The crowd roars. Teammates high-five and fist-bump. The sound of the fans is almost deafening. The cooling systems engage. This is the world of E-Sports and on October 22nd ATSO brought it to FHSU. Tiger LAN, ATSO’s annual video game enthusiast gathering has evolved from much than a simple LAN party into an epic E-Sports tournament. Features events such as League of Legends, Overwatch, and Rocket League Tournaments, Tiger LAN is also an opportunity for hardcore gamers to show off their gaming rigs.
This reporter got an inside look at the event after being wrangled into the League of Legends tournament. The atmosphere is totally unreal. The lights are dim and the air is kept cool. Electronic music blasts from speakers overhead. People crowd around both the huge projected screen as well as individual players and their machines. ATSO members officiate the matches for all games and provide refereeing as needed. The setup has been generously provided by ATSO. Power sources and switches for a LAN connection are available at tables in the center of the room. Gamers can pay a one-time general fee of $5 to get in and have a seat at one of these tables and play games with friends for the duration of the event. Competitors pay an additional $5 to compete in tournaments and can even win their entry fee back by winning the tournament. As an added plus, ATSO also sells concessions!
Even if you don’t intend to compete Tiger LAN is certainly worth attending. A rare gathering of like-minded people to share and also show off their passion for e-sports and computer hardware. ATSO does an excellent job organizing and hosting the event while creating an authentic e-sports experience. Lastly, if you missed Tiger LAN or want to get in on more gaming action, ATSO now has an officially recognized e-sports team. More information can be found at Fort Hays State ATSO.
With TMN, I’m Chris Jacobs