Campus Esports Events
Josh and Malik recap two highlight events of the fall 2023 semester: Minecraft Hunger games and retro night. Join them as they discuss all the planning and preparation that went into these events and what participating in them was like.
Story by: Josh Fuhrmann and Malik Alverio
Josh Fuhrmann
On October 17th, 2023, Stockton Esports ran its first ever Minecraft Hunger Games event. I had come up with this idea after our Spring 2023 24 Hour Live Stream Fundraiser event, and I was really excited to jump into it the following semester. From my perspective, it was perfect timing.
Lots of new students coming to Stockton, lots of Minecraft nostalgia going around, a new Hunger Games film on the way, and a game that perfectly balances casual and competitive gaming. Fast forward to the Fall 2023 semester, and all the sudden records are shattered, laughs and fun are to be had, and the Stockton Esports community really came together for an electric event. We surpassed our previous viewership peak of 109 with a new peak of 215 concurrent live viewers, we were front page of the ECAC website, we had Stockton students and esports players competing in a fun series of matches, we had a dedicated team of incredibly talented people creating, managing, and running the server, and overall we all had a blast.
For me, the event could not have been more perfect, as outside of the numerical success, just seeing how jazzed everyone got got me even more excited, and eager to see what ideas I could conjure up next. One of the most fun experiences I’ve ever gotten to have!
Retro Night was another idea I had pitched after the Spring 2023 24 Hour Live Stream Fundraiser Event. I feel like for me this event was a way to sort of help people feel less intimidated by Esports, and to realize and recognize that Stockton Esports is a place where genuinely anyone, not just competitive gamers, can thrive. Even before joining the program in Spring 2022 I was intimidated at first, so I understand how non-competitive or non-traditional gamers would see the Esports program and think they aren’t a right fit. Because of that, I wanted Retro Night to almost act as a notice for those people that this is a space that they also are free to be a part of, and to showcase their own unique skills and talents in. And personally I loved seeing that all play out live during Retro Night. We had multiple segments where esports players would be shoulder to shoulder playing games with casters, production team members, and Stockton students, and you could just feel in the room everyone having a great time. It was really exciting to see the vision I had of the event and goal of the event play out, and I hope to continue the trend of showcasing the more casual side and opportunities of the program, while still sticking to the core foundations of what makes Stockton Esports so enticing and exciting for everyone involved.
Malik Alverio
Minecraft Hunger Games gave us a lot of insight into what makes for a successful event, and allowed us to experiment with new ways to improve the viewing experience for our audience. The freedom and creativity that Minecraft is designed for allowed us to really achieve the vision we were going for with multiple points of view with Josh and I commentating in game from behind a blocky desk. Genuinely the biggest highlight of my Fall 23’ semester. Josh and I loved getting into the character of a pair of Hunger Games announcers from the Capital and all of the jokes we were able to do as a result. I’m glad that we were able to put on an event that fully lived up to our vision and allowed for some very talented students opportunities to flex their skills. This event has definitely led the way for how we think of our casual events for the future and what makes a successful event.
Retro Night really felt like something I would put on while playing video games at home; what I would put on while eating dinner. It was really fun! Seeing the foundations of popular modern titles was really refreshing and interesting. Stockton Esports wants to show that esports are for everyone; that the point is to have fun. I think a lot of people that would love to participate in Stockton Esports are not out of intimidation, but Retro Night really helped to lift that veil. Part of our objective as an Esports organization is to be accommodating to both ends of the competitive spectrum.