Marshall University’s Esports program is evolving to prepare for next semester.

Director of esports Kyle Trapp said the club is splitting into the competitive-focused esports program and the more casual-focused gaming club, so no gamer feels left out on campus.

Trapp said the esports program will see new opportunities arise. Alongside new sponsors for the program, students will be able to earn scholarships for being part of the teams. For students who aren’t on the competitive teams, Trapp said they can still assist with the broadcast opportunities for the program at the new Thunderdome in partnership with the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

“We’re going to make sure scholarships are available going into this more varsity realm of what’s happening,” Trapp said. “We’re going to continue to just ride off that success, making sure we’re bringing the best and brightest going forward into these matches.”

The vice president of the new gaming club, who wanted to be referred to as RC, said the decision to offer a casual club was to create a comfortable space for those who enjoy gaming, but may be scared off by the more aggressive nature of competitive esports.

“I’m pretty bad at video games,” RC said, “but I love video games, and I think people in that same situation deserve a space where people can just hang out and bond and build a community and build lasting friendships over their enjoyment of video games.”

RC said the gaming club will use its role as a casual space to support the new ACE Center in East Hall next year.

“We’re going to be really putting our weight behind that and really showing our support for them,” RC said. “And if we can, we’re going to be doing that with as many departments on Marshall’s campus as possible.”

Trapp said the group’s success at recent tournaments has allowed the program to be more legitimized in the university’s eyes. The program already sees where it can expand, from forming a Marvel Rivals team to even earning scholarships by racing in the E-NASCAR series for Marshall.

Nolan Duncan can be contacted at [email protected].