Esports continue to gain traction on college campuses as a new way for students to develop hard and soft skills and create a sense of belonging for those who may not interact with traditional campus recreation services. East Stroudsburg University (ESU) has taken a bold step forward with its Warrior Esports Room development.
Designed to serve both competitive and casual gamers, the space transforms an underutilized racquetball/squash court into a state-of-the-art gaming hub. When ESU’s Campus Recreation & Wellness department determined the possibility of renovating the space into an esports room, they knew it was the perfect way to better serve students.
“The demand for esports has always been strong, but the challenge was finding the right space,” said Gerard Morgan, the director of Campus Recreation & Wellness at ESU. “When we identified an underutilized area in our facility, it became clear it had the potential to be the perfect home for an esports room — it just needed some vision. With the help of some students, we were able to put that vision to fruition.”
A Space Built for Gamers, By Gamers
With student input guiding the process and design, the department added sound baffling, carpeting and ESU branding to create an inviting atmosphere that keeps players coming back.
“From the beginning, we invited students to be a part of the planning process,” said Morgan. “They’re the reason behind many of our purchases — from computer auxiliary items like mice and keyboards to comfort items like gaming chairs. Additionally, we wanted to make sure the space was accommodating to the many different gamers we have, so we have tables set up for smaller tabletop games, Xboxes, Nintendo Switches, in addition to our Alienware PCs.”
One of the most unique features is the Shoutcasting Room, made possible through the generosity of a university donor. This space allows ESU’s Esports Club to livestream competitions and broadcast to a global audience via Twitch, YouTube and Facebook.
Using NDI Tools, the shoutcaster can pull live feeds from any computer in the room, providing real-time commentary and video overlays that enhance production value. Beyond entertainment, this feature offers valuable hands-on experience for students interested in esports broadcasting and media production.
Other Key Considerations
For schools considering a similar esports room development, Morgan emphasized the importance of collaboration and adaptability. Creating the space required extensive communication with the Facilities and IT departments at ESU to ensure the necessary power, networking and soundproofing infrastructure was in place. Additionally, thinking beyond gaming was key — the space is now a hub for student engagement, events and potential academic partnerships.
With the rapidly evolving field of esports, high-quality spaces like the Warrior Esports Room require much more investment than a console and TV. Providing the best esports experience possible requires significant investment in the best equipment, including high-end graphics cards and monitors.
“Often, the cost is too high for many students to participate in esports at a competitive level,” explained Morgan. “Creating this space not only gives our Esports club the ability to compete, but it also gives all students a place to be able to play games recreationally that otherwise would be unavailable to them. For our department, it brings in an entirely new demographic of students into our facility that get to see all the fun stuff ESU Campus Rec & Wellness offers that they may have missed if they didn’t have a space to call their own.”
Esports’ Role in Recreation
While esports might not seem like a traditional fit for campus recreation, Morgan challenges that perception.
“It’s easy to think of the contradiction of esports in a space where the goal is exercise and movement, but I would urge you to think differently,” said Morgan. “Not only is it pulling students into a space they may have never stepped into without the room, but it brings people together, increases social connections and gives them an outlet for their stress — everything you want in a rec center. Once a new student is in the door, they’re exposed to everything ESU’s Mattioli Recreation Center has to offer. We’re happy to share Campus Rec & Wellness with everyone.”
