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Dyess hosts its first virtual eSports league

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sophia Robello
  • 7 Bomb Wing Public Affairs

Starting April 20, 2020, the 7th Force Support Squadron will begin the first season of its virtual eSports league at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

To ensure the safety of everyone participating, the 7th FSS has decided to host the eSports league virtually. All participants will be able to engage via their own home, if they have the consoles and games to do so. For those not able to participate, the squadron will be streaming the league on Twitch for everyone to watch.

“Due to COVID-19, we’ve had to evaluate the way that we approach eSports for the time being,” said Capt. Simon Pena, 7th FSS military personnel flight commander. “When conducted in an Air Force environment, eSports becomes a morale-boosting and warrior-honing activity. As such, we needed to find a way to do eSports virtually, while not compromising the spirit or integrity behind the program.”

The league will consist of three games on different platforms. In order to make the league as accessible as possible to many people, 2nd Lt. Ashlyn Zurek confirmed that the three games were going to be played on different platforms. Super Smash Bros. will be played on the Nintendo Switch, Overwatch on a personal computer, and Rocket League is cross-compatible with multiple platforms.

“Recent world events have made this a trying time,” said Pena. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, and when combined with social isolation, significant stress can develop. One of the amazing things about eSports is that it surpasses all that, however. It is a shared experience that brings together and unites people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, religions, political beliefs, backgrounds, and more.”

The matches are scheduled to run from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm throughout the week. Super Smash Bros will be on Mondays and Tuesdays, Overwatch on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Rocket League on Fridays.