Seattle University’s ESports club is planning to fill Student Center 130 with the rowdy sounds of competitive and casual gaming alike. Armed with a variety of games—from Super Smash Bros to an assortment of board games—the club will be hosting their quarterly game night. They hope that all attendees will either come and play a game that they already love or learn how to play something they’ve never played before.
Leah Arakaki, a senior and the current president of the ESports club, described the club’s plan to encourage students to try new games.
“We’re hoping to have this kind of ‘Wheel of Games,’ so you have to spin the wheel, and whatever it lands on, you have to one-on-one your opponent in that game,” she said.
While the Wheel of Games will a centerpiece of the event, Arakaki noted that the game night will be open to all who are interested and should be an opportunity for all kinds of gamers to hang out and have fun.
Although the ESports club is currently able to host events such as their quarterly game nights, it wasn’t always so easy. The club was founded eight months ago when Danielle Gilbert, a junior and the current financial officer of the club, approached Arakaki with the intention to create something new.
“There wasn’t any sort of community for people who are interested in video games,” Arakaki said, speaking to her motivation in co-founding the club.
Taking note of the distinct lack of a community space for gamers, Arakaki and Gilbert were inspired to make a change. Both had a passion for gaming, and the two of them recognized that there had to be others on campus who shared that passion.
The group, despite its recent formation, has already grown to 107 members. The club’s quick growth has filled its founders with hope for the future, as the continued growth shows no signs of stopping. For now, much of the club’s activity is focused on building visibility and informing students not only that the club exists, but that it is open to all who are interested. Especially significant is the fact that the club welcomes gamers of any skill and every type.
“You should just come out,” Arakaki said.
Gilbert said that the club is a welcoming environment for people of any interest or experience level.
“If you like playing video games and if you want to find a community who likes playing video games, this is an all-encompassing club,” Gilbert said, echoing the sentiment. “We’re here for anything and anyone.”
The welcoming attitude that Arakaki and Gilbert have cultivated is evident in the experiences of those who attend the club’s weekly meetings.
“Everyone was really nice to me the first time I showed up,” Heryk Palapa said, one of the members of the club who teams up with other members to play League of Legends. “I felt really part of the team, part of the club.”
While Palapa and many others joined the ESport club in order to gain a competitive edge, the club is just as welcoming to the less-experienced player.
“A lot of times, some of us come over and we just want to play games, get our minds off of everything, and do something as a community,” Sophia Hwang, the club’s freshman officer said. Hwang emphasized the easygoing nature of the club and weekly meetings and how pleasant it is to have a community for gamers.
“If you’re interested in games,” Hwang said. “I highly recommend coming, saying hi, and meeting other people who love it too.”
Those who attend the club’s meetings can always find common ground, whether it be through Overwatch or Tetris 99. The club’s meetings require no prior commitment to attend, so anyone is free to come and go as they please.
In addition to providing a place where gamers can gather, Arakaki and Gilbert also offer valuable resources to the members of the ESports club.
“Arakaki always posts career opportunities in terms of internships and I’m here, posting other opportunities on campus for on- campus jobs, so we’re just trying to help everyone out and do as much as we can,” Gilbert said.
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