ITS ResNET has finally been able to open the Carolina Gaming Arena for special events and anticipates fully opening for reservations on Tuesday, September 7.
Of particular note, ResNET and the Residence Hall Association held a Carolina Gaming Arena open house for students on August 16. At least 150 students attended the two-hour, student-led event that served as a welcome to campus, said Christina Riegel, ResNET Assistant Director.
ResNET is the program that provides onsite IT support, education and the technology infrastructure for UNC-Chapel Hill residence halls.
More activities scheduled
As for activities at the Carolina Gaming Arena, ResNET will start hosting game nights with Resident Assistants (RAs) and their halls on August 27. Other activities in the final days of August include a Smash Bros. tournament for Carolina students and a watch party with the UNC Esports Club League of Legends community for the LCS Summer Finals. On September 2 and 3, the arena will again hold an open house. Other public events are listed on the arena’s website.
Casual to competitive play
Located in the ground level of Craige Residence Hall, the Carolina Gaming Arena provides a gaming venue for casual gamers to competitive players. It features 36 high-end PC stations, three game console zones, more than 100 games and several monitors for watching, playing and casting. Lenovo provided the gaming PCs and monitors.
Pandemic delayed opening
Fully opening the Carolina Gaming Arena is a big deal as it’s been long delayed because of the pandemic. ResNET was ready to open the Carolina Gaming Arena in March 2020 — and then, of course, COVID-19 forced the University — and much of our lives — to move to remote and online operations.
A year earlier, ResNET had begun working with Carolina Housing, members of OASIS, the Esports Club, and ResNET’s Residential Computing Consultant (RCC) staff on a concept for a gaming arena based on the interest the groups found among students and faculty for a place for people to game.
Gaming arenas began popping up at universities across the country a few years ago.