Game on: Esports make their way to DU fests
Kriti Kambiri
Students have come a long way in their fight for video games to be recognised as more than just a waste of time. Esports has finally found an official space at college fests with DU’s first esports society founded at the start of this academic session. College fests are now hosting esports competitions that are drawing large crowds.
One of the events at Ramanujan College’s upcoming fest (Ramanujan Josh, March 25) is dedicated entirely to Fortnite, a multiplayer game where the objective is to be the last player standing. “Even a few years ago, organising such an event would have been scoffed upon by authorities — they might have considered it to be just a waste of time,” feels Karan Mehra, a finalyear student of BCom (Hons) at the college and one of the organisers, adding, “But now, there is a legitimacy to having the event. Fests are all about sharing your passion with like-minded individuals.”
Vivek Chaudhary, a second-year student of BSc (Prog) from Hansraj College, also registers a shift in the perception that has come for video games. The student, who is a part of the organising committee of the upcoming Hansraj fest (Confluence, April 6) shares, “MOBA (Multiplayer online battle arena) games were earlier a guilty pleasure, humein chhup chhup ke khelna padta tha. But now, it’s all become very cool to have knowledge about it.”
Similarly, at Acharya Narendra Dev College, the students are set to host a Street Fighter gaming event (Leiothrixx, tentatively scheduled for April 9), inspired by Mayank Prajapati, an esport athlete, who represented India at the Asian
Games 2022. “He’s an inspiration for all of us gamers, especially, since he is a 33-year-old married man with a son. He has managed to bring gaming into mainstream,” gushes Apoorva, a final-year student of BSc (Hons) Physics, adding, “Looking at him, we feel like playing video games isn’t a waste of time, but a chance to form lasting bonds. That’s what esports is about for me — building connections and community.”