Purdue, Dell partner on esports gaming facility
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Purdue University this week announced a partnership with Dell Technologies to establish what it says will be one of the largest dedicated collegiate gaming facilities in the country.
The Alienware Purdue Gaming Lounge is being designed to create a space for students to “train and compete in esports at the highest level.”
The 2,000-square-foot space will be located within the France A. Córdova Recreational Sports Center on the West Lafayette campus and will be outfitted with gaming equipment from Alienware.
“The university strives to meet the academic needs and personal interests of its students,” Purdue Chief Information Officer Ian Hyatt said in a news release. “This lounge will serve as a resource for students to gather with friends and enjoy gaming within the community, while also aligning with Purdue’s overarching commitment to utilizing state-of-the-art computing technology across all fields of interest.”
Purdue said the lounge will be available for casual gaming use in addition to competitions. The university also plans to use the space as an attraction for prospective incoming students.
The partnership with Dell will also include scholarship funding during the term of the agreement, according to the university. Additionally, Alienware will have a kiosk on or near campus.
“We are proud to partner with Purdue on this next milestone along the university’s gaming and esports journey,” said Matt McGowan, general manager of Alienware. “We are committed to supporting collegiate gamers, from novices to varsity players, by providing the high-performance PCs, displays and equipment required to help them compete to their best abilities.
The lounge is scheduled to open in August.