New to DHS this year, the ESports club has quickly risen in population and attendance. The club appeals to students who feel they’re good enough at video games to take it to the next competitive level. ESports is short for electronic sports, and is a relatively new sport in the field of video games. Though it has risen with controversy, it has also risen with massive success. According to CNN.com, the sport’s industry has already rose to over a billion dollars, grabbing in 380 million viewers last year.  

The DHS ESports club competes against other Michigan schools in the form of tournaments and playoffs in a variety of different computer video games, all that require different mental, physical, and team based skill sets to excel in. 

“Currently, we’re in two big tournaments. First competition is organized by MIHSEF [Michigan High School Esports Federation], and the second is organized by PLAYVS [Play Versus Inc.],” senior Mingi Jo said. 

Jo is a player on the League of Legends team and one of the initial creators of the club. After the two tournaments, the club will participate in the state playoffs across the Detroit and Ann Arbor area. 

“First of all, when I moved to America, gaming was the only way to make friends because it didn’t take much communication,” Jo said. “I began to grow my interest by watching professional gaming, and that was the beginning of my interest in ESports.”

The club currently has 10 members, split across different teams and games. If students are interested in joining, they can contact the club advisor Adam Colvin in room 129B. 

To learn more about ESports and its extreme rise in popularity, see CNN’s story “What is ESports? A look at an explosive billion-dollar industry” at https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/27/us/esports-what-is-video-game-professional-league-madden-trnd/index.html