DES MOINES, Iowa — Grand View University student-athletes hosted a seven-school tournament over the weekend, but instead of competing on a court or field, the matches took place on video game consoles and controllers.
The Unified Esports Festival brought together players from across the Midwest for tournaments in nearly a dozen different video games including League of Legends and Valorant. Participants competed for gaming merchandise and nearly $5,000 in cash prizes. Tournaments and other similar events are becoming more common as esports continue to grow in popularity.
«With the universities and the high schools even really streamlining it more and helping to develop this pathway for these players to be able to go pro, I definitely see it on the rise,» said Rebecca Rong, Marketing Director for Unified Esports Association.
One of the players benefitting from that is Grand View’s Devin Drzewecki. Without getting a scholarship offer to play competitive esports, he said he wouldn’t have been able to go to college in the first place.
«It just got me thinking, ‘Oh, this is actually pretty fun to play competitive.’ So I just kept playing solo queue and then just kept getting higher and higher and then eventually got a collegiate offer, and I figured I might as well,» Drzewecki said.
Even without a college team, anyone can compete in esports. Nicholas Vanlou competed in multiple tournaments this weekend by himself. After growing up playing Street Fighter with friends, he found a new social circle through local esports.
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«Once I found out there are other people that were also has interested in it as me, I just kind of found this community that I really hoped, I wanted to be a part of,» Vanlou said.
His time working in the community paid off: Vanlou won four separate fighting game tournaments at the festival. And although coming out on top is nice, he’s grateful for the time spent with fellow competitors.
«It’s just bringing people together,» Vanlou said. «I mean, that’s ultimately what we’re here for. If you find someone that has a common interest as you, why not get together, meet up and, and do the things you guys love together?»
The weekend event was just the first event for Unified Esports in 2022. At the end of the season, teams will have the opportunity to earn up to $20,000 at the grand finals event in March.
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