The UK’s first ever schools’ esports tournament returns for a second year, and this time it’s bigger and better than before! Digital Schoolhouse, delivered by Ukie, the only trade body for the UK’s games and interactive entertainment industry, is pleased to announce that Blizzard Entertainment will be providing its popular team-based first-person action game, Overwatch, as the main title for the event.
Over 20 schools will be taking part in the immersive careers event, hosted by Ukie’s Digital Schoolhouse, which uses play-based learning to engage the next generation of pupils and teachers with the new computing curriculum. Blizzard Entertainment is supporting the tournament in a number of ways. Other partners include PlayStation, SEGA, plus support throughout from industry pro’s hailing from Belong by Game, the world’s largest esports company ESL, the British Esports Association, and others. Pupils will be playing Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch as they compete for the trophy, all the while interacting with games industry experts to learn more about the wealth of careers available in the sector.
The Digital Schoolhouse Esports Tournament launched earlier this month with school-based regional heats, running until 1st March 2018, before the regional qualifiers from 6th to 31st March and the grand final event, in April 2018 to coincide with the London Games Festival, supported by Games London. Bringing together education and industry, it’s set to inspire up to 2000 students to engage with computing and the UK games industry.