by Bryce Watson, Contributor

In the past five years, the world has seen explosive growth in the rise of competitive video games, and the trend has now made its way to the NorthWest Arkansas Community College. Starting in fall 2022, the NWACC esports team is one of the newest competitors in the esports world.  The team is competing in a range of different games including Valorant, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Overwatch, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. 

A 2022 article on the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ blog cites statistics about the growing field. The post notes that “In 2021, esports generated approximately $243 million in revenue in the U.S. and about $360 million in China, according to data company Statista.” The post references another data point from Statista, stating, “The 2021 League of Legends World Championship Final in Reykjavik, Iceland, ‘was watched by a record 73.86 million peak concurrent viewers.’”

NWACC apparently is following the trend. The college’s team manager, Dominic Truong, offered a closer look into this new world of sports. “Esports at a college level always varies, but it can range from complete beginners to teams that compete on a pro level,” he said. “It just depends how much resources a college puts into and how developed the club is usually.” Still in its early stages, the NWACC Esports team is bound to make waves in the Esports world. Currently, there isn’t a way to view the sporting events, but the team may start streaming them, according to Truong. 

 Last fall, Game X Change donated several new high speed gaming computers for the esports game room, Coach John Luedtke said in an email.

As the new NWACC team rises through the ranks “the next step to progress to a higher level is different for everyone,” Truong said.  The next step could be simply getting better at one’s chosen game, or for some others, it might quite literally be trying out for pro teams. “I’d love to make NWACC a competitive college so our next step can be to start winning tournaments,” Truong said. 

For those unfamiliar with the sport, it first made its debut in the late 1970s but didn’t explode into mainstream popularity until the late 2010s. Depending on the game, Esports consists of two teams competing to defend or attack an objective. In the pro leagues, there is often a very large payout for the winning team with the largest prize pool for a Dota 2 tournament being $32.5 million. 

Some would consider that an enticing sum. Asked about his advice for someone interested in the sport, Truong said, “For those looking to get into esports, I highly encourage looking for opportunities! They’re all around if you look. Colleges and even high schools are all starting esports programs now. Everywhere online there’s tournaments and teams so just putting a little effort can get someone a long way.” 

A devoted team, large payouts, and doing what you love can make for a great time and a satisfying career for those who pursue it, and this new era of sports could be what some people are looking for. Those who are interested or know someone who may be interested in joining Northwest Arkansas Community College esports team should contact team manager Dominic Truong at dtruong@nwacc.edu or call Coach Luedtke at 479-619-4138.

Photo by Ella Don on Unsplash