Two friends, a broken café Wi-Fi, and 40 stations later.
Blackout started in 2021 when Sanne and Ruben got tired of losing ranked matches to café Wi-Fi and started asking: what would a gaming space look like if it were designed by people who actually competed?
The problem we built this to solve
Most "gaming cafes" are internet cafes with a sticker on the window — ageing hardware, shared bandwidth, chairs from a hardware store. None of it matters when you're browsing, and all of it matters the moment a round is on the line.
So Blackout was built floor-up around three non-negotiables: hardware that never bottlenecks, a network that never shares, and seating you'd actually choose for yourself. Everything else — the kitchen, the coaching, the tournaments — grew out of members asking for it.
Where we are
Blackout sits in Schiehaven, Rotterdam's old harbour district turned creative quarter — five minutes from Delfshaven metro station, with free parking after 18:00 on the adjacent lot.
Schiehavenkade 12
3024 EC Rotterdam
The Netherlands
How the floor grew.
12 stations, one room
Blackout opens in a converted warehouse unit with a dozen PCs and a single dedicated fibre line.
Console room + first tournament
Member demand adds a console room and the first weekly bracket — 16 players, one trophy, no prize pool yet.
Squad rooms & coaching
Two glass-walled squad rooms and a resident coaching program launch after teams start booking the floor for scrims.
40 stations, full floor
The lounge expands to its current 40-station floor plus a dedicated sim-racing corner.
Regional tournament host
Blackout hosts its first regional qualifier with a shoutcasted stage round and a real prize pool.
Still member-run
Sanne and Ruben still work the floor most weekends — the club stays small enough to know your seat number.
Come see the floor for yourself.
Tours are free and take ten minutes — no booking required during opening hours.
Plan a Visit