British Esports signs promising new deals with Dell and Intel
22 August 2023
After the excellent recent news of the official approval for the construction of the National Esports Performance Campus, right next to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, British Esports has revealed another promising development. The national body for the support of esports in the UK has announced brand-new collaboration deals with two major brands from the tech industry, Dell Technologies and Intel. Amongst other things, these two leading brands will provide state-of-the-art equipment for the National Esports Performance Campus.
Official Technology and Hardware Partners
The announcement comes as British Esports is looking to create a group of five official partners and five official suppliers to help shape the future of esports in the UK. As part of that ambition, Dell and Intel have been named Official Technology and Hardware Partners. Dell-owned and Intel-powered high-performance gaming PC manufacturer Alienware will be supplying state-of-the-art PCs, monitors and peripherals to British Esports and the National Esports Performance Campus in Sunderland.
“Collaborating with such industry-leading organisations who share our vision and values is a significant milestone and we are grateful for their commitment”, says Chester King, CEO of of British Esports, “This partnership will ensure that the national esports performance campus will be equipped with state-of-the-art computing technology, delivering on its promise as the UK’s most advanced esports and education performance and training centre”.
Focus on esports in education
As part of the announcement by British Esports, the federation created a survey in collaboration with Dell and Intel. A total of 700 UK students aged between 11 and 17 years old was asked about their technology learning experiences and how they perceive the role of esports in future education and career pathways. The survey revealed that 56% of all students feels that combining an esports qualification with other subjects is likely to improve their chances of securing a place in university. A slightly bigger percentage (59%) believes that an esports education with provide them with practical experience that will help them find a job in the future.
“Working with organisations like the British Esports Federation and Intel we hope to raise awareness of how tapping into passions like esports could be the key to fostering the development of 21st-century digital skills”, says Steve Young, senior vice-president and general manager for Dell Technologies in the UK, “Watch a young person engage in esports and you’ll see them test hypotheses, think systematically, analyse data, and employ evidence-based strategies, as well as the technical proficiency necessary to play, film, edit, publish and connect”.
Op top of this, British Esports also wants to use esports and gaming to foster a sense of community and inclusion by promoting competition, but also social interaction. This could be immensely valuable in combination with more traditional education approaches, as esports does not only teach gaming, but important skills like problem-solving, critical thinking and communication as well.