Gamers to do battle at St. Clair’s SportsPlex
College video game tournament expected to draw hundreds of pro eSports players
Winning at video games: The pursuit of nerds? A waste of time? Shaun Byrne, director of eSports (electronic sports) with Saints Gaming, has a more pragmatic attitude: Video game victory is big business.
“This is not necessarily about the stereotypical gamer alone in their basement,” Byrne says. “Long-term, this has the potential to become a tourism staple. We’re bringing people to the area.” Hundreds of gamers are expected to crowd St. Clair College’s SportsPlex on May 11 for the third edition of Saints Gaming Live — the big annual video game tournament organized in cooperation with the college’s unique eSports education program.
Byrne says last year’s event drew around 500 attendees — 300 of them competitors, ranging from elementary school students to middle-aged adults.
This year, participants from all walks of life will battle each other in seven games: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Counter Strike Global Offensive, Hearthstone, League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, and Fortnite.
“We added Fortnite this year,” Byrne says. “If you follow anything about gaming, you know Fortnite has exploded.”
But these contests aren’t just about bragging rights: $20,000 in cash prizes are up for grabs. Byrne says pro eSports players from across the U.S. will be travelling to Windsor for a shot at some money.
“In reality, there are some tournaments with millions of dollars in prizing,” Byrne explains. “We’re pennies in comparison.”
For example, last year’s edition of The International — the worldwide championships for the game Defense of the Ancients 2 — had a total prize pool of more than $25 million.
Byrne’s personal favourite game for tournament play? The family-friendly fighting series Super Smash Bros.
A wildly popular melee game, Super Smash Bros. allows users to pit their favourite characters from different video game franchises against each other in multi-platform arenas.
For example, Super Mario can duke it out with Sonic the Hedgehog, or Pac-Man can go head-tohead with Pikachu.
“The community built around Super Smash Bros. is so strong,” Byrne says. “It’s one of the easiest games to get involved with. Even spectators who don’t know eSports will be able to understand what’s happening on the screen.” The latest version of the game, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, was released last December for the Nintendo Switch and recently topped 13.8-million units in global sales. Byrne is quick to add that video game enthusiasts of all levels are welcome to the St. Clair College tournament, whether rookie or pro.
Outside of the competition area, there’ll be free play areas, virtual reality demos, and retro gaming consoles for those who just want to have some fun.
“The No. 1 thing is the benefit of socialization,” Byrne says. “We build these events so gamers have an outlet.
“They can hang out with friends, meet new people, play the games they enjoy, but also work as a team.”
Saints Gaming Live takes place May 11 at the St. Clair College SportsPlex (2000 Talbot Rd. West).
Doors open at 8 a.m. Tournament play begins at 10 a.m. The venue closes at 11 p.m.
For more information and to register for tournament play, visit saintsgaming.ca.
Even spectators who don’t know eSports will be able to understand what’s happening on the screen.