ManaBar GmbH - Basel

What ManaBar GmbH - Basel does

ManaBar GmbH is a privately held Swiss limited liability company (CHE-275.808.889) operating a single hybrid bar and gaming venue at Güterstrasse 99 in Basel, directly adjacent to Basel SBB main station. Founded in 2019 as a project of the nonprofit association VAISk (Verein für Aufklärung über Internet und Spielkultur), the business combines hospitality services with gaming infrastructure across 300m² of indoor space on three floors plus a 1,000m² outdoor "Secret Garden."

The core offering is a layered gaming experience supported by bar service. Analog gaming features board and card games, custom-designed D&D tables with a 1x1 inch epoxy grid for wet-chalk drawings, modular reconfigurable tables, and tournament-sized tabletop surfaces with reversible felt tops, priced at CHF 5 per day for unlimited access. Digital gaming includes 12 high-end gaming PCs equipped with Logitech G peripherals and a console lounge with a 65-inch 4K monitor and Nintendo Switch, charged at CHF 6 per hour for PCs and CHF 4 per hour per controller. A proprietary in-bar ordering platform allows customers to purchase drinks without leaving their gaming station. Esports programming includes hosted tournaments such as Orcus Smash, Swiss Dota Cup, and OrcusV finals, integrated into the Swiss Bundesbattle league. Food is provided through a partner (Union Diner) and ordered via the bar.

Commercially, ManaBar generates revenue from per-hour gaming fees, F&B sales, private event hosting (birthdays, corporate events, bachelor/bachelorette parties), cocktail catering and mixology courses, and esports venue rental. Distribution is walk-in at the Basel venue, supplemented by mobile cocktail catering off-site and an online reservation form for tables and events. The customer base spans individual gaming enthusiasts, corporate groups, and gaming clubs (FGC Basel, SwissRPG, Figureheads, SOS Esports). The venue is supported by a partnership ecosystem spanning hardware (Logitech, Erazer, Init7 fiber), retail (World of Games), food (Union Diner), and the founding financial backer Christoph Merian Stiftung. Five co-owners (Tom Barylov, Nick Skillman, Nora Welti, Tobias Zischler, Justyna) plus at least four bartenders comprise the operating team.

Name

ManaBar GmbH - Basel

Legal name

ManaBar GmbH

Website

https://manabar.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ManaBar GmbH operates a single hybrid bar and gaming venue in Basel, Switzerland, combining hospitality services with 12 gaming PCs, console stations, custom tabletop gaming tables, and a 1,000m² outdoor garden, serving individual gaming enthusiasts, corporate groups, and gaming clubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gaming Bar and Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Gaming Café/Bar Hybrid Venues (Food & Beverage + Competitive Play) (MPAFALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD), Bar & Beverage Catering (Mobile Bar, Bartending) (HSACAGAF)

Keywords

• Gaming bar services
• Board game cafe
• Esports venue hosting
• Cocktail catering services
• Tabletop gaming space

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Bar sales of cocktails, mocktails, and other drinks. Food partner Union Diner provides burgers and menus ordered through the bar.
2. Gaming Time Fees: Hourly fees for PC gaming stations and console stations. Daily passes for analog board and card games.
3. Event Hosting and Catering: Revenue from hosting private events including birthday parties, corporate events, team events, bachelor/bachelorette parties. Cocktail catering and cocktail making courses also generate revenue.
4. Esports Tournament Hosting: Hosting esports tournaments and events such as Orcus Smash, Swiss Dota Cup, and OrcusV finals. Generates revenue through venue rental and equipment usage fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ManaBar operates a physical hybrid bar and gaming venue in Basel that combines bar service (cocktails, mocktails, food via partner Union Diner) with gaming infrastructure spanning analog tabletop games, digital PC and console gaming, and esports tournament hosting. The venue spans 300m² across three floors plus a 1000m² outdoor garden and serves both walk-in individual customers and private/corporate event bookings. Revenue is generated through hourly gaming fees, day passes, food and beverage sales, private event hosting, cocktail courses, and mobile cocktail catering.

Product overview

ManaBar is a hybrid bar and gaming venue in Basel, Switzerland, offering a unified entertainment experience combining bar services with gaming culture. The core offering includes Analog Games (board games, card games, D&D, and tabletop on 300 m²), Digital Gaming (12 PC stations, console lounge with 65" 4K monitor and Nintendo Switch), and Esports Events hosting. Supporting services include cocktails and food via Union Diner, private event hosting (birthdays, corporate events, bachelor parties), recurring events (Karaoke Tuesdays, Weekly Pub Quiz, Fighting Game Weekly), cocktail workshops and catering, and a 1000m² Secret Garden outdoor space. The venue operates across three floors totaling 300m² plus the garden, positioning itself as a destination where bar culture meets game culture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Analog Games Board game and tabletop gaming service featuring 300+ card games and board games on a 300m² dedicated floor, including D&D tables with a 1x1 inch wet-chalk-compatible epoxy grid, tournament-sized tabletop tables with reversible felt tops, and modular tables reconfigurable for different game types.
• PC Gaming Station 12 high-end gaming PCs equipped with Logitech G peripherals (headsets, mice, keyboards), pre-installed games library, support for custom configurations via USB, and integrated in-seat ordering platform allowing customers to order drinks without leaving their station.
• Console Station Gaming console lounge featuring a 65-inch 4K monitor connected to a Nintendo Switch with various games, available at CHF 4 per hour per controller/player.
• Esports Area Dedicated esports tournament space hosting competitive gaming events including Orcus Smash, Swiss Dota Cup, and OrcusV finals, with 12 PC setups, consoles, rental equipment for streaming and displays, and integration into the Swiss Bundesbattle league.
• Bar & Cocktails Full bar service offering signature cocktails, mocktails, and classic drinks with a focus on quality and variety, plus food from partner Union Diner (burgers and menus ordered through the bar).
• Secret Garden 1000m² outdoor garden space featuring a container bar, refreshing cocktails developed with Hinz & Kunz, and various outdoor games. Open on summer weekends when weather exceeds 20 degrees Celsius.
• Birthday Parties Private event hosting for birthday celebrations combining games, cocktails, and food, with options ranging from individual table reservations to full-floor takeovers of the venue.
• Corporate Events & Aperitifs Team events and corporate celebrations with catering options through partner Union Diner, including pizza, platters, and custom menus tailored to corporate gatherings.
• Private Pub Quiz Customized trivia night hosting service with tailored question themes for private events, leveraging ManaBar's experience running its weekly public pub quiz.
• Cocktail Making Course Interactive team event teaching mixology basics, where participants create and enjoy their own cocktails under bartender guidance.
• Cocktail Catering Mobile bar service and pre-mixed cocktail delivery for weddings, corporate parties, and festivals, bringing the ManaBar cocktail experience to external venues.
• Karaoke Tuesdays Weekly open karaoke event held every Tuesday evening from 18:00-22:00, free admission with no registration required.
• Weekly Pub Quiz Weekly pub quiz competition held Wednesday evenings from 19:30-21:30 with teams of up to 5 people, seasonal point accumulation, and prize opportunities.
• Fighting Game Weekly Weekly fighting game tournament featuring Tekken 8, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Street Fighter 6, and Guilty Gear: Strive, organized with FGC Basel and integrated into the Swiss Bundesbattle esports league.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully completed CHF 25,718 crowdfunding campaign with 200+ supporters during COVID-19 pandemic

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VAISkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella organization (Verein für Aufklärung über Internet und Spielkultur) that founded the ManaBar project. VAISk has been the organizing body for gaming culture events in Basel since 2015 and serves as the legal entity behind ManaBar.
• World of Games (WoG.ch)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEsports partner with online shop collaboration for esports-related products and events.
• SOS EsportscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizes esports tournaments in ManaBar including Orcus Smash and OrcusV finals. Key partner for competitive gaming events.
• FGC BaselcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFighting Game Community club that organizes Fighting Game Weeklies and tournaments at ManaBar. Part of Swiss Bundesbattle esports league.
• SwissRPGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss role-playing game association that brings D&D groups to ManaBar for tabletop RPG sessions.
• FigureheadsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTabletop gaming group that brings Warhammer Age of Sigmar battles to ManaBar gaming tables.
• Union DinerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood partner providing burgers and menus. Orders placed through ManaBar bar and delivered to tables.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Meltdown eSports Bar: Paris-founded esports-bar franchise combining a full bar with PC/console gaming stations and tournament hosting. Closely comparable to ManaBar's hybrid concept and esports-league integration.
• Snakes & Lattes: Board-game café chain offering food and drinks alongside analog game libraries for a day-pass fee. Directly comparable to ManaBar's analog-games day-pass model and bar-plus-games positioning.
• Meeple's Board Game Café: Board game café concept with day-pass gaming, food, and drinks — closely mirrors ManaBar's analog-games revenue stream and community-event programming.
• The Loading Dock: Board game and gaming café combining tabletop play with food and drinks. Directly analogous to ManaBar's analog-games day-pass and community-event strategy.
• CTRL V Gaming: Gaming-center chain offering hourly PC and console play with food and beverage. Comparable usage-based pricing structure and gaming-station infrastructure.
• Netherworld: London-based bar combining arcade and tabletop gaming with cocktails and food. Closely comparable hybrid concept in a similar mid-size European city context.
• Reset Gaming Café: Gaming café operating hourly-fee PC and console stations alongside food and beverages. Comparable pricing model (hourly gaming fees) and direct-venue walk-in customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Dave & Buster's: Large-format entertainment-venue chain combining F&B with arcade and competitive gaming. Represents the scaled incumbent version of ManaBar's hybrid concept, though at much larger venue and price-point economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/manabarch
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4qabdshRh6JPOe-Uc_Sa7w
• Facebookfacebook.com/manabar.ch
• Instagraminstagram.com/manabarbasel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manabarch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ManaBar GmbH - Basel