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Cloud City Gaming - Rushden

The heartbeat of any town is its local businesses, those special places where you can escape and find places where you can make meaningful connections with people who share your interests.

On Rushden's High Street, one such place stands out for this, and that’s Cloud City Gaming. This brilliant local business is a haven for gamers, geeks, nerds, and anyone seeking a safe space to let their imagination run wild, make friends and connections, and explore a world of endless possibilities.

Founded by self-confessed geeks Lee and Michael who met through their gaming passion, and with help from Lee’s son Alfie, Cloud City Gaming has been open for nearly two years with its second birthday fast-approaching on 13th November.  

Lee is a busy dad of three who also works as a delivery driver and embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship. His childhood passion for gaming spurred him on to set up his own online business selling games, consoles and accessories, and when a friend offered him the chance to bring the business to Rushden’s High Street by having space in his shop, Lee was over the moon!

We stopped by on a busy Saturday afternoon when Lee and Alfie were busy setting up for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign and a game of Warhammer 40,000, it was fascinating to see! The play tables were busy with people getting ready to play, as well as customers stopping by to look at, and buy bits and bobs for their latest game. One young girl even popped in to proudly show Lee her expanding Pokémon collection and we loved seeing him taking a real interest in what she was showing him, and giving her advice on trading cards and building her collection even more.

Cloud City Gaming is a place that’s full of nerd stuff and we love running it. We pride ourselves on our commitment to inclusivity because everyone is welcome here.  It is a safe space for all regardless of your health needs, background, or circumstances.  

We have seen so many positive changes in many of our customers since we opened, one stand-out story is a boy with severe autism who struggled to leave his accommodation. With his interest in gaming, he discovered us, but was too afraid to come inside. He has since overcome many fears to become a regular visitor, and is now a Pokémon ambassador for the shop, it makes us so proud. We also have veterans and people dealing with PTSD visiting regularly, with them saying it provides them with a sense of camaraderie and support.

I’d describe Cloud City Gaming as a playground for all ages, it is full of treasure for self-confessed geeks like us!  Gamers of all ages can find everything they need to bring their online gaming fantasies to life. We’ve got pay-to-play tables which people can use for their games and tournaments, and we sell characters, accessories, paints and materials for crafting. The shop is a creative place where your imagination can really do the talking.

We are much more than a shop, we are a community hub for people to use as they wish.  We hold regular events and clubs for various games throughout the week including Dungeon and Dragons, Star Wars, Warhammer, as well as those for trading cards games such as Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic: The Gathering.

Gaming is an area that’s popular with adults and children, and one where you learn all the time including valuable life skills like sportsmanship, and problem-solving.  We help children learn to understand game rules and instructions and how to trade cards safely and responsibly as well as losing games graciously! It’s not just about the winning, it’s about the joy of playing and being creative.

As well as hosting lots of events and clubs, we also offer 3D printing to bring custom-designed characters to life, I still get so excited about this, especially seeing people’s creations come to life. The shop is also a one-stop destination for gaming supplies including paints which is an important part of the process.  Creating characters and game sets is so therapeutic and can provide a welcome escape from everyday stress.

Gaming is growing in popularity all the time and is recognised for the positive impact it can have on mental health and well-being, and we can understand why, especially seeing the effect it can have on people’s confidence and social skills. TV shows such as Stranger Things have also played a part in its popularity as well as gaming shows and exhibitions.

In our spare time, you will often find us at Comicon shows and getting involved in testing out demo games for different companies which helps us stay at the forefront of new developments in the massive world of gaming!Lee - Cloud City Gaming

Whether you’re an avid gamer, just starting out with gaming, or someone who is seeking a welcoming community with like-minded people, make sure you take a trip to Rushden and become part of the Cloud City Gaming family. It’s a special place with a family like no other!

For information on events and clubs hosted at the shop, make sure you are following this great local business on Facebook, or visit the the Cloud City Gaming website.

Support this wonderful local business by:

• liking the Cloud City Gaming Facebook page and Cloud City Gaming Instagram
• popping into the shop on Rushden’s High Street to say hi!
• leaving a positive review online
• telling your friends about them 

Last updated 21 November 2023