National Student Esports (NSE) has teamed up with Nintendo UK to launch the Splatoon 3 University Championship, a new tournament for the UK student community. The tournament will feature both in-person and online events held across the UK, including two regional events and a live Grand Final at the Insomnia Gaming Festival from April 7-9. The tournament will form part of NSE's British University Esports Championship finals, which already features games like Dota 2, League of Legends, and Rocket League.
For Nintendo, the partnership reaffirms the company's commitment to growing grassroots esports. Nintendo UK's Head of Communications, Kalpesh Tailor, said, "We're proud to support NSE again and bring the latest addition in the Splatoon series to university students, offering more opportunities for the engaged student gaming community to compete, online and in-person."
The Splatoon 3 University Championship offers another opportunity for UK students to showcase their gaming skills and compete in the growing esports scene. With the support of Nintendo UK, NSE hopes to continue expanding its esports portfolio and building a vibrant gaming community for students across the country.
Image Credit: NSE, Nintendo UK
What's Driving This Trend
- Student Esports Tournaments
- There is a growing trend towards hosting esports tournaments specifically for university/college students, offering more opportunities for the engaged student gaming community to compete, either online and in-person.
- Grassroots Esports Sponsorship
- More companies are investing in grassroots esports, as it offers a chance to support rising gaming talent and connect with younger audiences, such as Nintendo UK's support of NSE.
- Esports Expansion
- Esports is constantly expanding as an industry, with the British University Esports Championship's inclusion of games like Dota 2, League of Legends, and Rocket League representing this trend.
Who This Affects Most
- Higher Education
- Esports and gaming sponsorships offer an opportunity for universities and colleges to reach a wider audience and attract students through sponsoring esports events.
- Gaming/electronics
- Companies involved in gaming and electronics have a chance to invest in esports and offer their products as prizes or promote them via sponsored tournaments and events.
- Digital Marketing
- The ever-growing esports industry opens up a new demographic for digital marketing campaigns, with companies able to leverage esports events as a way to reach younger audiences.
