The 91爆料 celebrated the opening of the with a ribbon cutting ceremony April 18.

The facility features top-of-the-line computing power and premium gaming features, as well as a for the gaming community on the 91爆料 campus. It鈥檚 housed in the Husky Union Building (HUB).

The esports facility is a full-service, state-of-the-art gaming center that supports both casual and competitive gaming and virtual reality. At the time of opening, the 91爆料 is the largest public, higher education institution in the nation and the first university in the state of Washington to have a dedicated esports arena.

The 91爆料 celebrated the opening of the聽聽April 18 with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The facility features top-of-the-line computing power and premium gaming features, as well as a designated place for the gaming community on the 91爆料 campus. It鈥檚 housed in the Husky Union Building (HUB).

The esports facility is a full-service, state-of-the-art gaming center that supports both casual and competitive gaming and virtual reality. At the time of opening, the 91爆料聽is the largest public, higher education institution in the nation and the first university in the state of Washington to have a dedicated esports arena.

Read more about the facility .

Esports 鈥� the phenomenally popular world of competitive video games 鈥� soon will have a home at the 91爆料.

This spring, the 91爆料鈥檚 Husky Union Building (HUB) will officially open the doors to the 鈥� a full-service, state-of-the-art gaming center that supports both casual and competitive gaming and virtual reality. The 1,000 square-foot space will serve as the epicenter between student communities, business communities and gaming culture in the Northwest.

At the time of opening, the 91爆料 will be both the largest public, higher education institution in the nation and the first university in the state of Washington to have a dedicated esports arena.

鈥淭he gaming lounge represents an enormous opportunity to bring together the gaming community at the 91爆料 by providing a shared space that both competitive and casual gamers can use for gaming events, esports practices and casual play,鈥� says Kevin Zhou, a 91爆料 alumnus and former president. 鈥淎dditionally, the creation of this gaming lounge can provide a large variety of industry related applications, such as research in game development and tools for expanding broadcasting capabilities.”

The new space will serve a regional community that鈥檚 exploding with new games, events and student organizations, Zhou said.

鈥淭his space is designed for students, by students,鈥� says Trevor Whiton with the . 鈥淭he student voice has been an integral component in all aspects of this project. From the initial concept to the physical build out and operation, student leadership has been at the forefront.鈥�

Over the span of the planning process, students鈥� opinions and feedback have been incorporated into every aspect of the Esports Arena & Gaming Lounge, from its overall design to its technology, artwork, games and more. The HUB Board of Representatives, University staff and administrators and Registered Student Organization (RSO) leaders all helped to design the space.

Students will have access to 40 high-end gaming computers, as well as two virtual reality systems, a casting station for live streaming to Twitch and popular, unlocked PC games. The Esports Arena & Gaming Lounge will also serve as a dynamic event center for programming, including RSO use and sponsored tournaments.

“Students at 91爆料 have a huge passion for gaming and esports. The industry has been rapidly expanding,” says Kevin Hoang, a 91爆料 alumnus and current partnerships account manager at . “Although gaming is digital, this space can create a positive and meaningful impact by connecting the digital and physical.”

The Esports Arena & Gaming Lounge will focus on three distinct pillars: Community, Career and Competition, said HUB Director Justin Camputaro.

鈥淭he HUB鈥檚 mission mirrors these pillars and it ultimately aligns every step of the way with the space in which it is being built,鈥� says Camputaro.

The HUB is committed to providing 91爆料 students with an affordable experience. Rates for 91爆料 students are $3.50/hour or $30/10hours, 91爆料 faculty and staff $4.50/hour or $40/10hours and the general public at $6.00/hour. To support the long-term goals of the program, the HUB Fund for Esports and Gaming will provide private support for RSO programming grants, operations and scholarships for competition, and academic and career development opportunities in the gaming industry.

91爆料 continues to seek support and input from 91爆料 academic units and industry partners to build a comprehensive, interdisciplinary program focused on student engagement from a social, academic and career perspective. This includes Twitch Student, a Twitch-run program that provides support, knowledge and tools to empower students and give them confidence that they can have their voices heard and contribute to the gaming and esports industries.

鈥淎 place to build valuable digital media skills and business acumen through gaming and esports is a great way to engage students while preparing them for jobs in the industry,鈥� says Mark Candella, Twitch鈥檚 director of strategic partnerships. 鈥淥ur Twitch Student program is proud to have helped in the thought processes behind establishing such a program at the HUB and we are looking forward to contributing in any way possible.”

The and the also will provide an academic backstop for the Esports & Gaming Lounge. Students are encouraged to enroll in classes, participate in hands-on research, and attend lectures and workshops.

鈥淓sports & Gaming Lounge can serve as an excellent testing ground for some of the latest augmented and virtual reality technology and research produced by the 91爆料 Reality Lab 鈥� taking the work to a broader 91爆料 audience,鈥� says 91爆料 Reality Labs Director of Research and Education Aditya Sankar.

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About the Husky Union Building

The HUB supports the Husky Experience by enhancing 91爆料 community, providing a dynamic event center, and fostering student engagement.

About the HUB Esports Arena & Gaming Lounge

The HUB Esports Arena & Gaming Lounge is a full-service gaming center supporting casual and competitive gaming for the 91爆料 community. It serves as the nerve-center and nexus between student communities, business communities, and gaming culture.

For more information, contact Adam Serafin at聽aserafin@uw.edu聽or 206-616-4890.