When most people think of sports, they think physical activities like football, baseball and soccer. However, since the advent of competitive video games, a new type of sport has emerged一esports. Thursday, Oct. 4, a preliminary meeting for a potential campus esports team took place, hosted by senior math major Jeff Arnett.
“The esports atmosphere is growing exponentially right now,” said Arnett. “It’s a big community that can be expanded into Bluffton University’s campus.”
The meeting attracted many students, including senior convergent media major Floid Krajcovic.
“I’ve always wanted an esports club to be here,” said Krajcovic. “I love the competitive scene of video games, I love playing video games. Hopefully there’s a League [of Legends] team for me to be a part of and make future games with.”
Instead of playing games like baseball or basketball, esports players play games like League of Legends, Overwatch and Street Fighter, practicing to be the best and win tournaments. While less physically intensive, mental fortitude is very important in esports, requiring competitors to know the mechanics and rules of their games and strategize on the fly.
Successful players can even reach fame comparable to traditional athletes. In fact, popular Fortnite streamer Richard Tyler Blevins, also known by the alias “Ninja,” appeared on the cover of ESPN Magazine in September.
While the group has not yet obtained official club status, Arnett said administrators have already set some ground rules, including what games will be allowed. Games that won’t be part of club events include Call of Duty, Battlefield and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
When asked if fighting games like Tekken or Super Smash Bros. would be permitted, Arnett said he was cautiously optimistic.
“Obviously we are a nonviolent university, we want to promote peace, we want to promote our values as a university,” said Arnett. “That’s a genre of games that’s going to be in the talks, more so, with administration and faculty and staff, but at the same time, it is a big part of the esports community.”
Arnett said he hopes the club will eventually become a full-fledged campus team that participates in large-scale official events. He said the proposal is being taken before university administration and will be decided on in the next few weeks.
Students interested in a potential esports team are encouraged to reach out to Arnett or the faculty sponsor, Associate Professor of Communication Zachary Walton.
