A&E

Drai’s partners with video game lifestyle brand XSET

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A rendering of a Drai’s XSET cabana
Photo: XSET / Courtesy

Rick Ross. Big Sean. French Montana. When it comes to star-studded hip-hop lineups, Drai’s is the king of the Strip.

Here’s a new name for you: XSET, the first esports lifestyle brand to lock in a “video game residency” with the storied Las Vegas nightlife brand.

“Gaming is finally becoming mainstream. It’s pop culture,” says Greg Selkoe, chief executive officer of XSET. “But one of the things we founded XSET on, besides that pop culture component, was diversity and inclusion. We wanted to create an organization for women, men, LGBTQ, all different races, backgrounds, styles and interests, and I think that comes together in nightclubs, as well.

“Drai’s [brings in a really] interesting mix of different people. Everyone loves hip-hop. It’s a global force ... and gaming is also becoming a global force. So why not bring the two things together?”

This intersection has been explored in Las Vegas before, from former Fremont East bar Insert Coin(s) to newer spots like Emporium Arcade Bar at Area15. But XSET’s partnership with Drai’s seems intent on taking the trend to another level. Late this fall, Drai’s will debut themed XSET cabanas featuring custom video game consoles and large LED screens for optimal game time.

Inside the nightclub, VIP guests will game inside their exclusive sections as they listen to the hottest stars in residence, and Drai’s x XSET merch will be sold on site. Plans for contests and gaming tournaments often hosted by XSET talent and Drai’s artists are also in the works.

XSET has several esports teams under its belt in various games, from Call of Duty to Rocket League. Selkoe says an XSET “content house,” where Drai’s resident artists can host listening parties, film content and XSET team players can stream games, is coming in 2022.

As former president of the wildly successful gaming collective FaZe Clan, Selkoe brings years of institutional knowledge of the gaming industry to the table. But recognizes the business model is changing.

“I think Vegas has an opportunity to really lead what gaming’s becoming, which is gaming lifestyle,” Selkoe says. “Esports is just one part of it.”

XSET’s ties to the music industry ran deep even before it partnered with Drai’s. Clinton Sparks, the organization’s chief business development officer, is a Grammy-nominated DJ who has worked with everyone from Lady Gaga to Diddy. And XSET’s chief merchandising and licensing officer Wil Eddins, whom Selkoe credits with starting the initial conversations with Drai’s, is a Las Vegas native with connections to entertainers around the city.

The organization has also picked up several high-profile investors and influencers along the way, including hip-hop artist Swae Lee from Rae Sremmurd, Latin superstar Ozuna, the New England Patriots’ Kyle Van Noy and the Denver Broncos’ Justin Simmons.

“We’re reaching into music, into technology, into nightlife in a way that I don’t think any of the gaming orgs, even ones I’ve been at before, are going to have the ability to, because we started from day one focusing on it,” Selkoe says. “We want to be awesome at esports, but [we’re also focused on] lifestyle. … We want everyone who loves gaming to feel like this is for them.”

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Amber Sampson

Amber Sampson is a Staff Writer for Las Vegas Weekly. She got her start in journalism as an intern at ...

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