Ryerson Master’s Research Project

Abstract

From humble beginnings to global, mainstream success, the rise of esports has brought a litany of opportunities and challenges relating to regulation, varsity integration and professional institutionalization. Even with its proliferation around the world and relative brand name recognition, the relationship between esports and traditional sports continues to be a contentious one, leading to many universities and colleges taking a limiting approach to the flourishing esports market. My master's research paper reviewed the growing body of research available to understand the struggles, achievements and potential value of collegiate esports integration. While competitive gaming at the varsity level often finds itself at the behest of athletic departments, I argue that there is a need to refrain from trying to fit esports into conventional models. A lot can be learned from athletics, but the department’s expertise does not lie in esports. I make the case that with the continued adoption of esports into academic institutions there is a growing need to establish new frameworks, where finding balance between competition, technology and education lies with the unified academic community.

The Armoury - Ryerson University Esports Facility

Ryerson University is embracing the esports culture and growth. As four students from the MDM program, we created a concept called the Armoury, a first of its kind centre for gamers, researchers, and industry partners to produce and develop innovation and opportunities into advancement of the industry. The collegiate gaming sector is a rapidly growing market, requiring partnerships will help further drive creative collaboration between students, faculty, and esports professionals. With a background in graphic design, I undertook the personal journey of creating the branding for The Armoury. The interior of the logo resembles a flag, often seen as a symbol of team spirit and pride in sporting competitions and originally used as a military ensign on the battlefield.

During the completion of our master's project we had the distinct pleasure of collaborating with students from Ryerson's Department of Architectural Science under the guidance of Professor Vincent Hui to turn our vision into reality (or virtual reality in our case). Our research informed the creation of digital renderings and VR image scenes showcasing the different hardware, amenities and infrastructure we would require.