au Open 9am-6pm Mon-Fri & 9am-1pm Sat The Gaming Den is a safe and supportive gaming environment for people with autism, located in Ipswich, Queensland Our business started in mid 2020, as we were struggling to get my son, who was in his early 20s with ASD and ADHD, out of the house or to show interest in many things. He had the idea to find a place where he could play computer games with others who shared his interests. After looking around we were unable to find a place where he would feel safe, but with encouragement from his psychologist and occupational therapist we started The Gaming Den together.
We have worked hard to create a space where my son and others on the Autism spectrum are able to feel safe and comfortable. We are equipped with 10 computers containing over 300 games, two racing machines, and an immersive VR setup. There are also board games available. We mainly focus on single-player and local multiplayer games to avoid the sometimes difficult to manage online communities. Our games include Minecraft, Skyrim, Age of Empires, Mass Effect, the Witcher series, Baldur’s Gate 3, the Borderlands series and more.
Our doors are open for all ages, though under 16s require a support worker or guardian to stay with them while they game, over 16 years welcome to come independently or with their support worker. We do recommend anyone of any age bring along a support worker or someone comfortable initially to help with the new space and new faces. There is a fridge and microwave for storing and heating meals, a table to eat at, a designated quiet area, and plenty of free on-site parking.
For the last 3 years we have been servicing the Ipswich and Brisbane area, with NDIS participants being the target audience. We are not NDIS registered and ask that our clients are plan managed or self managed. We offer the first session for free to see if we are a good fit with no pressure to return afterwards if it doesn’t suit.