Croatia-based gaming cafe company Friendly Fire announced Monday that it plans to expand its business into the United States, beginning with franchises in Texas and Florida. The company did not provide a timeline on when these new locations would be opened.
The news follows the recent announcement of retired League of Legends professional player Luka “Perkz” Perkovic joining Friendly Fire’s ownership group in early December.
Friendly Fire claims to have more than 200 franchises in “various stages of development” in the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain. The average cost of opening a Friendly Fire franchise including the franchise fee of $49,500 USD, is around $218,400 – $390,685, which includes a 1,500 square foot facility containing around 50 gaming stations.
Friendly Fire says that this planned expansion represents the next chapter in the company’s evolution.
“This announcement marks a defining moment for Friendly Fire. Our expansion into the U.S. reflects both the strength of our franchise model and our commitment to building socially engaging spaces for gamers around the world,” said founder and CEO David Kosir. “We are all social beings. People want to play together. Playing games alone at home feels empty. Social gaming is the core of Friendly Fire, and we have proven many times over that the demand for this concept is huge. The market is wide open and we’re here to fill it.”
Since launching its franchise model in 2022, Friendly Fire has expanded to 20 cafes across Europe.
While many have tried to operate gaming cafes in the United States, most have failed to find success. Those companies that have failed over the years include Belong Gaming Arenas, Nerd Street (which changed its business model to focus on the collegiate space), and GameWorks, among others.
You can learn more about the company at www.friendlyfireesports.com.