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U of Gaming: SNHU Starts Varsity E-Sports Program

Photo by Aerrin99, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Southern New Hampshire University is launching a competitive E-sports program this fall. It'll be the first of its kind in the state.

E-sports are a team-based, competitive form of video gaming.

There's been a club team at SNHU for a few years.

But, now that the sport is officially backed by the university, players will have more resources available—a dedicated computer lab where they can practice, scholarships, and even housing for gamers. 

Tim Fowler is the director of e-sports. 

"We're really giving them that space to do what they love is the biggest benefit to me," he said.  

The team will compete in four games: League of Legends, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Fortnite. Fowler is planning on holding try-outs for the remaining 16 player spots later this fall. 

In the next year, SNHU is looking at building an e-sports arena.

Daniela is an editor in NHPR's newsroom. She leads NHPR's Spanish language news initiative, ¿Qué Hay de Nuevo, New Hampshire? and the station's climate change reporting project, By Degrees. You can email her at dallee@nhpr.org.
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