Smith Street Showdown
Our flagship Valorant LAN — 32 teams, packed casting desk, sold out in a weekend.
Fitzroy · Melbourne · Since 2016
Where players sharpen their craft.
InnovativeValorForge is a gaming studio and esports arena on Smith Street — 40 tournament-grade PCs, VR booths, a retro arcade floor and a development lab for the people who take play seriously.
Our story
Eight years building a home for Melbourne's players.
We opened above a laneway café in 2016 with twelve borrowed PCs and a whiteboard full of tournament brackets. Today we run one of Victoria's busiest community arenas, a coaching program that has sent players to national finals, and a development lab where local studios prototype their first releases.
- 2016
The Forge opens
Twelve rigs, one projector and our first Friday-night Counter-Strike ladder on Smith Street.
- 2018
Coaching program launches
We hire our first full-time coaches and begin structured League of Legends and Valorant clinics.
- 2021
Development lab added
A dedicated studio floor where indie teams prototype, playtest and ship their debut titles.
- 2024
40-seat arena rebuild
A full fit-out with tournament-grade PCs, a casting desk and eight-seat VR bay.
What we offer
Everything under one roof, from casual to competitive.
Esports Arena Access
40 tournament-grade PCs with 240Hz monitors and low-latency peripherals. Pay by the hour or grab a day pass.
From $9 AUD / hour · Open daily 10am–11pm
Game Development Workshops
Eight-week evening courses in Unity and Godot, taught by working developers. Ship a playable prototype by the final class.
$480 AUD for 8 weeks · Tuesdays 6–9pm
Console & PC Repairs
Thermal repastes, drive upgrades, controller drift fixes and full diagnostics for PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch.
From $65 AUD · 48-hour turnaround
Private Tournament Hosting
We handle brackets, casting, streaming overlays and catering for corporate nights, birthdays and club finals.
From $650 AUD · Up to 40 players
VR Experience Booths
Eight standing bays running the latest headsets — rhythm games, co-op escape rooms and full-body shooters.
$35 AUD / 30 minutes · Bookings recommended
Retro Arcade Membership
Unlimited access to 30 restored cabinets, from Street Fighter II to pinball, plus monthly high-score meetups.
$29 AUD / month · Cancel anytime
Selected work
Nights, launches and moments from the arena floor.
Neon Circuit Launch
A local indie racer we helped prototype in the lab, launched to a full house.
Retro Revival Night
Monthly arcade meetup where high scores get chalked up on the leaderboard wall.
VR Co-op Finals
Eight teams racing through our co-op escape room ladder under the lights.
The crew
Coaches, technicians and organisers who live for this.
Marcus Tran
Founder & Head Coach
Former national CS caster who has coached three players to Oceanic finals.
Priya Naidu
Development Lab Lead
Shipped two indie titles and runs our Unity and Godot workshop program.
Jesse O'Brien
Arena Technician
Keeps 40 rigs and eight VR bays running at 240 frames without a hiccup.
Hana Kobayashi
Events & Community
Organises every LAN, birthday and corporate night that walks through the door.
From our players
What Fitzroy's gaming community says.
“I went from bronze to diamond in one season of their Valorant clinic. Marcus actually reviews your demos line by line — it's the real deal.”
LD
Liam D.
Collingwood, VIC · March 2025
“Booked the arena for my son's 14th and the crew ran the whole tournament for us. Custom brackets, casting, the lot. Best party we've thrown.”
RS
Rebecca S.
Carlton, VIC · January 2025
“The dev workshop got me from zero to a playable platformer in eight weeks. Two of us are still building together in the lab on weekends.”
AP
Anh P.
Fitzroy North, VIC · November 2024
“They fixed my drifting controller and rebuilt my PC's cooling in a day. Fair price, no upsell. This is my repair shop now.”
TW
Tom W.
Richmond, VIC · October 2024
Good to know
Questions we hear at the front desk.
Visiting & Access
Walk-ins are welcome whenever seats are free, but weekends and evenings fill fast. We recommend booking a station online for Friday and Saturday nights, and VR bays are almost always booked out on weekends.
We're open every day from 10am to 11pm, including public holidays. The development lab runs on a separate schedule for enrolled workshop members, typically Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Memberships & Pricing
PC access starts at $9 AUD per hour, with discounted day passes and student rates. Retro arcade membership is $29 AUD per month for unlimited cabinet play. All prices include peripherals and are listed in Australian dollars.
Yes. Memberships are month-to-month with no lock-in contract. Cancel any time before your next billing date from your account or by calling the front desk, and you'll keep access until the end of the paid period.
Events & Workshops
Absolutely — private tournament hosting starts at $650 AUD for up to 40 players. That includes bracket management, live casting, streaming overlays and catering options. Get in touch at least two weeks ahead for weekend dates.
None at all. Our eight-week Unity and Godot courses start from first principles and are designed for complete beginners. You'll leave the final class with a playable prototype you built yourself.
Get in touch
Book a station or plan your event.
Drop us a message and the crew will get back to you within one business day. For same-day bookings, give us a call — we're on the floor from 10am.
Phone
+61 3 9419 8745Address
57 Smith Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Email
[email protected]Hours
Open daily · 10:00am – 11:00pm