You hear a lot of chatter in the Campus Recreation Center (CRC) — “All the weight machines are full!” “Where is the swimming pool?” “I exceeded my one-rep max today!” — but one sentence you don’t expect to hear is, “Do you want to go play video games?” 

Georgia Tech’s Esports and Gaming Lounge recently opened its doors after several months of construction and has been met with great enthusiasm from gamers and newcomers alike.  

The facility is outfitted with 22 Alienware computers for CRC members to use. Each computer has a time limit of two and a half hours per person, and it resets every five hours. Through GGCircut, users have access to a wide variety of games that update automatically. Some of the most popular games include Marvel Rivals, Rainbow Six Siege, and Minecraft. There are also two console stations, each with a PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series S — games included.  

“I think there’s been a little bit of amazement that we were going to pull something like this off,” said Brian Smith, senior director of Campus Recreation, who spearheaded much of the project. “There's been a lot of joy from students' faces, and a lot of excitement. I think people love the idea of having a place to come in and do something they have a passion for and enjoy.” 

During the lounge’s construction, Smith made it a priority to seek out student perspectives.  

“Students needed it,” he said, “Students wanted it, and we had the right leadership in place to make it all happen. I'm really proud of the students who have stepped up to want to be in the space and want to run the space, and for us to have the opportunity to create it for them.”  

Most pivotal to the project was Georgia Tech Esports, a student-run club that participates in a variety of collegiate esports competitions. Members provided key insights into the kind of equipment the lounge needed and will be the main users of the broadcasting and competition rooms. The competition room will be used for future esports events and has 12 Alienware Area 51 computers. 

“What I think a lot of people don't understand about the esports and gaming industries is that they rely on each other in more ways than is intuitive,” said D.J. Fratt, president of Georgia Tech Esports. “While I consulted on several design aspects for the space as a whole, I actually advocated on the esports side of things for a casual space to be included and accessible with a project like this; that advocacy existed long before our discussions with the CRC.” 

While the esports lounge is still booting up, the future of the space is bright. 

“For me,” Smith said, “it's an opportunity to engage with students who maybe wouldn't come into the CRC, and then also introduce them to all the things that we have going on.” 

Georgia Tech Esports is particularly excited about the benefits to the campus community, and “continuing to find collaborations between the esports organization and other on-campus entities, especially those that help develop students' professional skills or highlight Georgia Tech's focus on innovation,” Fratt said.  

From experienced competitors to fledgling gamers, the Esports and Gaming Lounge provides a space for experimentation and free creative expression — plus, most importantly, fun. The lounge is open Monday through Thursday, 3 – 9 p.m.; Friday, 3 – 8 p.m.; and Saturday, noon – 6 p.m. It is closed on Sunday.