Endeavour Group has announced that endeavourX, its digital and ecommerce arm, has invested in Fortress, taking a minority shareholding in the Australian gaming and entertainment business.

Endeavour said the investment from endeavourX would assist Fortress to accelerate the growth of the brand from their original venue in Melbourne, with a brand new venue opening to the public in Sydney this weekend.

In addition, it will pursue a range of B2B and B2C initiatives aimed at capitalising on the growth of esports, gaming and games culture across Australia and internationally.

Often referred to as a ‘pub for zoomers’, Fortress Games is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest video gaming and esports entertainment franchise.

“Fortress brings people together in a technology-led space, while still offering the best things guests expect in a traditional hospitality venue. Technology will continue to change the nature of hospitality and socialising, and Fortress has found an innovative way to use technology to enable a combination of gaming experiences and human connection,” said Endeavour Group CEO and Managing Director Steve Donohue.

With the capacity for up to 1000 people and a 2am licence on the weekend, Fortress Sydney is hoping to cater for a broad range of patrons.

Fortress was founded in 2018 by Melbourne tech entrepreneurs Jon Satterley, Adrian Giles and Ryan Trainor, who have strong management experience in the entertainment, technology, hospitality and digital marketing industries.

Their aim was to create physical spaces where the growing number of passionate gamers could come together. According to statistics from Digital Australia* video games connected players in 8.6 million households in 2021 alone, and the average age of people who play video games in Australia is now 35 years.

Unlike Fortress Melbourne, Fortress Sydney has two dining options: a fantasy-themed restaurant called The Tavern, described as ‘straight out of your favourite fantasy story’, and a sci-fi themed bar called 2315.

“You don’t have to be a gamer to appreciate what we’ve done, because we’ve blended the worlds of gaming, entertainment and dining,” Satterley told the Daily Telegraph.

“We want 2315 to be the best bar in Sydney. Not the best gamer bar. We’ve raised the bar on experiences. It’s not your average watering hole.”

“Our vision is to be the leading platform enabling social occasions, and we are committed to continuing to innovate to bring people together, which is why this investment aligns so well with our strategy,” Donohue said.

“We are very pleased to have endeavourX invest alongside us in our Sydney expansion and we look
forward to working with the Endeavour Group to explore other potential partnership opportunities,” said
Adrian Giles, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Fortress.

Fortress Sydney is based in Central Park Mall, 28 Broadway, Chippendale, and will open on 8 April 2023.