On Thursday, Jan. 16, Vandal Entertainment and the Vandal Esports program joined forces to host Vandal Games, a night full of competition, fun and, of course, gaming.
All throughout the Vandal Lounge, students participated in games of Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros and Just Dance. The Vandal Lounge also has several retro arcade-style games, which provide the option for solitary play.
Rather than hosting structured tournaments, the event allowed students to come and go as they wished. Many players bounced from game to game, enjoying the variety of options. In between games, they also grabbed snacks provided by Vandal Entertainment.
UI’s Esports program provided around a dozen Nintendo Switches for the event, as well as monitors and controllers so every student who attended the event was able to join the fun.
Some matches were more competitive as the players focused intently on each press of a button. Others were more casual, involving lots of laughter and good-natured banter.
Members of the Vandal Esports program intermingled with the other students. Despite their long-practiced skills, the spirit of friendly competition drew everyone together. One esports staff member, Ferris Hammes-Buehler, recalled that a similar event had been hosted in the past. It took place in the Esports Lab in the Bruce M. Pitman Center several years prior.
When asked about hostinganother Vandal Games , a member of Vandal Entertainment said, “[Vandal Entertainment’s] events tend to be more successful when we host them annually.”
Given that statement, as well as the success of this year’s event, Vandals can expect more gaming events in the future. One such example is the Vandal Gaming Convention, which was formerly known as Vandal Overnight Gaming. It is one of the biggest gaming events on campus and has been hosted annually since 2013. It is free to attend and hosts a variety of gaming experiences, vendors, and other activities.
The 2025 Vandal Gaming Convention will take place on March 1.
Megan Kingsley can be reached at arg-life@uidaho.edu