Albany, N.Y. – Today, leaders from the Albany Capital Center (ACC), Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), the Center for Economic Growth (CEG) and Compete4Ever announced HV Gamer Con 2022 is officially returning to the ACC for in-person events the weekend of March 19 and 20, 2022.
After an impressive 2019 debut that brought more than 2,500 people through the doors of the Albany Capital Center, HV Gamer Con successfully switched gears amid the pandemic to a virtual format for 2020, engaging thousands of online viewers for the live events. In 2021, the decision was made to delay the event to accommodate in-person crowds at a future date.
That date has come and HV Gamer Con is now making its long-awaited comeback at the ACC with a weekend of tournaments, games, prizes and vendors.
The public is invited to watch, play and win at this year’s event. The public tournaments will include Rocket League, Madden 22, NBA 2k22 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and thousands of dollars in cash and prizes will be awarded.
The event’s main stage will feature the best collegiate esports competitors from across the country competing in the ECAC’s Invitational Tournament with players battling in Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Overwatch.
In addition, panel discussions will be held throughout the weekend featuring topics such as “How to be Recruited to Play Esports in College,” “How to Start an Esports Team” and “How to Make a Career in Game Development.”
“Esports continues to grow at a rapid pace at ECAC. In just the past two years, the number of schools competing has grown exponentially,” said Dan Coonan, president and CEO of ECAC. “We are displaying some of the best collegiate esports competitors in the country with an exciting and safe return to in-person gaming.”
“We held a successful Madden football event at the Albany Capital Center in 2019 and have been looking forward to our return,” said Larry Ridley, owner of Compete4Ever. “Being able to invite regional players to play against some of the best Madden and NBA players in the country at HV Gamer Con is an event you won’t want to miss.”
“Collegiate Sports Management Group & EsportsU are proud to partner with ECAC as their property rights manager to bring this historical event back with the best of collegiate esports and celebrating the Albany video game community,” said Angela Bernhard Thomas, Executive Vice President at ESPORTSU.
“This event continues to be an important economic driver drawing visitors to our area,” said Michele Vennard, Albany Convention Center Authority (ACCA) board chair. “We are thrilled to showcase our state-of-the-art facility and welcome the best collegiate esports athletes to the ACC, putting the Capital Region on the map as a gaming hub.”
Registration for HV Gamer Con 2022 online qualifiers is now open exclusively to ECAC esports members until February 17. The Final 8 for each game title will qualify for the event at the ACC to compete in a round robin pool play format. All competition will be powered by LeagueSpot.
HV Gamer Con is supported by a Market New York grant from I LOVE NY/New York State’s Division of Tourism, awarded through the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative.
The event will follow all New York State Department of Health guidelines.
Tickets for Gamer Con 2022 go on sale Saturday, February 5, 2022, and can be purchased here.
About HV Gamer Con 2022:
HV Gamer Con is the largest esports event in the region, first started in 2019. This year’s event features massive public tournaments with thousands in cash and prizes up for grabs, the best collegiate esports teams competing in the ECAC Invitational Tournament and panel discussions on how to further your career in esports and gaming. The weekend’s events include a partnership between the Albany Capital Center (ACC), Center for Economic Growth (CEG) and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).
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