In Riverside County, California, the County Office of Education is organizing an esports exhibition, free for all to attend. The main attraction of this weekend’s event is the ultimate crew battle finale of the Riverside County Esports Fall/WinterSuper Smash Bros.
The tournament began virtually in October, and throughout the contest, local high schools have competed against each other. Esports, or electronic sports, signifies competitions involving video games. The semi-final and final matches this weekend will feature the top five establishments that earned their spots: Beaumont High School, Cathedral City High School, Centennial High School, with a special play-off between Canyon Springs High School and Elsinore High School. Every school is represented by a team of five.
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The victorious team will win a $3,000 scholarship to contribute towards their school’s scholarship fund. The runners up will receive $1,500 and the third place winners will get $500.
The tournament is a part of the Riverside County Esports Community Expo. The event will take place at the Riverside County Office of Education Conference Center (located at 4280 Brockton Avenue in Riverside) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 9.
In addition to the tournament, the expo will showcase students’ work, including a “Minecraft Storybook” featuring original tales and virtual worlds inspired by Minecraft, presented by second graders. Student esports clubs will share their experiences and discuss the benefits of participating in an esports program.
An arcade featuring a variety of current and forthcoming games from the school esports realm will also be displayed.
The Riverside County Office of Education will reveal a collaboration with the United States Academic Esports League during this event. According to the USAEL, they aim to “provide students with opportunities to leverage their love for video games, including internships, scholarships, and lucrative career paths.” The USAEL will function as the official gaming and communication platform for the RCOE Esports League due to this partnership.
Several college-based esports programs will also be present at the expo to provide information about college-level pathways and career possibilities in esports.
Visit www.rcoe.us/esports for further information about the Riverside County Esports League.