A new eSports Arena is now open at Schenectady County Community College.
What once was a café inside SUNY Schenectady's Elston Hall has been transformed into a high-tech video game space.
Cooper Hewison is the college's eSports coordinator. He says the new eSports Arena is designed to enhance the student experience and provide opportunities for students to compete in the SUNY eSports and ECAC eSports Leagues or just enjoy a casual gaming experience.
"This is something relatively new, I want to say, for the region," Hewison said. "There's been an uptick in terms of cutting edge hardware and stuff like that, people getting into game-related stuff and the industry over here. But this is the first time I want to say that eSports has been so predominantly focused, and I think it's with the arena side.”
Inside the arena, eSports participants will find high-end gaming PCs and monitors and a “shoutcasting” broadcast booth for in-game commentary. There’s a student lounge for casual play with Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, and a space for traditional tabletop games.
Valerie Dent is Interim Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges and Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Deputy for Student Success in the SUNY System. She says the eSports program had its humble beginnings in 2020 during the height of the pandemic.
"Regardless of a student's athletic abilities, eSports can provide a sense of community, foster teamwork and keep students engaged outside of the classroom. And did you know that the video game industry contributes $66 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product, and supports over 350,000 jobs across the U.S.? Our eSports players aren't just playing games, they're building skills, like strategic thinking and leadership, that can lead them into a career in the gaming and eSports industry," Dent said.
111th district state Assemblymember Angelo Santabarbara says the global eSports industry generates more than $1.5 billion annually with "millions of fans and millions of career opportunities." Santabarbara emphasizes the social and community benefits of the space, encouraging all students to get involved.
"Colleges are recognizing this growth," said Santabarbara. "More than 175 varsity eSports programs are offering scholarships. So that's big news too. And once again, SUNY Schenectady is leading the way with this announcement here today, providing our local students in this area an exciting opportunity to be a part of this movement while earning their degree. But what makes this, announcement in this arena, very special for me, it's inclusivity. It's not just for competitive gamers. It's for everyone. Everyone is included. Everyone can be a part of this. It's a bridge for high school students to continue their passion to build their friendships, to prepare students for success in a rapidly evolving world."
SUNY Schenectady is a member of the SUNY eSports League and ECAC League. 28 students were on the first team team this semester, with three players reaching the playoffs.
Hewison says the new facility has already attracted 71 new inquiries from potential students, both within and outside New York. Post-winter break, competitions for the SUNY and ECAC leagues will commence, running through May.
