We delve into what this competition is, when it takes place, changes to this year and who the recent winners were.
Esports has taken the world by storm in recent years, and it’s not slowing down. The popularity of competitive gaming has skyrocketed, creating an industry worth billions. Gamers compete in popular local and national tournaments all over the world, and one of these events is the British Esports Student Champs Competition.
An overview of the British Esports Student Champs Competition
The British Esports Student Champs Competition is the UK’s largest amateur grassroots esports tournament, for secondary schools, further education (FE) colleges and alternative provision (AP) schools. The tournament features four popular gaming titles: League of Legends, Overwatch 2, Rocket League, and Valorant.
These games are played by teams of students representing their school or college. The competition runs over several months, with qualifying rounds and playoffs ending in a grand final. To offer a level playing field, the teams are split into skill divisions based on their leagues.
“Since taking part in the Champs for the first time two years ago, we have consistently placed high in the tournaments. The team works on real skills during them, such as communication, strategising, adaptability, handling stress, and teamwork.”
Emily English, Esports course lead at Access Creative College.
When does the esports battle competition take place?
The British Esports Student Champs Competition runs from October this year through to the grand finals during April to July 2024. Teams are required to register and qualify, with matches taking place online or in-person between schools and colleges across the UK.
There are open qualifiers before the main event, where students can prove their skills and gain entry to the main competition. The grand final usually takes place in front of a live audience.
Any changes to this year’s esports champ competition?
The British Esports Association has announced that there will be a few changes to this year’s competition.
They are introducing the ‘Open’ and ‘Nationals’ categories. The Open category is a less intensive platform for esports players from schools and colleges. It’s an exciting opportunity for players to take their first steps into competitive esports without the pressure of high stakes.
Not only does this category offer a thrilling experience but also serves as a scouting ground for institutions to identify talent for their national team in the next year. For a fee of £60 plus £12 for each team entered per title, students can start their esports journey.
Moving up the ladder, we have the nationals. This category showcases the crème de la crème of UK school and college esports teams. A unique feature of the nationals is that it allows only one team per institute for each title, creating a robust and highly competitive environment. The entry fee for this prestigious competition is £150, with tournaments in popular games like League of Legends, Valorant, Rocket League, and Overwatch 2.
The Student Champions will also be introducing StreetFighter 6 and Apex Legends “open-to-everyone” tournaments, plus they announced the return of the Women in Esports Cup and the Williams Racing League. This is a collaborative event with Williams Esports.
Recent winners of the British Esports Student Champs competition
The grand finale of the last British Esports Student Champs Competition concluded in a live event at Confetti X. This event was witnessed by a quarter of a million viewers on Twitch, making it a landmark event in the history of British esports.
On June 29, 2023, British Esports had the honour of announcing the winners. The Student Champs, open to students aged 12 and above, is a celebration of talent, skill, and passion from schools and colleges across the UK.
The League of Legends Division 1 was won by The Sixth Form College Farnborough with Tomoyachi earning the title of Most Valuable Player (MVP). The Nationals category of the same game saw Altrincham Grammar School for Boys emerge victorious, with Yuhengco2 being named the MVP.
Overwatch 2 Division 1 saw Belfast Met College claim victory, with LDG earning the MVP title. Gower College Swansea triumphed in the Overwatch 2 Nationals, with False being recognised as the MVP. The Women in Esports Overwatch 2 Invitational was won by Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies, with Finhay taking home the MVP title.
In the Rocket League Division 1, HSDC South Downs were the victors, with RRX100 being named the MVP. The Nationals of Rocket League saw Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group clinch the title, with Laser earning the MVP accolade.
Lastly, in the VALORANT Division 1, the Belfast Met Buffalos emerged as champions, with MP4 taking home the MVP title. The Nationals category of VALORANT was won by the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London, with Dandan being recognised as the MVP.
Access Creative College’s esports management course for a growing industry
Esports is a fast-growing industry, worth billions of dollars, with a global audience that continues to expand. Universities and colleges worldwide are now starting to offer degrees and courses in various aspects of esports gaming, management, and media.
Access Creative College offers a one-year esports management course to teach students who have a passion for gaming capitalise on the growing industry. With additional education in esports, students can hone their skills and learn all aspects of esports management, such as event production, and streaming along with technical, business, and marketing aspects of the industry.
The British Esports Student Champs Competition is one of the most significant esports competitions for UK students (we compete every year!). Growing esports enthusiasm and player interest, along with a growing fanbase, have created an industry that looks set to boom in the coming years.