Esports club gives students chance to compete nationally

The esports club at the University of Detroit Mercy was formed during the peak of the pandemic, but now has evolved as a way for students to casually and competitively play a wide variety of games regardless of their experiences. Like most clubs, the esports club is a great way to help the Detroit Mercy community and has even began to be part of the competitive scene. 

Logan Manor, a Computer Science student and the club’s president said, “Over the past year, we have gained a significant number of new students with an interest in esports.” 

When asked about how much has changed since last year, Manor said, “The University of Detroit Mercy Esports Club competitive teams are now a part of the national esports collegiate conference governing body. Our competitive teams practice weekly and compete once a week against other clubs from around the nation in a season format.” 

This was perhaps one of the biggest new developments to the club thus far. To be able to compete against clubs from around the nation in a new growing competitive scene such as esports greatly benefits not only the school but the students who take part in it. 

Esports, just like other interests, embraces a student’s passion, such as gaming, to help build skills such as teamwork, creativity and even inclusion, especially since the gaming industry is now bigger than ever.

The news that the team will be part of the national esports collegiate conference is huge for the club. Since last year the only professional team was for the game “Beat Saber,” a virtual reality rhythm game. The player uses a pair of lightsabers to slice blocks that are essentially the musical beats. 

The club still plans on focusing on its foundation but it is already offering a wide variety of games. No experience is required to join the club as well so that anyone who wants to play can come and enjoy from games such as League of Legends, Valorant or even the popular Rocket League. If you don’t enjoy those games, that’s perfectly fine. Additional games are open to suggestions from the students.

Students who are interested in joining the esports club can find more information on social media and Discord, as well as on the Detroit Mercy webpage.