ZENOS

What ZENOS does

ZENOS (Zenos Interactive Limited, operating as ZENOS Stadium, formerly Virtex Stadium) is a London-based private company founded in 2020 by Tim McGuinness and Christoph Ortlepp that operates a virtual reality and desktop platform for hosting immersive esports spectator experiences. The platform enables tournament organizers, game publishers, and individual creators to run virtual stadium events where fans create customizable avatars (powered by ReadyPlayerMe/Wolf3D), occupy tiered seating in a cyberpunk-themed cyber-stadium, watch broadcast content on a massive main screen alongside a real-time 3D recreation of the match, communicate via spatial voice (Vivox), and interact via inventory items and emotes supporting up to 200 concurrent players per server. Underlying technology is built on Unreal Engine 5, with Skybox data integration for Counter-Strike match reconstruction and NVIDIA Graphics Delivery Network for cloud rendering across 30+ global data centers with L40 GPUs. Community safety is handled via Modulate.ai's Toxmod moderation software.

The platform supports Counter-Strike (closed beta), with partnerships covering League of Legends Worlds 2023 and VALORANT Champions Tour events with Riot Games, plus Counter-Strike integration via Skybox. Distribution is global across Steam (Early Access wishlist), Oculus/Epic Games Stores, and an experimental NVIDIA GDN web version. The company has raised approximately $5M in total funding, including a $3.2M seed round in May 2022 from Anorak Ventures, All Iron Ventures, fov.ventures, Sure Valley, GFC, and athlete investors Andre Schurrle and Mario Götze, with additional capital from Kameha Ventures in October 2025.

ZENOS's revenue streams include recurring subscription-based platform access and hosting services for tournament organizers, transactional revenue from avatar cosmetics and virtual goods purchased with premium credits, and freemium desktop access for non-VR users. The company operates with a 24-person team distributed across 12 countries. ZENOS is not publicly listed and remains founder-controlled under CEO Tim McGuinness and COO Christoph Ortlepp.

Name

ZENOS

Legal name

Zenos Interactive Limited

Website

https://zenosstadium.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZENOS operates ZENOS Stadium, a VR and desktop platform that hosts immersive virtual esports stadium experiences for tournament organizers, publishers, and fans, using Unreal Engine 5 to render real-time 3D match recreations alongside broadcast content with social voice and avatar features.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Virtual Esports Spectator Platform

NAICS

Amusement Arcades (71312), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

VR & Immersive Esports/LBE Venues (VR Arenas, Sim Racing Pods) (MPAFALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Esports Platforms & Competitive Gaming Networks (BPAMAKAH), Virtual Sports & Esports Live Events (Broadcast + Interactive Viewing) (MPAGAOAH), Gaming & Virtual World Communities (BPAMABAE), Virtual Worlds & Social Sandbox Experiences (persistent social spaces) (MPAFAIAG)

Keywords

• Virtual esports stadium
• VR spectator platform
• Immersive esports viewing
• 3D match recreation
• Esports watch party

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Platform Access & Hosting Services: Virtual stadium hosting for esports organizers, teams, and creators to run virtual esports events. Tournament organizers handle production while ZENOS provides the platform.
2. Virtual Goods & Cosmetics: Avatar cosmetics and items purchasable with premium 'credits' currency. Points earned through in-app actions. Cosmetics compatible with ReadyPlayerMe avatar platform.
3. Desktop/Non-VR Access: Desktop mode available via Oculus for pancake/flat-screen viewing, expanding potential customer base beyond VR headset owners.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ZENOS operates ZENOS Stadium (also known as Virtex Stadium), an Unreal Engine 5-powered virtual esports stadium platform available via Steam, Oculus, and a web client. It lets fans enter a shared 3D cyberpunk arena with custom avatars, watch live esports broadcasts on a giant screen alongside a real-time 3D recreation of the match, and socialize via spatial voice. The company also licenses the platform to tournament organizers, publishers (e.g., Riot Games), and creators to host branded virtual watch parties.

Product overview

ZENOS Stadium is a single unified virtual stadium platform for watching esports events in an immersive 3D environment. The core ZENOS Stadium (also known as Virtex Stadium) product enables users to create 3D avatars, attend virtual stadium events alongside other fans, and watch esports broadcasts while viewing a live 3D recreation of the match. The platform is powered by several key enabling technologies: Skybox data integration for real-time match visualization in Counter-Strike, NVIDIA GDN cloud infrastructure for web-based streaming, and ReadyPlayerMe avatar customization for personalized user identities. Currently in active development with support for Counter-Strike, League of Legends, and Valorant esports content, the platform is accessible via Steam/PCVR with an experimental web version powered by NVIDIA. ZENOS Stadium is developed by Zenos Interactive Limited, a London-based company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ZENOS Stadium (Virtex Stadium) Virtual reality and desktop esports stadium platform that enables fans to watch live esports competitions together in an immersive 3D environment, creating custom 3D avatars, joining virtual stadium seats, interacting via voice chat, and watching a live broadcast alongside a 3D recreation of the match.

Quantifiable outcome

• First virtual esports stadium to host live events - December 2022
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, minor and supporting.

• NVIDIAmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2024Integration with NVIDIA Graphics Delivery Network (GDN) for cloud gaming and graphics rendering. Enables low-latency streaming for esports watch parties using L40 GPUs and 30+ global data centers. Featured ZENOS esports watch parties on GDN platform.
• Riot GamescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2023Partnership for watch parties featuring League of Legends Worlds 2023 and Valorant Champions Tour events. ZENOS Stadium customized with LoL branding including Kayle and Aatrox statues and the Worlds Trophy. From Quarterfinals (Nov 2) to Finals (Nov 19) for LoL Worlds.
• Riot GamescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2023Collaboration for VCT Champions Los Angeles watch party from August 16-26, 2023. Followed successful VCT Masters Tokyo finals playtest earlier in 2023.
• SkyboxcoreTechnology or Integration · 19 May 2023Partnership with Skybox for Counter-Strike integration. Combined Skybox data technology with ZENOS arena to enable real-time 3D recreation of CS matches by transmitting match data into UE5-replicated maps.
• National Esports Professional Association (NEPA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2022Partnership for inaugural Echo VR event in December 2022, showcasing the world's first virtual esports stadium. NEPA-branded event with best Echo VR esports teams competing.
• Epic Online ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party IT service provider used for online services functionality.
• Microsoft PlayfabcoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party IT service provider for game backend services and player data management.
• AWS / GameliftcoreTechnology or IntegrationAmazon Web Services Gamelift for server infrastructure and game session management.
• ReadyPlayerMe / Wolf3DcoreTechnology or IntegrationAvatar production specialists enabling cross-platform avatar customization. Cosmetics purchased can be used across other apps using ReadyPlayerMe avatars.
• VivoxcoreTechnology or IntegrationVoice spatialization technology for in-game voice communication and chat features.
• Modulate.aisupportingTechnology or IntegrationCommunity moderation software (Toxmod) that monitors and moderates user interactions within the Stadium for safety and inclusivity.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• VRChat: Massively social VR platform with persistent worlds, avatar customization, and community events. Overlaps with ZENOS on the immersive social VR venue, avatar expression, and third-party event use case.
• Wave: Virtual entertainment venue for live concerts and events with social interactivity. Closely comparable to ZENOS's watch-party stadium model of staging live broadcast content inside a 3D social environment.
• Rec Room: Cross-platform social VR platform with user-generated rooms and games. Comparable to ZENOS as a social VR venue where users gather, watch content together, and interact via avatars and voice chat.

Broad incumbents

• Twitch: Dominant esports and gaming livestreaming platform. Broad incumbent in the same end user behavior (esports viewing) ZENOS targets, but delivered as 2D streams rather than an immersive 3D venue.
• Discord: Gaming-native community and voice-chat platform that ZENOS itself uses for beta onboarding and event promotion. Comparable on the gaming community and social-fan engagement layer, though text/voice rather than immersive 3D.
• Horizon Worlds (Meta): Meta's social VR world platform with avatar-based gatherings and live events. Comparable broad incumbent in social VR venues, with overlapping watch-party and event-hosting use cases; notably Meta's sunsetting of Echo VR is what originally pressured ZENOS into its pivot.
• YouTube Gaming: Major esports and gaming livestreaming destination. Comparable as a broad distributor of esports broadcasts that ZENOS must integrate alongside rather than displace.

Others

• Guilded: Gaming community platform with team scrims, events, and chat for esports orgs and players. Comparable as a community/event layer underneath the esports audience ZENOS serves, now owned by Roblox.
• Mobalytics: Esports analytics and gaming companion platform. Adjacent to ZENOS as part of the broader esports fan-engagement ecosystem, though focused on pre/post-match stats rather than live viewing.

Emerging players

• LIV: Esports creator tools platform that lets streamers add real-time 3D avatars and overlays to broadcasts. Comparable emerging player at the intersection of esports viewing and 3D/avatar-based presentation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zenostech
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@zenosinteractive
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZENOS3D
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zenosinteractive

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 ZENOS