CONESTOGA COLLEGE
Waterloo esports hub hosts boot camp for professional gaming team

Players and staff from global esports brand Elevate Gaming came from the Asia Pacific and European regions to train for a week in the Condors Esports Hub in early November to hone their skills in first-person shooter game Rainbow Six, created by Canadian game studio Ubisoft Montreal, ahead of the Montreal event hosted by Ubisoft and BLAST.

Conestoga hosted a professional esports team for a boot camp at the Waterloo campus. The team appreciated the uninterrupted practice as it was preparing for the Montreal Major competition.

"Bringing a professional esports team to our hub marks a pivotal step forward, expanding opportunities for our college and the regional esports community," said Chris Lamarucciola, manager of Condors Esports.

"We've hosted smaller tournaments that sparked local interest, but collaborating with a professional team opens the door to larger, high-impact events and resources. This enhances our ability to engage students and contribute to a vibrant esports culture that will benefit aspiring players and fans."

Lamarucciola said that as Waterloo Region gains recognition as an esports destination, the Condors Esports team is excited to "foster a dynamic environment supporting and sustaining major competitive events."  

The competition ran from November 7 to 17, boasting a prize pool of $750,000. Elevate finished Top 12 in the event, taking home $21,000. The team will be looking to enter the last chance qualifiers for the Six Invitational in February. 20 Teams from across the globe come to this event through qualification to earn their spot in the World Championship Finals, The Six Invitational, for $3 million in Boston, MA.

A coach said the boot camp was really productive in preparing for the tournament, calling the facility well equipped and the staff outstanding and accommodating. The team got to practice without distractions or issues, and they hope to return next time they travel to North America for an event.

Justin Tan, chief executive officer of Elevate Gaming, said the training at the Waterloo hub was invaluable preparation for the competition.  

"Bootcamps are essential for esports teams, providing the players with invaluable practice and exposure to diverse play styles in different regions. This immersive experience sharpens their skills and fosters adaptability, enabling them to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape," Tan said.

Conestoga opened a dedicated hub at the Waterloo campus to support the college's growing esports ecosystem in 2022 - the first of its kind in the region, hosting weekly programming, events and open lab time to students.

Construction is underway on a 10,000-square-foot esports facility, including a box office and broadcast control room, analyst studio, simulation racing room and connected to a 132-seat lecture hall that will open to the esports space for events.

The college is working with the Waterloo Region Esports Commission to attract top talent and establish the region as a renowned esports destination and drive economic growth. The gaming industry contributed more than $5.5 billion to the Canadian economy in 2021 and, according to the Government of Ontario, more than 55,000 full-time jobs in Canada directly supported the gaming industry that year.

The School of Creative Industries offers dynamic programs that span all aspects of media, communication and design, including those related to the esports industry.

The two-year Esports and Event Media Production diploma program will train students on the production needs of hybrid events that are hosted via multiple formats, both online and in person. Drawing from the technology advancements and practices of esports and the video production skills from the media industry, students will learn how to produce dynamic events.