boot camp room to top international and local teams. Teams can train here for half a day, full day or days. Esports is top sport!"

Sjaak Kuil - General Manager H20 Esports

It is now possible to book the SEG Esports Training Centre with your friends!

Stanno dives into esports via H20 Esports Campus

H20 Esports Campus has entered into a multi-year partnership with Stanno. Stanno is part of the Deventrade Group and a leader in teamwear, with a focus on the sporting Netherlands. With the partnership with H20, Stanno wants to get a footprint in esports. Together, a clothing line will be developed for H20 staff and Stanno will also provide H20 with a jersey for gamers/athletes and merchandising products.

Sport is our passion
Based on the two core values 'Product is king' and 'Sport is our passion', Stanno is a distinctive player on the international market. Marthijn Pothoven of Stanno: "In sports, everything revolves around the decisive moment. For that moment, Stanno develops essential products. We've been doing this for years within the sports world and we also see esports as a sport. This growth market has had our attention for some time now and we are happy to be visible through the largest location in the Netherlands. Esports in the Netherlands needs to continue to develop and both H20 and Stanno believe that our experience in sports can help with this."

H20 clothing, jerseys and merchandising
Matthijs Vink of H20: "I know Stanno from my time in the sports world and I know how they can give long-term substance to a partnership. They understand the sports world and listen very well to the athletes, which was a decisive factor for us. Within esports and gaming it is even more important to have a continuous dialogue with the target group. The partnership provides both clothing for the H20 team and a shirt for talented gamers who are active in the H20 Esports Gaming Club. In addition, there will also be H20 merchandising available to fans and spectators. We hope to present these to the world soon!

Netherlands' largest gaming centre restarts with various summer activities

Are you not going on holiday this year and are you looking for a fun group or family activity? Or do you still need to celebrate your son's or daughter's children's party? Then the Rabo Esports Stadium on the H20 Esports Campus in Purmerend is certainly worth a visit. This is the largest gaming centre in the Netherlands. After a period in which the campus was forced to close its doors, the largest Esports Gaming Centre of the Netherlands will reopen on Saturday the 4th of July. The official opening will follow later. For families we designed special Esports Experience Tours, for children we organise Gaming Holiday Camps and of course the best children's parties.

Sjaak Kuil, manager of esports gaming activities: 'We've been itching to reopen for weeks, but it has to be done in a responsible and safe way. June we found too early. At this location we are quickly up to 30 people, so this relaxation was not enough for us to open the doors. Saturday 4 July is still under reserve. The government has yet to confirm that we can receive 100 people from July onwards, but in the meantime we look forward to this with confidence.

Special birthday parties for children between 16 March and 30 May

A lot of children's parties will have been cancelled in recent months. For those who had a birthday between 16 March and 30 May, we have a special offer! The birthday boy or girl will receive a cool gift that of course has to do with gaming. Fortnite children's parties, Minecraft Masters, flying with drones, Virtual Reality or interactive sports, or a combination of all this, for boys and girls from 7 years of age there is plenty to do. Our range of children's parties is growing every week and can be seen at www.h20.gg. 

H20 Gaming holiday camps

The H20 gaming holiday camps are intended for boys and girls aged 7 to 12. During the summer holidays, children can compete with their peers in a lifelike gaming arena in various games such as Fortnite, FIFA 20 and Rocket League. In addition, they can race like Max Verstappen on a Formula 1 circuit in one of our racing seats. 

Besides gaming, we also pay attention to sports and games. We think it is important to get a lot of exercise during the day. We have interactive gaming walls where you are challenged to get the best out of yourself. That means running and flying as well. Children can register for one or more days. 

Unique day out with the Esports Experience Tour

The H20 Esports Experience Tour is a unique tour through the largest esports & gaming centre in Europe. During the tour participants will get information about the history, the present and the future of esports. During this tour one looks through the eye of the gamer, the viewer or parent, but also through the eye of the child. The H20 Esports Experience Tour is a unique experience for young and old! In about 1,5 hour you will learn more about all the activities that the H20 Esports Campus and the Rabo Esports Stadium offer.