By Caroline Gilmore ~ Multimedia Editor
Caption 2: An array of gaming setups available in the esports room in the Rainsford townhouses under Domino’s.
The Lynchburg esports room, located under the Rainsford Townhouses, right next to the Domino’s, will only be a year old at the end of this semester, but it already has a lot to offer towards Lynchburg students.
The room offers many resources to those who enjoy gaming competitively or just as a hobby, especially if you’re on a budget.
The eSports room on campus only charges a general access fee of $30 per year for security and upkeep purposes (the competition fee is $60). Meanwhile, if someone wanted to purchase their own equipment of the same caliber, they could easily be looking at upwards of $1000 in PC costs alone, without taking into account peripherals like a headset, a gaming mouse, or a keyboard.
Even still, gaming without a proper chair like the ones in the esports room can be detrimental to a player’s physical health.
Tyree Kennedy ’22 said of the esports room, “When we got a dedicated space, it was one of the best things ever because I don’t have to worry about my housemates barging in on me or being yelled at for being too loud.”
The room offers ergonomic gaming chairs, brand-new gaming computers with highly responsive monitors, as well as peripherals and headsets, or if you prefer to bring your own, that is also accepted.
In addition to the PCs, there are multiple VR headsets currently used for the Collegiate iRacing League, which the club actively participates in. Other games currently offered on the PCs include but are not limited to: League of Legends, Rocket League, CS:GO, and Valorant.
Gaming with a group can be more enjoyable than playing alone and great for making friends as well. Jonathan Suarez ’25 says, “Esports/gaming has been a large influence in my life because it allows me to connect more with my friends and other people around the world. Being from Connecticut it is hard for me to stay in contact with my friends studying here in Lynchburg, so being able to hop on a game and just talk with my friends is one of the best things.”
Esports President Hannah Belayachi ’22 said, “I want people to know that even if they don’t think there is a video game for them, there definitely is. Just come on out and try it!”
If you are interested in trying esports, please contact Hannah Belayachi at belayachi_hm@lynchburg.edu.
