Video games. Everyone loves them. Video gaming has become a staple in an American’s everyday life. According to polygon.com, it is estimated that 155 million Americans regularly played video games in 2015. The majority of American households have a gaming console. It is also not a stretch for me to say that most of you who are reading this have either a PS4 or Xbox One in your dorm room.

I had the chance to chat with the president of the Panther eSports club, Sean Dugan, over email. You may, or may not have known that our school has an eSports club, but since the start of this semester the club has risen in membership.

“At the start of the semester the club was considered inactive and has less than five members. We’ve been getting new members every day … but we are well over 100 members at this point and we expect to double or triple that number by the end of the spring semester,” Dugan said.

Dugan said he has been a huge fan of videogames since the age of eight, and recalled playing his favorite game, Warcraft III. He also loves the games “Asheron’s Call, World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Eve Online, and Mass Effect.”

People often see video gaming as a lazy hobby. Playing video games is often tied to living in your parent’s basement until you’re 30, eating frozen pizza for every meal.

There is sort of a negative connotation to video games. Often, hardcore video gamers are playing online, with thousands, if not millions of people. It provides you with an opportunity to connect with people from across the country and even the world.

With the eSports club here on campus, Dugan and company have provided students a platform to do what they love, but also compete with fellow students across the country. They have plans to “give opportunities to members to attend gaming conventions and competitions around the country,” Dugan said.

Whether you are a hardcore or casual gamer, if you are looking to get involved on campus, the Panther eSports club is for you. Dugan said his “goal has always been to keep the requirements of being a member at a minimum.”

“There are no entrance fees to any events, all meetings and events are optional, we do not ask anything from our members except for a positive attitude!” he said.

If you are interested in getting involved, the club hosts events around campus, and they would love more people to join who share the same interest, and help improve the club in any way.

If you would like to know more information, you can get in contact with Dugan by email ing him at [email protected], [email protected] or contact him on the Facebook page, Panther eSports.