College student video game tournament pays for play

For video-game-playing college students, long hours spent gripping controllers could turn into a big payday.

Beginning today, students across the U.S. can enter to win $100,000 at Collegiate Colosseum North America, an e-sports tournament to be held in Las Vegas in December.

Players will form teams of six and play games like “Super Smash Bros.,” “League of Legends” and “Overwatch.” The cash prize will be split among winning team members.

Noelle Kuphal, the marketing director for the event, said one of the driving forces behind the tournament is to challenge preconceived notions about video games as a time-consuming hobby.

“We want to show that it’s not just playing video games — you can create a career out of it,” she said.

After registration closes Sept. 22, online qualifiers will be held Sept. 24. Finalists will face off on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, she said.

Stanley Ta, a 19-year-old UF computer science sophomore, said he would like to compete in “Super Smash Bros. Melee.”

Ta joined the Gator Gaming video-game club about a year ago but said he has been playing since he was about 6 years old.

He said the most he has ever won at a gaming tournament was $80, so breaking six figures would be a welcome upgrade.

“You don’t really do it for the money, but it’s just nice to have, like, some reward for doing something you enjoy,” he said.