Esports Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Initially, the center will only be open to current Cal students, staff and faculty. We want to gauge the demand from the campus and develop the community center’s programming before determining whether the space will be open to other groups. Given the limited space and the strong student interest, we don't have plans to open the center up to the general public at this time.

Foothill Academic Center is not a living space, so no campus bed spaces are being impacted by this. We recognize that Berkeley can be a challenging place for students to secure housing, and there are campus efforts underway (such as new and planned construction of housing in other locations) to address this.

For events where gaming stations aren't required, such as TED-style talks or professional development events, the Cal Esports Community Center will have capacity for about 100-150 people. However, the number of students who can game at any given time will be determined by the number of gaming setups we will have. Currently, we have 54 gaming setups planned for the center.

We listened to student feedback, and found there was a high level of campus excitement around the concept of having a dedicated space for esports. One example of this engagement includes the excitement over the Cal Overwatch esports team recently competing in a national tournament in Arizona.

In addition, the university views student wellness with a holistic approach, and this includes opportunities for student to engage in healthy social activities such as esports - but also our many other student organizations, athletic and recreational sports, Cal Greeks organizations, etc.

Berkeley’s approach brings together multiple aspects of the student experience and focuses on five overarching pillars: Community, Competition, Social Good, Wellness and Lifelong Learning.

In addition to competitive gaming, we're also focused on educational and professional development programs for esports student athletes, including a community innovation lab, exploring tie-ins to for-credit courses, connections to a professional, competitive team for students interested in becoming professional players, industry internships and job fairs in association with the campus Career Center, an alumni gaming chapter, and an esports set of community guidelines.

The university views student wellness with a holistic approach, and this includes opportunities for student to engage in healthy social activities such as esports. Our ability to transcend and diversify traditional programming creates greater opportunities for our students to participate, connect, and create inclusive experiences. One of the key pillars of the initiative is “wellness.” We will be working with Recreation & Wellbeing and students to encourage healthy habits (and provide information on campus resources) regarding nutrition, health, physical (including ergonomics) and mental wellness, academics, and sleep.

One of Student Affairs’ priorities is gender diversity in gaming. The Student Affairs’ Business Development team has established a working group, which includes representatives from the Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE) theme program, women who live in Foothill, Residential Education, and students in the gaming community, to develop our Women in Gaming Initiative. The Women in Gaming Initiative’s key goals include: equality, empowerment, and integration. The effort is still in the early stages and we will have more information to share as it develops.

ggLeap accounts are created at the front desk of the Community Center. Student staff will assist in account creation on-site, and your ggLeap account can only be accessed at the Cal Esports Community Center.

All gamers are required to have a valid Cal ID to enter the facility and use the gaming computers or attend special events.

Yes, we are always listening and working with the Cal gaming community to offer the most widely-played and enjoyed games as possible. There is limited hard drive space on each computer however, so we are selective on game choices.