OSU Esports Program Overview
A Program Spanning Five Colleges
Ohio State University announced that it will launch a comprehensive esports program spanning five colleges within the next year, including Engineering, Education and Human Ecology, Arts and Sciences, Business, and Medicine, ultimately offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
The OSU esports team is one of the factors ensuring the smooth implementation of this project. Their recent outstanding achievements have garnered significant attention and support from the university.
Program Research Fields
Ohio State's interdisciplinary esports curriculum will emphasize game studies, with esports development forming the core of the program.
Specific research areas include esports management, game art and production, game design, programming, game business, and health and rehabilitation.
The curriculum is still under development, but the university's medical center is already studying the psychology and behavior of esports athletes—for example, using EEG helmets to measure the brain activity of top professional players while they game, and examining which characteristics help players stand out in competition.
OSU hopes to combine esports with research to gain deeper insights into player performance. The findings will also benefit the broader student body, elite athletes, and even patients.
A Fully Equipped Esports Arena
In addition to offering courses, Ohio State also plans to build a cutting-edge esports arena.
The new venue will have over 80 seats, equipped with high-end PCs and VR systems, and will also provide a broadcast studio for students interested in esports commentary, allowing them to showcase their talents.
The arena will be open to all students. It will serve not only as a training base for professional players but also as a great place for other students to explore game development and experience emerging technologies.
A Look at the Hardships of Professional Esports Players
Just as every industry has its prodigies, gaming talent is an indispensable element for professional esports players. Beyond individual skill, positioning and coordination within a team are equally important.
Many people think that playing esports is an easy way to make money—how nice!
Is that really the case?
In reality, the training process for esports players is extremely grueling. They have to wake up at five in the morning to train, and often don't finish until the middle of the night.
Once "playing games" becomes a profession, it actually loses its fun. Competitive players face immense pressure, physical and mental fatigue, and also have to endure "verbal abuse" from hordes of online trolls.
The career span of an esports player is also very short—most need to retire in their twenties. After retirement, Western players often transition into roles like streamers, coaches, commentators, data analysts, or esports department heads.
If you don't possess extraordinary talent, an unusual passion for esports, endurance, and focus, then you should forget about becoming a professional esports player—and don't even bother thinking about what comes after retirement.
Oh no...
Of course, the esports industry doesn’t just need professional players—it also requires talent in other areas.
You could compete with retired players for jobs as commentators or data analysts, or you could head into game design, business development, or even become a psychological counselor for players.
This is one of the reasons OSU is launching this comprehensive esports program: they hope to cultivate diverse talent for this emerging industry and help students discover more career opportunities.
Students interested in the esports industry may want to keep an eye on OSU's new program. If you have any questions when the time comes, feel free to consult CheersYou（清柚教育）!
