Mid-September is a good time for the Overwatch squad at York’s gaming society. Generally, we get a lot of new people joining our Discord, and we’re working hard in preparation for our Freshers fair next week with the rest of the committee. That said, joining an esport team at university can seem daunting and complicated. With that in mind, It’s important to highlight the benefits that a term with a university esport team entails: from the benefits of having a group of mates who play the same thing, to the potential for career-building after university.
Let’s start with the obvious: if you haven’t yet competed in a serious team, university esport will be the most enjoyable version of the game you have played yet. Your teammates will generally be communicative, the skill level will generally be pretty close, and you’re not going to get any students claiming to have slept with your mother over voice chat. Weekly competitions, like those that NSE is planning, require about one night a week’s commitment, but end up being reliably fun in a way that online PUGs simply aren’t. The best moments come when you’ve learnt each other’s playstyles completely, and manage to stay calm and cheerful whilst demolishing the enemy team.
I really appreciated that the time commitment depended entirely on what my team wanted to do. York’s top team (who were, up until recently, university champions,) spent days playing practise matches against other teams. By contrast, my team met once every fortnight for drunk board games. Some of the best moments for our Overwatch team actually happened away from our keyboards. Making friends and going out can be daunting at university, but esport teams are a great way to meet people who share your interests.
If the social side sounds worthwhile, there’s the added benefit of making connections in the industry, or getting noticed by semi-professional teams. Three players from York’s team that I mentioned earlier are currently competing in the Open Division: 6-0 in game score at the time of writing. There’s also opportunities to learn casting. Andy ‘Vedius’ Day, of League of Legends broadcast fame, started out as a university esport caster. Industry success isn’t guaranteed, but experience in a strong university organisation is a great start.
As esport grows, players have also gained more recognition in the wider university community: NSE’s launch is part of this. There’s nothing quite like the prestige of representing your university in a varsity tournament though, and that’s exactly what York’s esport teams did three years ago at the War of the Roses: Europe’s largest varsity tournament, held annually between York and Lancaster. Roses gave York’s gamers the opportunity to compete in a proper sport tournament, and help the university’s point totals. Personal validation aside, the experience was extremely satisfying.
It’s always hard to know what to expect as a Fresher, and esport teams, like much of the university itself, are a daunting prospect. Trying new things and getting involved is the best advice I ever got as a Fresher: my time as part of the second best Overwatch team in York made my year really special. I’d recommend it to anyone who plays any competitive games. We need new recruits if we’re going to beat Lancaster this year.
-Patrick 'Electro' Walker
Photo credit: Jon Chia for the NUEL
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