UAlbany cut the ribbon on its new esports arena where the school's competitive team as well as casual game enthusiasts can hone their skills. The 4,000-square-foot space features a 36 gaming PCs, Playstation 5s and Nintendo Switches, as well as a a broadcast and media content-creation room for students to cover live esports events.
"This is just really the beginning for the University at Albany, and esports provides another important opportunity for students to become engaged in this field," said UAlbany President Havidan Rodriguez. "But this place is also open to casual gamers who are looking for a space to connect with their fellow gamers and have access to the latest technology."
The new facility was built to meet growing student interest in video games and competitive esports, as well as create a community space for those interested in video games to gather and play together, according to John Macone, UAlbany's esports director.
"I love being able to connect with others that share the same passion in video games," said Nicole Zhong, a student who manages the school's competitive team dedicated to Valorant, the type of game described as a first-person tactical hero shooter. "We spend hours multiple times a week practicing and theorizing about the game and how we can improve as a team."
The arena was initially budgeted for $1.6 million, but the school ended up investing more than twice that cost ($3.3 million) — funded by the state — into the new facility, said Todd Foreman, the university's vice president for finance and administration.
The UAlbany esports program officially launched in 2019, and has won several national championships since then with various teams competing in games such as Overwatch 2, League of Legends and Valorant.
According to the National Association of Collegiate Esports, more than 260 member schools compete in games like Call of Duty, League of Legends and Overwatch every year across the country.
Macone said the school currently has 95 competitive players in its program.
Rodriguez said the new arena opens at a time where the video game industry is seeing a large boost in popularity and revenue; by giving a students a place to learn more about video games, UAlbany can can encourage them to learn and pursue careers in field such as game design and development.
"The global gaming industry today continues to expand rapidly," Rodriguez said. "It's imperative that UAlbany students are positioned to take part in this growing industry."
Macone said the new arena provides gaming equipment as well as career development and internship opportunities. The arena will be staffed by 10 students as well as a student intern who helps with PC support.
The esports club also allows students to learn and take on team management responsibilities by overseeing the club's various gaming teams.
Aisha Ali, a 21-year-old student who plays on the school's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team, said the new arena is a significant upgrade from where the team previously practiced and gathered to play games. And the facility's new gaming technology makes it more accessible for students who are interested in playing video games.
"Not all students can afford this equipment," she said.
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