Welcome to the latest Geeky Brummie esports roundup! This week, Northampton College opens a brand new esports centre, TENSTAR unveils their new roster for Halo Infinite Championship Series, and British Esports’ Women in Esports teams up with Dota Valkyries for a brand new inclusive tournament.
If you have an esports story that you would like us to feature, email mat@geekybrummie.com.
Northampton College Unveils Stunning New Esports Arena
Last week, Northampton College opened a brand new esports arena, which forms part of a £6.3m investment by the college in a new digital academy.
This academy is part-funded by the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP), Local Growth Fund.
Northampton Arena & Digital Skills Academy
The new esports arena is based on the Booth Lane campus and features high-end gaming rigs and peripherals, alongside a host of facilities and amenities. It will provide a space for students to study, play and participate in competitive esports – including the British Esports Student Championships.
Outside of the arena, the digital skills academy includes a television studio, digital workshop spaces, a new Mac suite, and a design studio.
Rapid Growth of Esports Education
Northampton College is one of the more than 150 approved centres that teach the Esports BTEC qualification, developed by education provider Pearson and the British Esports Association. The college also conducts training in games design, digital skills, computer engineering, and more.
British Esports Association recently released statistics for the Esports BTEC, with a growth from 300 students in the first year to 1,800 in the second year.
As my hometown, and Booth Lane as my former stomping ground, it’s great to see this kind of investment. Hopefully, this investment in digital skills by the college will complement the work of Northampton Uni and others in the city to put the town on the map as a centre for digital skills.
TENSTAR Announce TENSTAR Halo
Birmingham-based esports organisation, TENSTAR, have unveiled a new roster for the upcoming Halo Infinite Championship Series (HCS).
Meet TENSTAR HALO
The North American-based roster comprises Matthew “inHuman” Goldbuich, Sterling “Playback” Henderson, Alex “Creature” Hladik, and Bryson “VividHits” Goins. Each player brings with them a plethora of industry experience in a multitude of titles.
The roster made their debut under the TENSTAR moniker in the Halo Infinite Championship Series which started on 21st November in North America (U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico), Mexico, Europe, and Australia, and New Zealand.
The total prizing for the season will exceed $3 million across all of the events, with crowdfunding pushing it even higher.
You can find out more about Halo Infinite Championship Series here.
TENSTAR Expanding to new heights
Halo Infinite becomes the third title TENSTAR has entered after VALORANT and R6S. TENSTAR hopes that with this new venture they will pave a way in this developing esport and support the Halo roster to new heights within the industry. You can read the official release on their website here.
Women in Esports Host Valkyrie Cup Winter with Dota Valkyries
British Esports’ Women in Esports initiative announce their second Dota 2 tournament; The Valkyrie Winter Cup.
About the Tournament
The tournament takes place on the 11th-12th December 2021. First place wins £250, second place £100 and third place £50.
To enter, a team must consist of a minimum of 5 players, with a minimum of 2 female or non-binary players and a maximum of 3 male players. Each team’s Matchmaking Rating (MMR) must not exceed an average of 8,000 per team.
Whilst worldwide signups are accepted, all games will be hosted on EU West Servers, and this should be considered prior to entering the tournament.
The event will be hosted on Challenger Mode with sign-ups for the tournament now open until the 4th December – with a 12 team capacity. Further details regarding the ruleset can be found here.
Teams can register for the event here.
About the Partnership
The Valkyrie Winter Cup is the second collaboration between British Esports’ Women in Esports and Dota Valkyries. Women in Esports was established to promote inclusivity and diversity within the esports industry. Dota Valkyries offer support to every level of player in Dota 2, from grassroots to professional standards. They work to expand the Dota 2 community and bring more women into competitive play.
Both parties look to work together in supporting women within the Dota 2 scene, in addition to collaborating on increasing participation of marginalised genders within esports, from both industry and competitive avenues.
Creating Opportunities For Women and Non-Binary
This tournament follows the success of the first partnership in September 2021. This partnership is important for several reasons. Firstly, it encourages marginalised genders to participate in esports. Secondly, it highlights the established talent that is already there and fighting for their place in the industry. Thirdly, it provides a platform for the wider conversation around gender and sexuality inclusivity which is still severely lacking in esports, and gaming in general.
The event will be hosted on the British Esports Twitch channel, with tournament participants also encouraged to stream individual games from the tournament.
That’s it from me, friends, don’t forget to watch out for me on Mondays over at the Geeky Brummie Twitter or follow me on my personal handle @MrMatLovell. Adios!
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