Plb World: Vieri and Corradi talk about their creation

Although Plb World only arrived in Milan in 2023, Vieri and Corradi’s gaming project was born in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. The aim is to become an exclusively digital esports academy to give Italian talents in the gaming and esports sector the opportunity not only to show off, but also to grow competitively, “acquiring a training method”. In its first two years of life, the project produced several talents who went on to establish themselves in the competitive scenes of FIFA, even playing in the eSeries A Tim and Rocket League. Plb World is an addition that makes an important contribution to this previously created mental structure. Because it is of course an entertainment center, where you can have fun, where you can exchange ideas, where you can also just spend an evening. But it has also become home to professional gamers and organizations who can find physical support in Milan to grow, improve and excel.

The first six months

In recent months, PLB World has already carved out an important leadership role for itself. “PLB WORLD is a spectacle, we are becoming more and more convinced of what has been planned and created,” Vieri and Corradi explained. “It’s clear that in life there is always room for improvement and we talk to the staff every day to perfect certain aspects of the venue, but we are very happy with what we have done.” But was everyone happy? Also those who may have been in the sector for some time? What relationship do you have with the other actors in the scene? “Good, sometimes excellent. It is clear that not everyone understood or shared what we were doing from the first moment, but even those who started with preconceptions and then came to visit the facility also understood the potential for players or brands and therefore softened their position.” Today Plb represents World , as expected, also a place for teams to organize training boot camps. “In these first months, several teams from both Italy and abroad have come to use our spaces for training, qualifications, tournaments or photo shoots. We are very happy to have them because by comparing with them all children, both ours from the academy and those who are clients of the structure, can learn and improve a lot.”

The first controversies with parents

When the project was launched, some parents had strongly criticized the project. How have these months gone from this perspective? “No project ensures that everyone agrees and we did not have this kind of arrogance when we started PLB. We knew there would be criticism. We believe the best way to explain our project is to show it directly to people by experiencing it firsthand. We did it at all levels, with managers of companies who subsequently decided to support us, with managers of organizations and institutions who immediately understood the value of what they proposed, and also with several representatives of schools in Milan and Lombardy who helped parents and children invited. and allowing them to meet our staff and try out the facilities or attend sessions where they could watch children connected to the world speaking English train in high-profile competitions. Very often we live with fears and prejudices that can only be overcome through direct confrontation. We have always been available for this and anyone who wants to come and see for themselves is always welcome, because criticism, even if constructive, helps us grow and improve.”

And what was the biggest challenge of these months? “They were different. People are certainly bureaucratic when it comes to regulations, permits, restrictions and discussions with institutions. They warned us that it would not be easy because there were no regulations intended for the sector in all respects, but we did not expect so many complications. The second was probably to make the project understandable in 360°. The Entertainment Hub is a non-direct project that combines gaming, streaming, content creation and entertainment. We are talking about a place where excellence from different sectors such as Rossopomodoro’s food, BOBOTV, the gaming world represented by PLB Academy and ESP coexist and where partners look for unique experiences. Explaining it to companies, institutions and young people was and is the biggest challenge.”

What does a week look like in Plb World?

One of the curiosities of those not present is how Plb World actually works. What happens over the course of a week? Is there a program? “It is complicated to describe a typical week because in just a few months we have become an events venue in every sense and therefore the weeks are very often influenced by the number and type of private events for companies that are held during the week. mornings. The choice to have the place closed to the public in the morning has paid off because companies, but also training institutions (schools, universities, …), and professionals have had the opportunity to use our spaces for events, shooting sports, team building, product presentations and B2B meetings”.

Without forgetting that BoboTV episodes are broadcast live in Plb World. “Yes, that is certainly a fixed event of the week, about three to four times based on the Champions League calendar. We also have numerous gaming-related activities every afternoon. It really is a huge satisfaction to see so many children, young and very young, who come to use our spaces to have fun, train and try to improve with commitment.”

Studying and gaming go hand in hand

One of the key innovations to be introduced in the coming months concerns the connection to studying, both in books and, in a more modern way, on tablets. “We are very proud of the relationships we build with training providers. There will be various options for boys and girls in the coming months. For example, we have now activated scholarships for the Master’s in Esports, one of the most popular Italian courses on gaming and esports management, and we hope that this initiative will give the children the opportunity to specialize and help the sector.”

To these fairs should be added other innovations such as the future presence of live events and many other editorial projects that will always be carried out in the spaces of Viale Restelli 3, involving some of the most important Italian streamers. “Then on September 22, day one of EA FC 24, we have planned many activities that can give children the opportunity to interact with their idols and get to know the game from the very first moment and have an immersive experience.” The Academy of the football title received, among other things, an incredible numerical response: “For EA FC 24 we have received more than 100 registrations from players and content creators, demonstrating the enormous passion for gaming that exists in Italy and in the coming days we will have the second event of the Ford W University project dedicated to girls, which is truly interesting and stimulating.”

Upcoming openings?

Vieri and Corradi conclude their story by explaining whether there will be new offices or not. “It is a question that many have asked us. At this time, we believe that it is right to focus on the full development of the project in Milan, giving importance and value to those who have followed us in this challenge. The project is designed to be scalable, so that in the future, with the right counterpart, we can also think about opening new offices in Italy or abroad, as long as this does not lead to disruption of the project and the values ​​we have defended in it. PLB from day one”.