From the poorly lit corners of lonely bedrooms, video gaming has transitioned from a nerd-niche hobby to a competitive sport boasting corporate sponsors.
Gamers will converge Saturday on The Pointe at California State University, Long Beach’s Walter Pyramid for BeachCon X for an evening of button-smashing, mouse-maneuvering and screen-shattering antics. The annual event has become one of the largest video game tournaments held in southern California, according to BeachCon X’s website.
The “X” in the name marks the gathering’s tenth annual competition, which begins at 4 p.m. this Saturday and will feature competitions for both PC and exclusively console gamers. Gamers will be plugging into Super Smash Bros. Melee, Street Fighter IV, BattleField 4, FIFA, Team Fortress 2 and a number of other popular hits.
Counter Strike: Go and Hearthstone will be new additions to the tournament this year compared to the past’s focus on League of Legends, said Jonathan Seaton, head of public relations for BeachCon X.
Seaton said that he expects Counter Strike: Go and League of Legends to compete for the limelight at this year’s contest.
“It’s going to be a really high stakes, high energy spectator event,” Seaton said. “The people who are participating are the best out of sixteen teams, so it should be pretty high stakes for them.”
Seaton said that the event isn’t just for the “hardcore gamer” though, there is something for everyone.
“We allow everyone who comes to the event to be able to participate, not only in gaming, but also in raffles and giveaways, freebies and food,” Seaton said. “Even if you [aren’t] a really intense gamer, there is a lot of stuff you can play like Rock Band or Mario Kart.”
Christian Kerr, a gamer that has travelled from Northridge to compete in the past, was first lured to the world of competitive gaming at BeachCon in 2012 and fell in love.
“Walking through BeachCon and seeing all the different games people were playing and competing in was an experience in itself,” Kerr said. “As my first video game tournament ever, it was a surreal experience to say the least.”
Interested gamers can sign up on the website beachcon.org. The homepage also features a countdown-clock to the start of the tournament for those who are biting their nails in anticipation.
Admission is free for those living in campus dorms. Entry will cost $5 for all non-residents.