On the outside, Source Gaming seems small with a very modest location, but on the inside, the new gaming and e-sports lounge is surprisingly expansive. Complete with red and black interior color scheme, and accessories to match, the venue hopes to be a major player in establishing, and expanding Denton’s gaming culture.

Walking into the facility, the amount of hardware available is overwhelming; six high-definition TVs (each connected to the latest versions of Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo consoles), as well as high quality PCs that utilize Valve’s Steam gaming service. In addition to the current generation of consoles, 4K high definition TVs, and premium PCs, the establishment also allows players to immerse themselves in the new wave of virtual reality gaming, including PlayStation VR, and Oculus. One of the virtual reality games is HoloPoint, a high-energy simulation where players shoot retaliatory targets with a bow and arrow. As players advance, the targets grow in numbers, and become more aggressive. The experience requires players to quickly move and think about what they’re doing while playing, providing a rush of adrenaline unlike the traditional gaming experience.

Source was founded by Robert McAshan, and marketing director, Warren Lee. Lee and McAshan met at Quakecon, an annual gaming convention in Dallas. Lee was heavily involved in UNT’s gaming community during his time as a student, and won the national collegiate championship for StarCraft in 2012. After his success in competitive gaming, as well as his work as a marketer for a few years, he and McAshan got the idea to start Source as a way to unite Denton’s gaming community.

“Our main goal here is to build a rock solid community that wants to play together, and so we can put Denton on the map,” said Lee. “I think Denton is significantly different from any other place in the metroplex. The community came out in force; they really believe in what we’re doing,” he added.

One of the things the owners of Source pride themselves on is how inexpensive the venue is compared to its competitors; the revenue accrued by the establishment comes from concessions, as well as monthly passes for patrons that run at $45 for the general public, and $35 passes for students and military personnel. Source is still relatively new, and the venue is still growing. McAshan, and Lee plan to expand the facility by adding more consoles, and PCs so more patrons can play at a time. With only 18 computers currently available, their goal is to expand their inventory to 30 stations for more expansive tournaments.

Players are permitted to bring their own games to play on available consoles in addition to the free titles the venue keeps in their inventory. Source is open 12 p.m.- 2 a.m. every day, and hosts weekly tournaments.

Photos by Patrick Pickett
Header image design by Brittany Keeton

Source Gaming Lounge is Now Open on Congress