Editor’s note: A previous version of this article named a Benjamin So as the club co-president of Tespa Carleton. The article has been corrected to say that Martin So is the club co-president.
Gaming fans filed into Oliver’s Pub and Patio on Sept. 7, as Canada faced off against some of the world’s best gamers in the annual three-day Overwatch World Cup tournament.
The tournament was live-streamed by Carleton’s resident eSports club, Tespa Carleton.
Released in 2016, Overwatch is a first-person shooter by Blizzard Entertainment that made waves with its colourful art style and tight action. Gameplay consists of two teams of six players using in-game characters called “Heroes” that specialize in offence, defence, or support. Heroes control different areas and eliminate the enemy team while achieving various game mode objectives.
Competitive leagues and tournaments soon followed the release and created a buzz of excitement for gaming fans. Along with international teams, there are also regional teams that host a game or tournament in their respective cities, located in Asia, North America, or Europe.
Internationally, Team Canada arrived in the World Cup scene in 2016, having clearcut success heading into their third year. After being defeated by South Korea in the 2017 World Cup Finals, Team Canada’s 2018 roster features a star-studded team, consisting of returning players including xQc, Surefour, and Agilities, all poised to make a finals return.
One of the newly added members to the roster is Christopher Benell, who goes by the in-game name of Bani. Benell is an alumnus of Carleton University and Tespa Carleton. After graduating in 2017, he was signed by the Houston Outlaws as a main player on the roster. This past year, the Houston Outlaws played in the inaugural season of the Overwatch League where they finished the overall season in seventh place out of 12 teams.
Fourth-year University of Ottawa electrical engineering student Austin Walsh attended the watch party and says that the gaming community is brought together with these events.
“Every time I come to one of these live streams, I feel a sense of belonging,” Walsh said.
Over the years, Tespa Carleton has seen an increase in members at an exponential increase. Club co-president Martin So says that Carleton Expo is one contributing factor, but an increase in first-person shooters catering to a wider audience allow more gamers to “share their passion with others.”
As a growing club, So wants Tespa Carleton to “keep gamer fan flames burning.” He wants the club to allow gamers to feel connected within Ottawa, and to keep these same connections after university because of their common interests in various games.
Tespa Carleton hopes to host other gaming tournaments around Ottawa to reach a greater number of people. So encourages any and all to “come out and enjoy the fun that is gaming.”
Photo by Jasmine Foong
