With the growth of Lindenwood E-Sports and game design program, the university is rebuilding the new gaming room. 

The previous location of the room was on the third floor of the LARC. Now, it will reside in the basement of the Spellmann Center right next to the Lindenwood radio station. Now the E-Sports club and gaming design program will have a new area to practice and spend time playing games in a new atmosphere.

“It’s really exciting to see them constructing this whole new space in Spellmann specifically dedicated for the team,”  assistant professor of game design Jeremiah Rattican said. “And I know the members of the team are pretty excited because it really helps put that official stamp on there.”

The old gaming room was a reliable space for the E-sports gaming club. Lindenwood University wanted to show recognition of the E-sports program by rebuilding a new facility.

“We knew that Esports kind of a field that was growing not only at the collegiate level but the high school level,” Athletic director Tom Wagner said. “Last year we did little things that dipped our toe in the water a little bit and we took it far from there.”

Due to COVID last year, the team wasn’t able to come together to practice. A lot of them meeting together remained virtual. 

“A lot of students were having to play from home, and not all of them have high level game equipment,”  Rattican said. 

In the new gaming room, the lights and the carpeting have already been placed. The room remains an empty space, for they didn’t put the equipment in just yet.

“Last week, it was still very much in the middle of construction,” professor Rattican said. “I’m guessing they worked all weekend, because it’s very close to getting done.”

The games that will be played are League of Legends, Overwatch, Rainbow Six.