The International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is offering a course and lab dedicated to eSports.
The course, which launched last fall, features industry leaders and classes conducted in local gaming spaces, providing students the opportunity to think creatively in real-world environments.
“We’re not designing video games?that’s beyond the scope,” said Robert Rippee, director of the institute’s Hospitality Lab. “(We are) learning how to create a business model that would integrate into the industry that we have here in Nevada.”
This month, for example, students toured the new Millennial Esports Arena in Downtown Las Vegas to learn about the company’s history and strategic intent moving through the 15,000-square-foot space.
“We were able to explain to them what an eSports business is like in the city, and I thought the questions were good,” said Millennial Esports CEO Alex Igelman. “The students had a good grasp of how the industry is developing.”
Such site visits are offset by guest lecturers with expertise in the regulatory process, the nuances of the games, audience development and the latest technologies.
“Together they paint the picture of this ecosystem in eSports and allow the student teams to develop ideas about how to turn that into an economically viable business model,” Rippee explained.
The course also has attracted managers from local casinos looking to learn something that could benefit their careers and their companies, Rippee said.
The course is proving popular enough that he’s pushing to expand it to a year-round offering.
“And there’s been some initial discussions about offering it online, which would exponentially grow the number of students who can participate,” he said. “I want to help them find their place in an emerging cultural phenomenon. This is a chance to get in on the ground floor?you’re one of the trailblazers who can figure out how this works into this big gaming industry that surrounds us.”
