Jakob Milani
Sports Editor
[email protected]

As students make their way to Murray State for the new school year, many will be looking for new clubs and organizations to join.

With the recent rise of gaming since the start of COVID-19, many may be looking for  a place to play video games with like-minded people, or maybe even compete. 

For those interested, Murray State Esports has been active on social media in hopes of recruiting new friends and players to join the fun.

“We are always looking for new people to join, no matter your skill level,” said sophomore Jake Perry, lead manager of the organization. “We offer a casual experience for those just looking to have fun, or a competitive group to really show people what you’ve got.”

While in the past it was considered a club, the team now has backing from faculty, officially making the Murray State Esports Team a possibility.

As for what is  offered in the Esports arena inside the Collins Center for Industry and Technology Building, Perry offered some insight on the various activities of the group.

“We have different teams that compete in tournaments for various different video games,” Perry said. “However, we also have casual gaming events as well. We play Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. We’ll get a group together to play Overwatch. We really cover the spectrum of both casual and competitive gaming on campus.”

A total of eight games are offered for Murray State’s competitive scene, including Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Valorant and Overwatch. Perry added there are some newcomers to the lineup this year.

“In the past, we’ve had teams for Rainbow Six Siege, Rocket League, Valorant, League of Legends, Overwatch and Counter Strike: Global Offensive,” Perry said. “Starting this year, we’ve also added Call of Duty and Super Smash Bros. as well. So for the competitive scene, there’s something for everyone.”

Events happen often, with tournaments happening once a semester for each team and casual events happening at least twice a month.

For those interested in joining the Esports Team, visit @murraystateesports on Instagram and Twitter or visit the team’s page on Facebook. The team’s official Discord can be found at murraystate.edu/esports.