On April 2, Durham College (DC) officially opened a first-of-its-kind Esports Gaming Arena. Located in the Student Centre at the college’s Oshawa campus, the 3,000-sq-ft. venue is unique from any other collegiate gaming space in Canada thanks to its extensive broadcast capabilities and lounge area that can hold up to 120 spectators for esports tournaments.

“With this venue, DC is establishing itself as an undisputed leader in one of the fastest-growing industries in the gaming market,” says DC president Don Lovisa. “In addition to being the campus gaming hub and training ground for the Durham Lords Esports varsity team, the arena will also be a living lab. Its industry-grade design will provide students with vital hands-on experience to prepare them for career success in the global esports market, which is on track to exceed $1.6 billion by 2021.”

Developed in partnership industry leaders Lenovo (Canada) and Monster Energy, the DC Esports Gaming Arena features include:

• 46 Legion by Lenovo gaming PCs with added Nvidia GEForce RTX 2080 graphics cards, 12 of which sit behind a glass partition and are reserved for esports varsity players’ training.
• Streaming capabilities at each gaming station so that players can broadcast their play live on Twitch.
• Monster Energy DX Racer ergonomic gaming chairs that feature adjustable backs, arms and seats to provide support and comfort and mitigate repetitive stress injuries.
• Five 55” display monitors and a 110” projector for in-house tournament broadcasting.

“We’ve taken to calling it a gamers’ paradise and it truly is,” says arena manager Sarah Wagg. Unlike other schools’ gaming spaces, the DC arena is designed specifically with the student experience in mind. The lounging and gathering spaces encourage relaxation, connection and fun, and make it a space that welcomes and embraces gamers of all kinds.”

The Esports Gaming Arena is part of DC’s four-part esports plan which also includes the Durham Lords esports varsity team, which began competing with teams across North America in 2018, a recreational gaming club and integration of esports into the college’s post-secondary program curricula.

While use of the gaming stations is reserved for DC students, alumni and employees during regular hours of operation, the Esports Gaming Arena is available for public bookings to host birthday parties, corporate events and gaming tournaments.

Booking inquiries can be made by emailing esports@durhamcollege.ca.