RecSports adds video games to intramurals

Nile McNair, Contributing Writer

Recreational Sports has introduced an esports league — featuring one-on-one and team games — adding to a selection of other intramural sports, including dodgeball, flag football and soccer.

Some of the games to be offered include “Madden 19,” “NBA 2K19” and “Call of Duty.”

The sports games — “Madden,” “2K” and “FIFA” — will be played one-on-one. “Call of Duty” will consist of five-player games of Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Search and Destroy. “Rocket League” will have two-player and three-player game modes.

Competitors will be able to play from the confines of their homes during the league play.

“Play at home and play by date,” said Will Adams, VCU intramural coordinator. “Meaning you play with your own system, and the intramural office will set matches and the date that a game must be played by.”

Currently, there is a limit of 32 players for each game. But the limit will be raised if more gamers are interested in playing.

Each game will have its own regular season, followed by double-elimination style playoffs. Seeding for the playoff bracket will be based off gamers’ or team’s regular season records.

Gamers of any gender are encouraged to join the league.

“This is open to all gamers,” Adams said. “We chose popular games that are also well known, that attractive gamers from both spectrums.”

Esports will have seasons in both the fall and spring semesters.

If the leagues are successful, more games will eventually be added, including bigger competitive games like “Overwatch” and “League of Legends.” In addition, the league might add PC gaming to diversify the selection, Adams said.

“It being the first semester, it’s too early to tell right now. But numbers currently are great, especially for our sports games,” Adams said.

For more information, visit recsports.vcu.edu/programs.