By In room 102 of the Hall of Science, video game enthusiasts across campus banded together to socialize, compete for prizes and pose with the 2023 World Valorant Champions Tour trophy during the Beach’s Esports Association’s first general meeting on Sept. 18.
The event was in collaboration with the professional Esports team Evil Geniuses, who had won the Valorant Champions Tour, or VCT, in 2023.
Chappell Roan’s music kicked off the event, welcoming the sea of students who flooded through the door.
Members were handed a raffle ticket and directed to choose a seat for a presentation introducing the club’s management, teams, competitive stats and social media.
A collection of prizes in the raffle, including a drawing tablet, keyboard, mousepad, CPU coolers and Red Bull energy drinks rest in front of the slideshow’s projected glare. The e-sports team Evil Geniuses also brought windbreakers for the raffle, emblazoned with their logo. Photo Credit: Julia Goldman
Among the audience was computer science major Catherine Gomez, who had just begun her first year at Long Beach State.
After being the leader for what Gomez said was an all-male Valorant team at St. John Bosco High School, Gomez continued her first-person shooter career with the Beach’s Valorant team.
Gomez now holds a spot on CSULB’s Team Pink – a Valorant team comprising of all female students.
For the event, Gomez said there were way more people than she expected and everyone was outgoing.
“It’s really welcoming knowing you have something in common with everyone else,” Gomez said.
As the night continued, the association invited students to win prizes in a Nerf Gun activity where they lined up to shoot down six stacked paper cups with three shots each.
Audience members cheered on as students tried their best shot to win the Nerf Gun activity. The participants competed to win two special EG jerseys, signed by the winning team and assistant coaches ‘Pho’ and ‘Potter.’ Photo Credit: Julia Goldman
Following the Nerf Gun activity, the meeting shifted to the main event: the showcasing of Evil Geniuses’ VCT volcano-like trophy for members to strike poses with and snap photos with.
Brand Ambassador Carlos Farias, a 23-year-old communications major at Pierce Community College, brought the trophy to the event.
As the public face of Evil Geniuses’ Branding, Farias discovered his role by participating in his Esports clubs throughout his educational journey.
Farias said the community he discovered within gaming spaces drove him to share his passions with other collegiate communities.
“If I didn’t find gaming or Esports with my club, I don’t know where I
would be, in terms of like college,” Farias said. “I love working with colleges and students to be able to bridge that gap.”
When asked how he feels about Evil Geniuses’ relationship with the CSULB Esports Association and the potential to return, Farias said it was a matter of if, not when.
“[CSULB], just in general, were amazing. In terms of activity, like events, I feel there were a lot of numbers and passion,” Farias said. “And I think, seeing the excitement from everyone, it just felt like the right fit.”
President of the e-sports Association, Izzy Calvillo and Carlos Farias pose with the 2023 Valorant Champions Tour Trophy. The collaborative event was part of a 10-part plan that took weeks to arrange, according to Calvillo. Photo Credit: Julia Goldman
As a fourth-year marketing major and the club’s former vice president, Calvillo said the hurdles and stress of planning the event strengthened him and made him more excited about the club’s future.
“I was really excited to be able to bring EG to the first meeting,” Calvillo said. “It’s a once in a lifetime thing – it’s not everyday that you get to touch a world class trophy. I think people really enjoyed it.”
