Playing video games is not a waste of time – in fact, it can open the door to a college scholarship and a lucrative career. E-sports – multiplayer video games that compete in front of viewers – is growing in popularity.
Colleges offer scholarships to eSports athletes who join a collegiate eSports program. This increased competition for student players means that students are looking for schools with excellent academics and top-level resources and equipment.
E-sports is growing in popularity in the common market expected reach nearly $ 2.2 billion by 2023.
Colleges and universities are recruiting eSports as well as those who play supporting roles such as IT and business management, left and right. Along with the growing demand for eSports, there is a need for modern eSports facilities designed to meet the infrastructure needs that such programs require.
As student eSports expand, here are some of the latest and most important developments to keep in mind:
1. There are detailed ratings for collegial eSports. University of Miami was one of the first higher education institutions in the United States to launch a University eSports program. In 2017, the university’s Overwatch school team took first place in the Overwatch season of the National Student E-Sports Association. In second place, UC Irvine was the first state university to create The official eSports program. The school viewed the eSports program as a practical extension of the successful specialty of computer games and a thriving gaming community.
Laura Assione is the editorial director of eSchool Media. She graduated from the prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.
