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Organized, competitive, multiplayer computer gaming has come to Alvernia with the university launching its 28th varsity team – esports. The esports team operates in a state-of-the-art facility located in the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne. Alvernia is the 12th school in the Middle Atlantic Conference to sponsor esports. The addition of esports allows Alvernia to play teams against whom the university rarely otherwise competes — including some larger Division I schools — without leaving campus.

Alvernia takes an interdisciplinary approach when engaging with this transformative addition to the world of competitive sports. Students, faculty and mentors explore ways to learn from this worldwide phenomenon and seek to utilize esports for academic work as well, recognizing the analytical thinking and strategic focus this ever-evolving depth of play requires.

Game offerings

League of Legends

Developed by Riot Games, League of Legends is one of the most widely played games around the world. League of Legends is a top-down team-based MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena), in which players choose a “Champion” to control as they strategically take out different objectives, with the main goal being to destroy the other team’s “Nexus.” League of Legends is free to play and rated T for Teen.

Overwatch

One of the biggest hits from Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch is a first-person, team-based shooter. Taking place in a futuristic environment, players choose from a variety of heroes, and help their team to take control of objectives on the map, push a “payload” across the map, or maintain control of an area of a map. Overwatch is about $40 and rated T for teen.

Rocket League

Combining soccer with high speed cars, Psyonix’s Rocket League requires players to drive around an arena to keep control of a ball and score goals. Cars in the game are fully customizable, and the fast paced gaming takes a minute to learn but a lifetime to master. Rocket League recently became free to play on all platforms, and is rated E for everyone.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a crossover fighting game published by Nintendo. Players choose from a selection of over 80 characters and compete to see who has developed the best mastery of their character. The last character on the stage is the winner. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is about $60 on the Nintendo Switch and rated E10+.

Valorant

The latest offering by Riot Games, Valorant is a tactical first-person hero shooter. Players play as one of a set of agents, characters designed based on several countries and cultures around the world. Teams of five players have a chance to attack and defend with the first team to win 13 rounds taking the victory. Valorant is free to play and rated T for teen.