The Texas State Esports Club got a new arena in the LBJ Student Center in 2020, which features top computer gear and accessories sponsored by the Division of Information Technology. The club plays competitive multi-player games online against some of the top universities in the country, for cash prizes and more.
The arena is in Boko’s Living Room on the first floor of the student center. It has 12 stations available, plus additional seating for audience members. Each station is equipped with Alienware Aurora R9 desktops, Alienware 25-inch monitors, keyboards, mouses, headsets, and cameras. The gear upgrade is exciting and a fantastic opportunity for the players, as the computers can run all their titles with ease and high performance.
The Esports Club can host tournaments in their new space and run regular training and online matches with different games. In addition, the projector in the room allows club members to review previously broadcasted live streams (VODs) of specific games. In the past, they would have in-house tournaments for games like Super Smash Brothers, League of Legends, and Overwatch. The games are hosted online and feature Apex Legends, Rainbow 6 Siege, Rocket League, and League of Legends, but hopefully, there will be in-person or even a hybrid of online and in-person events with the new space.
The arena will only be available for the Esports Club team, and four additional stations will be set up in George’s Lounge for public use. If you are interested, joining the club is easy! Although rank is considered, there is no rank requirement to join a team. Tryouts are held for the titles listed, and those who have stand-out performances and the knowledge needed are chosen to make the team. The club also welcomes those who are not interested in being on a team roster because it encourages casual gaming as well! Hop into the team’s Discord for information on joining.
The university aims to accommodate the diverse interests of students. The Esports Club has over 600 members. The arena provides teams with an in-person place to practice and participate in online tournaments. Hopefully, the arena will also allow players to connect better and make the community more personal.
The Division of Information Technology helped sponsor the club through the top gear provided in the new space – which should help promote the success of these elite gamers. The space opened in December 2020. For additional information and questions, reach out to Chris Canik, Esports Club president, at crc331@txstate.edu.
Written by IT Marketing and Communications staff.