- Hey guys, how's it going?
So today, I'm going to the University of Irvine.
Now Justine, why are you going there?
Are you going back to school?
I'm definitely not going back to school,
but I'm going to check out their eSports arena.
Now eSports is a thing, can you guys believe that?
That eSports, people playing competitive video games
is a thing, that's a career path?
Of course you believe it, because you're living it.
You see it everyday, there's a chance you know somebody,
a friend of yours, who's playing competitively.
You probably watch people who play competitive video games.
You might actually be one of those people
who are competing competitively
and I think it is beautiful, it really is
and I'm not saying this being sarcastic
because the first time that I didn't think
eSports was a thing was 17 years ago.
I did the math and I'm, oh gosh.
That's probably longer than some of you have been alive.
But I was in high school and we would go to LAN parties,
mostly because the internet really wasn't that good
back then, so being able to play multiplayer games
that was the only way to do it.
You had to bring computers to one person's house
or go to a cybercafe where they had really good internet
to be able to play multiplayer games
and back then I was playing Unreal Tournament, Quake 3.
I was never really that into Counter-Strike.
Now, I didn't play Counter-Strike,
but one of our friends did.
His name was Casey and I will never forget one weekend
Casey was not at our LAN party and I was so confused
because Casey was always there.
He was actually competing competitively in a Counter-Strike
tournament and I could not believe it.
I was like, so there's a bigger LAN party
so there's not just eight or ten of us all in a room,
there's 100s of people competing?
It was probably like trying to explain to your parents now
that eSports is a thing.
But then, it wasn't a thing, I mean it was,
but not to the level that it is today.
I mean , more people are watching League of Legends
tournaments than real, traditional sports
and I'm putting that in quotes
because I believe that eSports and playing video games
is just as competitive as playing actual real sports
and people don't understand that
and that is something that I think is just so crazy
because when you're watching super intense games,
now I come from most of a Call of Duty background.
I've hosted a bunch of the Call of Duty in the past
and it is so much fun even for people who don't understand
what's going on.
If you have incredible commentators,
people who are really trying to pull that game together,
to make it understandable for everyone,
it is so much fun to watch.
I'm going off on a tangent and I'm late
because I gotta go, I gotta get on the road.
I am going to the University of Irvine today,
which is why this whole conversation even started.
I'm just so excited.
(gentle house music)
- So, the eSports Arena is actually part of the
eSports initiative that we've done over at UCI
and it has multiple pillars.
Some of that is competitive gaming,
we have our own scholarship teams,
especially in League of Legends
and as you can see behind me, we have the UCI eSports
Streaming Corner so you can learn entertainment,
social media, build and market your own brands.
And then over here, it's Console Corner,
so that's like our Smash, a lot of our fighting games,
stuff like that.
But it's multi-faceted, so it's not just limited to eSports,
we do have an amazing computer science program.
Its bigger than that, you get to compete,
you get to interact as a student on campus.
- This is like the coolest thing ever,
so do you want to introduce yourself to my internet friends?
- Hey guys, I'm Gigasnail.
- What's your major?
- So I am a philosophy, political science
and economics major.
- What's your game of choice, most importantly?
- Overwatch and I'm definitely good at Bastion Main.
- Is that a GameCube over here?
- Yeah.
- This, right here, this is why I almost failed college.
GameCube, Mario Kart, we basically spent like three weeks
playing non-stop, didn't go to school, didn't do anything.
But now you guys have it here,
that you can actually play as a part of going to school.
- In Console Corner we have tons of different consoles,
so a lot of the Smash team will bring their own Wiis
or their own GameCubes or whatever they wanna play on,
just so they can practice and then we offer different
consoles as well, Xboxes and PS4s
and anything people wanna get their hands on.
- Oh my God, this is incredible, this is the future here.
- So, all of our scholarship players,
they can come in before and after hours if they need to,
they can come in in between classes
and they get to be on their own dedicated computers.
- So they have a scholarship program for League of Legends?
That's what you're telling me? This is so awesome.
- Yeah, so they get their school paid for
to come play for us.
- So, it's not like you're playing video games for fun,
this actually ends up turning into a job and a career
and you're playing for a completely different reason,
basically to be the best.
- Yeah, absolutely, this is the start.
College is the place where you go to prepare for your career
and I think the great thing that UCI's recognized
is that eSports is a huge, huge future part
of these peoples lives and they want to prepare them
for that career.
- I love it and look at this, this is it.
(gentle house music)
Alex, hello!
So we were just chatting to some students here at UCI
and we're both, well, we're definitely older than them
and this is something that did not exist
back in our day going to school.
- No, I'm actually glad it didn't exist,
'cause I would never have graduated college.
(Justine laughs)
- But you would have because basically,
you go to class and you come here and play games
and then it just all works out.
- Yes and by the way, if you can see,
they actually have a stadium, that's where the people play
and they are competitive, college eSports
is legit a thing.
- I was talking to Paul and he gave me a quick little tour
and these kids actually have scholarships.
League of Legends scholarships so hey guys,
you know what, tell your parents,
this is where you need to go.
- You're not wasting time, tell you folks,
you're learning how to get free college.
- I love it, this is so cool.
So, what games have you been playing?
- A lot of Overwatch, a lot of Diablo 3,
season 10 just came out.
- I was so obsessed with Diablo 3 years ago.
- [Alex] It's so much better.
- Really?
- No, they fixed everything that you though was wrong
with it when it first came out is so much better,
it is addictive.
- So, are you saying I should go back to Diablo 3?
- Yes I am!
Stat, stat!
One of my characters has 200 hours of game time,
one of my characters.
- Is that from recently or from previously?
- Its cumulative.
(Justine laughs)
- But it took me a day and a half to get to 70 in season 10.
- [Justine] Wow, wow, wow!
- You gotta come back! It's great.
- Okay, good because ...
- And they're gonna come out with the Necromancer soon.
- I basically have not put down my Nintendo Switch,
I was gonna bring it with me, but I was like,
I'm not going to be able to play it and drive,
so yeah that should be really fun.
But yeah, oh my gosh, Diablo 3, oh my goodness.
I'm having flashbacks.
- [Alex] Do it, do it.
- It was a while ago, when it first came out.
- I know, I know and they fixed so much stuff,
like the loot system is so much better, it's crazy,
just try it, you'll thank me.
- Okay, perfect.
(Alex laughs)
Have you played any Switches?
Did you get a Switch?
- I haven't gotten a switch.
'cause I've got an Xbox One, I've a PS4,
I've a Wii, I didn't get the Wii U,
I never play them.
I play Diablo 3, World of Warcraft, Overwatch,
Heroes of the Storm and then whatever
new computer game that's out.
- Let me tell you, man, the Switch is so great.
It's so great.
- I know and everybody says that, everybody says that.
I think I might have to get one.
- I think you're gonna have to.
Honestly, in Zelda it's such an incredible game that
(stutters)
I'm speechless, you guys already know how much I played it.
- Plus I have a Tesla.
(Justine gasps)
So I gotta find something to do
while it's driving me places.
(laughs)
- That's true, that's not safe!
- Not yet, but soon, there's gonna be software updates,
it'll be like, I can use the Switch now.
- Well, that's it, thanks for hanging out with my blog.
(friendly music)
(dog barking)
Oh my gosh, guys, I have hit probably an all new low.
I just got home two minutes ago from Irvine.
So, before I left I was like I'm gonna be hungry
by the time I get home, so I basically ordered
Post Meats from the car.
(door buzzer)
And now I have another visitor?
Jenna I was just making a video!
- [Jenna] What the hell?
- So what happened, as I ordered Post Meats from the car,
so that by the time I got home it would be here
and ready and waiting.
- [Jenna] What'd you get me?
- Here look, I've bruschetta.
- You know what?
- What?
- I can't tell if I'm carsick or not feeling well.
- Is this mine or is it yours?
- Mine.
- I think I have the same thing.
Have I got the same jacket?
- Yeah you do.
- Anyway, it was so much fun and what I said to these guys,
both Jen and I both went to school.
Jenna went to school a lot longer than I went to school.
One of the things that I learned by going to school,
not only did I learn the things that I'm interested in,
what did you go to school for, Jen?
Let's talk about it.
- I double majored in forensic biology and biology,
so I had two bachelor degrees.
And a minor, speech pathology and audiology, baby.
- Whaddaya know?
So I went to school for multimedia, technology,
graphic design, video production.
Basically, everything that I'm doing right now.
But one of the things that I feel like people think
that you have to go to school to learn these things.
You don't, but what I did learn in school
was working with people, meeting people,
having life experiences and making some really good friends
and now my dog is just over there crunching.
(laughs)
- [Jenna] He's crunching, he's hungry.
Me too, baby.
- But what you do with what you learn
and the people and the friends
and the connections that you make in school,
what you do with that after is what's so important
and I am so excited for the future of eSports.
I can't wait until more schools embrace it,
parents embrace it because there is a future here
and we're living in it right now,
so parents, if you're watching this
and you're kid is super into video games,
encourage them to keep going with that passion.
They can be a video game designer,
they can actually get a scholarship now,
to play video games in college.
I love the life that we're currently living in right now,
it's incredible.
I'm gonna eat my salad and I'll see you guys later,
so wow, peace out, oh god, I almost lost my meal.
(friendly music)