As a nationwide leader in emerging technological trends, it should come as no surprise that the Bulldogs lead the Magnolia State in competitive video gaming, known as esports.
In October, Mississippi State Esports won the 7th Annual Esports Egg Bowl hosted in Oxford. It was the team’s second consecutive victory against in-state rival Ole Miss, bringing the Bulldog’s all-time record to 5-2 when facing the Rebels—and they’re just getting started.
Through events, streaming channels and fundraising to support expansion, training and visibility, club president Ben Maier says MSU Esports is poised to give the Bulldog family more reasons to cheer.
“I’m very excited to be leading this club and of the success we’ve had. But there’s more to come,” Maier, a junior in aerospace engineering, said. “We’re planning a lot of things that will help take us from a niche club to a mainstream team that’s known across campus.”
Though its roots go back to the 1970s, esports is a relative newcomer to the competitive sports scene. And while those unfamiliar with the field sometimes balk at the term “sport” being applied to video gaming, those who compete are quick to point out the similarities between their pastime and more traditional athletic endeavors.
Like other sports, competitive video gaming requires fast reflexes, strategic thinking, impeccable hand-eye coordination, specialized knowledge and teamwork. The only difference is these skills are applied to a digital environment rather than a field, pitch or court.
“It’s just like a regular sport,” explained Will Bratton, a senior in geosciences, who served as club president last year. “We are constantly refining our craft, and each team member brings certain skills and abilities to the group.”
Within an esports team are specialized rosters that focus on a specific video game—similar to how baseball teams will have a roster of players to fill different positions. Esports competitions involve one or more preselected video games that will be played. Each team will then “field” their best players for each game. A competition could be determined by who performs the best on the selected title or, when multiple games are played, performances are combined to decide the overall competition winner.
In the Esports Egg Bowl, for instance, each competition includes three to seven different video game titles. The best performing roster for each title earns that “win” for their university. At the end, the university with the most wins, wins the Esport Golden Egg. Last year, MSU took the Egg Bowl in a tight 4-3 decision.
MSU Esports boasts more than 25 competitive rosters that cover 18 esports titles. Since its creation, MSU Esports has had six teams place nationally in league play. Leagues operate much like the Southeastern Conference or NCAA by bringing together competitors under umbrellas that formalize the competition process. One of the largest of these organizing bodies is the National Esport Collegiate Conference which has more than 500 member schools and 30,000 active students.
“We have seasons, tournaments and championships. It’s really well organized and extremely competitive,” Bratton explained. “And just like a regular sport we want bragging rights.”
Bratton says one of the main differences between MSU Esports and those that fall under the NCAA is the level of financial support. While those sports recruit players through scholarship offers, MSU Esports has no such incentive to offer at this time. Instead, the members of MSU’s Esports community, which is more than 2,000 strong, are all involved simply for love of the game.
“Other schools offer esport scholarships and have staff members dedicated to coaching and organizing the teams,” Bratton said. “At MSU, we’re completely student led. As successful as we’ve been, think how far we could go with more resources.
“It’s the fastest growing competitive scene in the world, and we want to be the best of the best,” he continued. “I think it’s important to continue to push the bounds of what esports can be at MSU.”
Both Bratton, a St. Louis, Missouri native, and Maier, who hails from Texas, came to MSU for its academic offerings. While Bratton had competed in esports in high school, Maier was a casual gamer when he arrived on campus. Maier said that’s part of what makes esports special.
“You don’t have to be a hardcore gamer to be part of our club,” Maier explained. “It is competitive, but it’s not just that. It’s also a community, a connection. College can be hard and, without friends, it would be even harder.”
Bratton added, “But if they want to put the time in, they can become elite players. That’s the great thing, just about anyone can be part of esports.”
Much of MSU Esports’ activities take place online, but leaders also host in-person events for the community. The group also now has a dedicated space in the newly renovated Butler Hall, which houses the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
With this dedicated physical space, and plans to host the Eighth Annual Esports Egg Bowl in November, Maier said the club is poised to rise in popularity. In addition to start of the semester recruiting events, he said the team is going all in for the next Esports Egg Bowl.
Maier said they have plans for interactive demonstrations at the event, as well as live- streams of the competition and complete analysis and coverage worthy of ESPN.
“You might think it’s just people pushing buttons at a keyboard, but it really is a spectacle to watch,” Maier said. “We’re happy to have won the past two Egg Bowls and we plan on defending that streak with everything we have. And I encourage everyone to come out or tune in and watch to see what MSU Esports is all about.”
By Susan Lassetter, Photos by Emily Grace McCall