Blizzard is turning the old ‘Tonight Show’ studio into an esports arena

Blizzard announced today that it is creating a state-of-the-art esports facility for live events in Los Angeles. The Blizzard Arena Los Angeles will open on October 7 at the former The Tonight Show stage in Burbank Studios. This was where Johnny Carson and Jay Leno hosted the show until Jimmy Fallon took over in 2014 and moved it to New York City.

Blizzard has long invested in competitive gaming. Many of its popular games — including Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm — have thriving esports scenes. This venue gives Blizzard a permanent location to host tournaments and other events. It’s an investment that can save them money in the long-term as they won’t have to keep renting out venues.