It's game on for Centennial College students with the grand opening of the Alienware Colts Gaming Lounge at the post-secondary school's flagship Progress Campus in Scarborough. This cutting-edge facility, outfitted with the latest high-performance gaming equipment, is the result of a multi-year partnership between Centennial College and Alienware, the iconic gaming brand of Dell Technologies.
As one of the first dedicated gaming spaces of its kind on a Canadian college campus, the Alienware Colts Gaming Lounge represents a significant investment led by Alienware, in partnership with Centennial College - and has been years in the making. The initiative is designed to foster a vibrant gaming community, providing students with a dedicated space to engage in competitive and casual gaming, esports training, and collaborative tech-driven experiences at the College. Going further, the lounge paves the way for Centennial to establish a varsity esports team, positioning the college to compete at the inter-collegiate level.
Beyond social and recreational opportunities, this space opens up new possibilities for students enrolled in gaming-related programs such as Game - Art, Game - Development, and Game - Programming.
"We're beyond thrilled to open a full-scale Alienware gaming lounge at a time in our history when investment in post-secondary, by government and industry, is more critical than ever," said Dr. Craig Stephenson, President and CEO, Centennial College. "A special thanks to our partners, Alienware and Intel, for making this cutting-edge space and technology available to Centennial College students and creating a hub where educational and social opportunities blend seamlessly. Teaming up with a technology leader like Alienware is a great example of how colleges align so closely with industry to prepare students for career success."
Gamers and non-gamers alike from the College community are invited and welcomed to check out the lounge and try out the high-end PC gaming hardware, regardless of experience level. Those who are up for the challenge will be able to participate in esports competitions, which have spawned leagues where college teams go head-to-head. Audiences from around the world will be able to watch the action, thanks to the livestreaming capabilities made possible by a broadcast studio and console lounge.
"For nearly three decades, Alienware has been driving innovation in gaming and esports; partnering with Centennial College allows us to empower students with the technology, community, and competitive environment they need to thrive," said Matt McGowan, General Manager at Alienware. "This Gaming Lounge will be a hub for collaboration, skill-building, and high-performance competition helping shape the next generation of gaming talent."
The new 1,400-square-foot lounge is located at the College's Progress Campus, next to the main food court. Housed in the space is a full suite of Alienware equipment including 20 Alienware Aurora R16 Desktop stations for open play, four Alienware m16 Laptops for mobile play, and flagship Alienware Area-51 Desktops for the Colts Broadcast Studio - all powered by Intel® Core Ultra processors. Complementing the setup are Alienware monitors, keyboards, mice, gaming chairs, and headsets, ensuring a high-performance gaming experience.
The "Colts" moniker refers to the time-honoured Centennial Colt mascot, which adorns all of the College's team uniforms.
