Georgia State University’s varsity esports program will host and compete against multiple college and university teams during the third PantherLAN Esports Tournament with live, in-arena finals across multiple games on Saturday, April 6 at the Georgia State Sports Arena, 125 Decatur St., S.E.
Held once each fall and spring semester, PantherLAN will include gameplay in “League of Legends,” “Hearthstone,” “Overwatch” and “Dragon Ball FighterZ.” The event will also host the Georgia Esports League (GEL) championships in “SMITE,” “Paladins” and “Brawlhalla,” sponsored by the Georgia Game Developers Association (GGDA).
The event will also include panels and workshops by GEL and the GGDA, featuring talent and producers from multiple companies and esports organizations in the Atlanta area.
Founded in 2017, Georgia State’s varsity esports program participates with other Georgia academic institutions in GEL and is among the more than 30 colleges and universities nationwide participating in the National Association of Collegiate Esports.
Varsity esports provide benefits beyond game play, including student participation in broadcasting, production, marketing, management and game development, a rapidly growing part of Georgia’s entertainment industry.
Team members are eligible to earn scholarships, and are expected to maintain high scholastic performance.
Esports at Georgia State are administered through the university’s Creative Media Industries Institute(CMII), which continues to increase the tournament’s production quality and foster exciting game play.
GEL, now in its fourth season, has given almost $20,000 in scholarships to esports competitors and shoutcasters. A service of tournament partner GGDA, GEL focuses on improving teamwork and the esports community in Georgia
