The Hub (Edge Photo by Abbey Wardwell) A gathering place for game enthusiasts By Katy England edge staff writer kengland@themaineedge.com Video games are becoming box-office blockbusters, with big budgets, big graphics and a big audience. The only drawback is that when you're playing Call of Duty or Halo, you can only play with a couple friends at a time, if you have the controller. And if you do decide to play "live," you never know who you're playing against and whether it will be any fun. Well, that's changed, at least in Brewer. The Hub, located in the Hannaford Shopping Plaza in Brewer, recently opened its doors and offers a completely new gaming experience. With nine 10-foot screens, about 48 people can play while 50 or so friends and fans watch or wait their turn in the background. With various consoles, including X-Box 360, Playstation 3 and Wii, there are plenty of games to choose from, including "Guitar Hero," "Madden X," "Halo 3," "Wii Sports" and more. "There's no precedent for the set up of games," said Dennis Hutchins, manager of The Hub. "The focus of The Hub, after 2 p.m., is providing and environment for massive multiplayer electronic gaming." The setup allows for gamers to hook up and game together. Hutchins said that up to 24 people can play "Call of Duty 4" and 16 can play "Halo 3" simultaneously. Which is pretty awesome. All of the gaming consoles have been installed into the ceiling, and they are angled so that it's difficult for someone to accidentally get a shadow on the screen. Half of the long room is set aside for space where paid players can sit on couches and battle with their buddies; and the other half is retail and spectator area. Hutchins intends to keep parents firmly in the loop even while their kids are gaming at The Hub. Anyone under the age of 17 needs a parent's permission slip before playing any games rated M for mature. Hutchins plans on holding tournaments for various games. He's vigorously working with other area businesses to get them involved and also give children and families something fun to do in their spare time. But if they don't have your favorite game, you're encouraged to bring your own and plug in. "It started with our concept and has evolved with input from players," he said. "We integrate it to what's already here." He struck up a deal with Rent A Center, who allows The Hub to use and display some of their surplus inventory (you know, the comfy gaming couches). "We're trying to provide the best environment for them with a pricing structure that covers cost but deters addiction," said Hutchins. It costs $10 per hour to game, but Hutchins is offering an opening deal of $30 for groups of four. But there's more to The Hub than just game tourneys and birthday parties. Hutchins hopes to host senior citizen socialization and gaming days. From 8 a.m. until 10 a.m., seniors can use the Wii for virtual skydiving, hunting and more. Hutchins mentioned that he's also put together a high definition slide show of certain sites around Acadia National Park that he would like to display. The staff consists of about five employees, including Hutchins. Albert Cochan and Sid Duton are hosts, Andrew Bezgeinbluk is the CIO and tech director and Lawrence Gary is the project manager. "We can create a purely visual and aural experience," said Hutchins. "We combine people to make it a social experience as well." But also available at the site are more than 1,000 pieces of pop-art and T-shirts for sale on the retail side. For $9.95, you can choose from various amusing graphic T-shirts. You can also trick out your laptop with graphics of your choice, from beautiful swirling butterflies and fairies to your favorite band or video game logo and more. But Hutchins wants it to be more than just a destination for gamers – he wants to provide a place of learning and community. He hopes that local businesses will consider The Hub as a venue for catered business events, as the overhead projectors can be utilized for business presentations of all kinds. He plans on hosting various classes for new technology, such as Google Wave, online social networking and more. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Hutchins plans on hosting various classes and seminars for $50. "It's about connecting with the community," he said. And it's also a fun new way for friends to get together and get their game on.