A few years ago after attending a conference for Black and Latino startups for women, we met a young lady who was the creator of Women in Linux.  At this conference she explained that parents should stop telling their kids to “put the video games down”, instead she advised that many parents should encourage their children to get involved in playing certain video games.  She told us that teenagers all over the country were winning hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes in competitions throughout the country, and that black children were missing out in a hugely popular and viable sector of the tech industry – gaming.

Now, even institutions are understanding the influence the gaming industry will have on the future of tech and computer science.  Ashland University in Ohio is now offering scholarships to students who are top players in a game called ‘Fortnite’.

Ashland has their own Esports team, and their head coach announced in a press release, “Fortnite appeals to both the core and casual gaming audience.  We’re excited to provide this platform for gamers who want to showcase their skills in a more competitive space. Fortnite facilitates an environment that allows players to get creative, innovative and show off the mastery of their skills.”

For most players, ‘Fortnite’ is more than just a video game.  Its a highly competitive team sport.  The setting for the game is Earth, after a storm wiped out 98% of the world’s population.  The team now has to deal with zombies, and they set out on missions to rebuild, collect resources, and protect the survivors of this Apocalypse.  Players are able to earn rewards through these missions with micro-transactions (in-game currency).

In 2017, ‘Fortnite’ had sold over 500,000 digital preorder copies, surpassed over 1 million players, and was nominated for “Best Co-op Game” in at the Game of the Year Awards.  Last year, rapper Drake started joining the live streamers and playing along with them.

Ashland University, University of Akron, and Kent State also have e-sport programs where students can gain up to $4,000 in scholarships.  Any student interested in applying and trying out for the Ashland team can apply today (click this link).