As LSU eSports shifts to in-person events, its staff reflects on how the club continues to function despite the pandemic and how the club plans to engage the active and tight-knit community it fostered.

Due to the many competitive games already possessing online functionality, LSU eSports found itself uniquely equipped to function as normal. Despite the reliance on online events, the community has remained active, and the LSU eSports Discord averages about 650 people convening online each day.

The club not only uses the Discord server for competitive events, but the server also acts as a casual hub for those who wish to discuss video games.

“It’s just a welcoming atmosphere to everyone, so anyone can be comfortable there no matter what,” LSU eSports Tournament Director, Grant Lopez said.

Lopez has participated in the club since its birth on campus in 2016, but he ramped up his involvement in August 2021 due to his desire to take advantage of free time during the pandemic. He explained how the club initially struggled with its transition to functioning online.

However, Lopez expressed optimism for upcoming events for this semester. He plans to organize more events as well as introduce more niche games to the scene, and he feels grateful that the club’s executive board supports his efforts.

Club Vice President of eSports at LSU, Stephanie Hines, also discussed the club’s adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic and their plans for this semester. Despite eSports’ unique situation allowing it to continue online, Hines said the club struggled to involve new members.

“This semester, things are ramping back up,” Hines said. “Goals this semester for the organization include more community events to bring people together and a return of the club’s main event, TigerLAN.”

Additionally, the club’s Call of Duty team plans to participate in an exhibition match with Nicholls State University’s team. The club also plans to take part in DreamHack, which is a national eSports event.

While the club continues to support its competitive scene, it also plans to do casual events both online and in person. Hines said the club aims to bring together casual players with events, while tournaments bring out more competitive players.

Hines also said she looks forward to more in-person events because it allows members to actually meet each other rather than remain behind a screen name. That social interaction remains one of the more important aspects of the club, according to Hines.

“For the club, the goal is to get people to meet others and find friends that they can play friendly matches with on their own time in a way that makes everyone feel comfortable and safe,” Hines said.

Alexander Bonner, the newly elected president of the eSports club also embraced the club’s goal to provide a comfortable and fun experience to anyone interested in video games.

“One of the things I love about eSports is the social aspect of it all,” Bonner said. “We really take the negative stigma of people who play video games and squash it.”

Bonner served as the club’s treasurer in Fall 2021 before becoming president this semester. He explained how the club struggled to have in-person events due to COVID-19, but the position allowed him to meet people on the executive board.

Bonner expressed excitement at getting acclimated to his new position. He also looks forward to getting events running, as he wants the club to be inclusive rather than sectioning off events for members only. Bonner wants any student to participate and join casual events.

All three officers noted the club’s large community on Discord and how the chat keeps people engaged. Bonner said he appreciated the club’s Discord because of how it makes communication between members and staff easier. 

Lopez also discussed how he wants the Discord’s casual, fun nature to appear in the club’s future in-person events. He believes that the club’s support for a variety of games allows the club to remain diverse and interesting for people.

Hines, who looks forward to people getting to know each other outside of the Discord environment, expressed appreciation for the community and how it functioned, even in unusual, impersonal times.

“We’re just lucky to have individuals who like to keep the chat going,” Hines said. “I find that steady conversation keeps our members engaged and allows us to stay close despite the lack of in-person interaction for the past few semesters.”