Dear Guild Member,

Welcome to the sixth edition of our monthly newsletter (just don’t tell anyone we missed February, I was sick!).

Our spring season has been well and truly underway, and we’re already preparing for our upcoming finals in all of our titles. We’re switching to an online final format for this semester (more on that later in the newsletter), but we’re still expecting a banger final.

As for the rest of this newsletter, we’ve put together some industry news, some gaming news, and an interview with Jakub “Atroooix” Szmyt, now available on our Spotify Podcasts and Apple Podcasts.

As always, keep an eye on alumni.irelandcollegiate.com.

Industry News 🗞️

• Marvel Rivals is starting to take off as an esport: Marvel Rivals launched to a huge amount of fanfare towards the latter half of last year, and the game has continued to grow and improve. It’s drawing both big audiences and big prize pools, and some of the biggest esports orgs are starting to get involved.

• Zhou Guanyu loves Counter-Strike: If you follow F1, you probably know who Zhou Guanyu is. However, if you follow the Asian Counter-Strike scene, you also probably know who he is. He played in the Shanghai Major showmatch alongside Chinese Counter-Strike legends, and he seemed to have a great time. Turns out he loves Counter-Strike!

• Valorant players are asking for major changes to util: Whether you agree or disagree with it being a problem, Valorant undoubtedly has a lot of utility. So much so that professional players, streamers, and casual players alike are asking Riot to do something. What that “something” is changes from person to person, but some Rioters have commented publicly and said it’s being evaluated internally. In other words, maybe some big changes are on the way?

Are your kids' video games age-appropriate? Your one-stop guide

Parents, when it comes to gaming, I do not envy you.

It seems that just when you finally get to grips with the likes of Fortnite and Among Us, a new title pops up that moves the goalposts.

Before long, you're back at square one, figuring out just what a game is about, how it plays, who you can play online with, and ultimately, whether it's safe for the young gamers in your home.

As fast-paced as the gaming industry has become, there are a few simple ways parents can skip the tutorial and learn what they need to know about suitability. With the right information, resources, and parental settings, you'll find you aren't as powerless as you might think.

Barry O’Rourke is an Irish journalist who covers the video games industry for RTÉ, Ireland’s Public Service Broadcaster.

Online Spring Finals Weekend

The countdown is on and there’s a change in the wind. While we've seen great overall support at our LAN events, unfortunately, the attendance hasn't reached the levels we need. So, the Spring Finals will follow the same weekend-long format online.

Let’s be clear, this decision is in no way a reflection of the incredible passion and talent within our community. The goal is to ensure the long-term health and growth of student esports in Ireland. This means running a financially sustainable tournament that benefits all stakeholders in the collegiate esports community.

We're already underway exploring new and innovative formats for the 2025/26 season, focusing on creating exceptional competitive experiences while making in-person events a viable and exciting part of our future.

So let’s all get in behind the Spring Finals weekend, Friday 11 to Sunday 13 April, live across both Twitch and YouTube. The full schedule will be available on www.irelandcollegiate.com from this coming Monday.

Thanks for reading, and share it with your Irish esports friends.

- Adam