Your Guide to Esports for K12 Schools

Your

Guide to Esports for K12 Schools

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Esports Guide for K12 / Esports Overview

Your Guide to Esports in Your K12 School

Given the overwhelming popularity of video gaming, the rise of esports isn't

surprising, and many schools are now embracing structured esports programs as an

alternative or in addition to traditional sports.

School administrators recognize that students can learn the same types of lessons

from competitive video gaming as they would learn in traditional sports. Esports

programs can help build a sense of belonging, promote collaboration and

communication skills, and foster good sportsmanship and improved social behavior,

while also creating a pipeline for future STEM careers and furthering students'

strategic thinking and problem solving abilities.

In the following pages, we share a wealth of information to help your school

administrators understand the esports benefits and trends, and delve into what you'll

need to integrate a successful esports program into your schools curricula or after-

school programming.

We partner with all of the key technology manufacturers so that we can support

every aspect of your needs from infrastructure to hardware to software, and

everything in between. Contact us today to talk about next steps and get you started

on powering up your school's esports team! We look forward to hearing from you.

Backed by key partnerships with:

For more information contact us at 864-214-0221

or sales@bridgeteksolutions.com

Esports Guide for K12 / Contents

Contents

Esports Overview ................................................................................ 2

Esports Facts .......................................................................................................... 3

Esports in Your Shool – Your Opportunity ............................................... 4

Opportunities for student body and community participation ....................................... 5

Benefits of Esports in Education ................................................................................ 5

Launching an Esports Program in Your School........................................ 6

Giving Your School a Competitive Edge ................................................................... 7

Networking Capabilities .......................................................................................... 9

Network Latency, Jitter, Delays, and Bandwidth Bottlenecks ......................................... 9

On-Premise Solutions ........................................................................ 10

Equipping a Successful Esports Lab ......................................................................... 10

Resources to Help Your School Kick-Off a Successful Esports Program ........ 12

Leverage Esports Program Resources ....................................................................... 12

Partnership with HSEL ............................................................................................ 13

Top Esports Games to Consider ........................................................... 14

Next Steps: ...................................................................................... 29

Computing Requirements by Game ......................................................................... 14

League of Legends (LoL) ......................................................................................... 15

Rocket League ...................................................................................................... 16

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) ................................................................ 18

Overwatch ........................................................................................................... 19

Super Smash Brother Ultimate ................................................................................. 20

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege ............................................................................. 21

Fortnite ................................................................................................................ 22

Hearthstone .......................................................................................................... 23

NBA 2K20 ............................................................................................................ 24

Madden 20 .......................................................................................................... 25

Minecraft: Survival Games ...................................................................................... 27

Call of Duty (CoD) Modern Warfare: Gunfight ........................................................... 28

SMITE .................................................................................................................. 17

FIFA 20 ................................................................................................................ 26

Citations: ........................................................................................30

2 Esports Playbook / Esports Overview

Esports Overview

Esports, or “electronic sports”, takes video gaming to another level with organized

competitive gameplay between two teams, governed by its own strict set of rules

and guidelines.

Contrary to common perception, esports is not simply a phenomenon occurring in the basements of unemployed

twenty-somethings. Esports has become a booming industry globally, investable and growing exponentially, with

over 400 million fans and regularly selling outarenas all around the world.

Esports vs Traditional Sports

Esports are similar to traditional sports, but with one major diﬀerence: the games are video games. Just as with a foot-

ball or volleyball team, esports programs require tryouts, daily practice sessions, team captains, and solid academic

standing.

Esports has transformed online gaming into a spectator sport where skilled gamers compete in the same manner as

traditional sports (i.e.: baseball, basketball, and football). With millions of fans from all over the world, spectators can

watch online or in-person. The experience is similar to a professional sporting event except that video gamers com-

pete against each other in a virtual environment.

Just as viewers of traditional sports are dedicated to their favorite players and teams, the fan base for esports is highly

engaged. When kids aren’t playing games themselves, they are spectators, gleaning new skills and thrilling in the

excitement as they watch elite global players compete in high-stakes tournaments.

3 Esports Guide for K12 / Esports Overview

Esports Facts

Varsity collegiate esports began in 2014 when Robert Morris University in Illinois

announced a scholarship-sponsored League of Legends team. According to ESPN,

there are now up to 180+ schools offering Varsity Collegiate teams around the

country. Scholarships are available in the following games:

• Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA): League of Legends (LoL), Defense of the

Ancients (DOTA) 2, Heroes of the Storm, Smite

• First person shooter: Overwatch, Fortnite, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

(CS:GO), Player Unknown's Battlergrounds (PUBG), Paladins

• Collectible card game: Hearthstone

• Real-time strategy: StarCraft II

• Sports games: Rocket League, FIFA, Madden

Esports Playbook / Esports in

Your School – Your Opportunity

Esports in Your School - Your Opportunity

K12 institutions are starting to see the potential of adding esports to the curriculum as

it’s becoming an important aspect of supporting student recruitment into higher ed-

ucation. Currently, there are more than

200 colleges and universitiesoﬀering nearly

$15 million in scholarships to high school students.

The Extreme-eCampus News Worldwide Esports Survey found that 21% of schools already have an

esports program and that over 70% of K12 schools are now considering introducing competitive

gaming to its curriculum in some shape or form.

56%

have seen academic

improvement aer

implementing

41%

found increased student

participation

and recruitment

20%

top esports athletes

attract scholarships to

national colleges

The high school esports education is usually available as an add-on to either the athletics or technology-

based curriculum. These optional courses are sometimes added as extra-curricular activities, and

students must meet specific educational requirements to stay on the team.

5 Esports Guide for K12 / Esports in Your School – Your Opportunity

Beneﬁts of Esports in Education

Esports in schools is at the conﬂuence of some of the most important drivers in ed-

ucation. A well-implemented esports program can promote student engagement,

college recruitment, and retention by blending online and oﬄine campus experi-

ences–which ultimately prepares students for future careers.

• Participation: More than 80% of esports teams are made up of students

who had never participated in extra-curricular activities prior to esports, giving

the untraditional student-athlete the opportunity to experience leadership,

sportsmanship, teamwork, social skills, and pride through athletic competition.

• Attendance: Esports student-athletes attendance signiﬁcantly improves as

they feel more connected and look forward to going to school.

• Academic Performance: Esports participation has the capability to change

a student’s entire academic trajectory, helping to increase their GPA by an

average of 1.7 points.

• Teamwork: Through deepened levels of interaction, cooperative learning

and working in groups, participants learn to communicate and work more

eﬀectively with others.

• Sense of Community: The inclusiveness and accessibility of esports allows

students to come together over a common passion while providing access to

positive adult mentors.

• Coursework Alignment: Game Design, Graphic and Multimedia Design,

Technological Communication, and Cybersecurity programs align with an

esports curriculum.

• Real-World Experience: Students spend hours analyzing data, game

statistics, and strategies, providing real-world experience and application for

in-demand job skills —the same attributes colleges and employers are looking

for in high school graduates.

• Tomorrow’s Workforce: Prepares students for jobs

in the business of esports including but limited to:

sports sales, sports marketing, public relations and

social media, event and tournament management,

account management, broadcasting, coaching, and

video editing.

• Continued Education: Esports programs and

scholarships create a new viable path to college for

those who may never have considered and/or could

not aﬀord higher education.

Because of these important beneﬁts, esports now has a

rapidly-growing presence in education and should be

in-tegrated into the planning of your school, whether

higher education or primary/secondary.

80%

of esports student-athletes

are ﬁrst time participants in

extracurricular activity

GPA

+1.7

increase in

average GPA

10%

improvement in

school attendance

Players

Strategists

Theory Craers

Coaches Analysts

Web

Developers

General

Managers

Event

Organizers

Support

Marketing

Business

Developers

Soware

Developers

Shoutcasters

Streamers

Journalists

Fandom Art

& Media

Corporate

Sponsorship

Organizers

Content

Creators

Entre-

preneurs

Games

Anderson, Tsaan,

Reitman, Lee, Wu, Steele,

Turner & Steinkuehler (2018)

Opportunities for student body and community participation

6 Esports Guide for K12 / Launching an Esports Program in Your School

Launching an Esports Program in Your School

7 Esports Guide for K12 / Launching an Esports Program in Your School

Giving Your School a Competitive Edge

Keeping technology on point is an important part of staying

com-petitive, and laying the right technological foundation can

be the key to building your esports program’s momentum. We'll

provide the right components to

optimize your students'

gaming experience and help with outfitting your esports facility.

The cornerstone of your setup is the infrastructure that runs

the games and connects students to gameplay: security, data

center, connectivity, cloud computing, digital signage and

cabling solutions.

We can help you with every step of the process. Below are some

of the key factors for a successful setup.

Your Technology Checklist:

• Network

Network speed, agility, and bandwidth are critical.

One of the biggest issues that has aﬀected the esports

space is latency. Primarily, tournaments are broadcast

via streaming platforms such as Twitch and Steam,

with large groups of highly skilled players making

moves that need to be played back in milliseconds on

high deﬁnition systems with detailed graphics.

• On-Premises Solutions for Security

From fan engagement to real-time cheating and

fraud detection, since officiating happens online, on-

premises technology is preferred for esports. On-

premises solutions help schools keep tight controls

on security to prevent cheating, interference with

gameplay, and hacks that can affect all users.

• Gaming Devices

When building an esports lab or even a single user

setup for a competitive gam

ing, the cornerstone is the

gaming console or computer that runs the operation.

Gaming laptops provide the portability needed for

gamers on the go, while desktops offer enhanced

capacity during competitions. The leagues that your

esports teams compete in will have guiding

technology specs.

Before making initial investments, get the basic specs

provided by the leagues you want to participate in for

each of the games the team will be competing in.

Many offer a preview of how those tech needs will

evolve in the coming year, which can help you to

invest in technology that will meet their needs over

time. Often, these include guidelines on processing

power, memory, hard drives, and graphics cards.

8 Esports Guide for K12 / Launching an Esports Program in Your School

We can help you decipher those needs and provide you with the proper hardware for success as well

as provide you with ongoing support and services to keep your school’s fleet of gaming devices current

and supported. Lifecycle management helps with upgrades, repairs, and services. Asset tagging keeps

track of devices and manage setup. Laser etching identifies property to deter theft while advertising

your school.

• Monitors and Digital Signage

Monitors and digital signage bring the visual experience of gaming to life and are critical to delivering

the visual interface that enables strong gameplay. A state-of-the-art gaming monitor has the graphics,

size, and refresh capacities to oﬀer a visual experience that pairs with a computer to process gameplay

at lighting speed.

One of the biggest considerations is whether to go with curved monitors or ﬂat monitors. Curved

monitors oﬀer a more immersive ﬁeld of view, while ﬂat displays oﬀer a wider range of choices in brands,

size, and cost.

Another factor to consider is digital signage and large-screen video displays for onsite fans who will

oen sit for hours, watching the gameplay unfold. Whether streaming gameplay or displaying stats for a

competition in progress, adding large screens pulls everything together to create a “big experience” feel.

• Essentials for Student Gamers

· Headsets: Headsets allow players to hear the gameplay and participate in team discussions via

microphones. It’s important to consider noise-canceling gaming headset models that are comfortable

for long-term gameplay and offer sound quality that supports what players need. We typically avoid

gaming headsets that consist of low-quality materials or have thin cables as students need durability

that will get them through the year.

· Keyboards:

For PC-based gamers, the keyboard is an important part of streamlining gaming and

offering an ergonomic experience. The biggest feature to consider is whether to choose a standard

membrane keyboard or go for a higher-quality mechanical keyboard. There are also specialized

gaming keyboards—sometimes called MMO keyboards—with extra buttons that can be used to

optimize gameplay.

· Mouse: When it comes to gaming mice, there are different options that align to game types. A

shooter mouse works well with first-person shooter games, while a MOBA- or MMO-style mouse

offers expanded button access. A good gaming mouse should have more buttons than a traditional

mouse as well as a sturdy grip.

· Cameras: Video production, equipment and positioning are critical to truly experience the thrill of

esports. Investing in broadcast quality cameras geared toward the high-performance needs of the

gaming industry is not only a requirement in many leagues but also a necessity that provides audience

engagement.

· Gaming Chair: It is necessary to invest in a high-quality gaming chair that has good ergonomics since

students will be sitting for long durations.

Our team is available to consult with you on every item in this checklist to ensure that

your school is set up with the right technology to fit your student and league needs, as

well as your school's budget.

9 Esports Guide for K12 / Launching an Esports Program in Your School

Networking Capabilities

The network is the differentiator that will ultimately hinder or enable the success of your players and teams.

Whether

supporting an on-campus or off-campus esports program, schools must address critical technology issues to make

sure their technology meets program requirements.

• Network Latency, Jitter, Delays, and Bandwidth Bottlenecks

• Continuous Availability

• Network Management and Security

• Constant Visibility into Network Applications and Responsiveness

• Broadband Connection to the Internet

• Technical Services and Support

Network Latency, Jitter, Delays, and Bandwidth Bottlenecks

Quick and decisive player reactions only translate to advantage if they are passed through the network with mini-

mal delay. To achieve the maximum advantage, the wired and/or wireless network must be capable of adequate

bandwidth and intr

oduce the minimum possible latency. While total bandwidth requirements for esports are not

high, the network must be capable of allocating the bandwidth where it is most needed. The network must have

adequate backhaul capability to handle the wired and wireless edge data throughput from competitors, visitors,

and video input devices.

The hard work of making a game look good and run smoothly is, after all, handled by the hard drives and graphics

cards of your consoles or gaming PCs.

What matters most for online gamers is low latency. Latency is that lag you can sometimes see online, be it in a web

page download stuttering or game struggling to keep up. An ISP needs to provide a consistent and stable

connection to the Internet servers used for online game play. We'll be able to set you up with the necessary network

infrastructure to support your team, whether if you need to build from scratch or allocate from your current school

network.

On-Premise Solutions

Equipping a Successful Esports Lab

The meteoric rise in popularity of esports has led to schools around

the country to constructing designated gaming facilities to house

their developing esports programs. Having the right

technology setup is crucial to a successful esports experience, and

we are here to help you with that.

We can develop specific solutions customized for your school,

dedicated to esports gameplay and audience participation:

• Create Flexible, Multi-Purpose Spaces

For educational institutions just starting out, we'll

want to focus on developing flexible, multi-purpose

areas for students. For example, a room outfitted

with advanced computers for game play

tournaments can double as a lab for advanced

computer aided design (CAD) and programming

classes.

• Modular, Mobile and Multifunction Furniture Solutions

Your needs will likely change over time as does technology. Modular furniture can be reconfigured with

ordinary hand tools to create new floorplan layouts. It’s easy to add new modules to expand the

footprint or allow for social distancing, and the furniture is easily disassembled and transported to set up

in new locations with zero waste. Custom mobile solutions add the ability to make it easy to move

furniture to where it’s needed. And multifunction furniture can be used in different ways: for example, tilt-

up tables can convert to presentation stands against the wall.

10 Esports Guide for K12 / On-Premise Solutions & Esports Labs

11 Esports Guide for K12 / On-Premise Solutions & Esports Labs

• Safe, Healthy Ergonomic Desks, Tables and

Chairs

Students need to be comfortable, especially

when they are sitting in front of a computer

for hours on end. For optimal experience, we

recommend chairs with ergonomic qualities

and dimensions to ensure they

accommodate the size of high school

students and prevent back pain. Desks or

tables with sit-to-stand capabilities built-in

also allow students to change positions as

needed.

• Moveable Monitor Arms

Robust monitor arm solutions securely hold

the heaviest computer display monitors, yet

make it easy for users to adjust the position to

ﬁt their needs.

• Enhanced Security for Expensive Equipment

Esports equipment relies on advanced

computer equipment. We'll help you explore

built-in lockable storage and other security

measures to make sure your investment

remains secure, even in a public

environment.

• Organization with Overhead Utility Systems

Wires and cables can pose a trip hazard. Unique,

overhead carrier systems keep things neat and

tidy, by running all the electric and networking

cables in custom-made overhead trays.

• Cooling System Considerations

As with most tech labs, cooling requirements

are a concern when a large number of

computers and servers are packed together

in a confined space. We can provide options

to avoid hotspots that can damage

equipment and make students

uncomfortable.

• Noise Management

Controlling unwanted noise in open areas is an

increasingly important design consideration.

We suggest implementing solutions that help

to control ambient noise, particularly if your

esports team practices during the school day.

• Built-to-Last Furniture

Durable furniture built from solid steel and

other heavy-duty materials are designed

to withstand heavy use in educational

institutions.

Esports Playbook / Resources to Help You Kick-Off Your School's Esports Program

Resources to Help Your School Kick-Off

a Successful Esports Program

The easiest part of starting an esports program is recruiting students. When schools

announce their esports program students will come running, challenging schools to

meet the demand of ﬁnding enough staﬀ to serve as coaches, cr eating dedicated

gaming areas big enough to compete and outﬁtting with advanced gaming tools and

the latest technology; but the investment doesn’t have to be huge.

There is also the cost of licenses for each game; for example, Rocket League costs approximately $20 per student.

Experts suggest starting out with just one game, allowing the team to focus and build mastery.

Leverage Esports Program Resources

Funding

Esports may be less costly and easier to get oﬀ the ground than schools realize. There are numerous ways for schools

to fund curriculum and equipment for their esports program. They can raise money through funding platforms, STEM

grants, scholarships and by leveraging their clubs and CTE programs.

Here are a few funding and grant opportunity resources.

• Video Game Grants and Scholarships

• STEM Grants

• ITEST

• Esports Course

• Scholarships for Women

• Frey Scientiﬁc

• Aer School STEM

13 Esports Guide for K12 / Resources to Help Schools Kick-Off Their Esports Program

Governing Bodies

Governing bodies can help with launching esports programs in schools. Among the most popular are the National

Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF), Esport Gaming As-

sociation Australia (EGAA), High School Esports League (HSEL), GPAC, and TESPA.

Partnership with HSEL

With thousands of school districts across the nation seeking to be educated on how to embrace

the esports opportunity, we work with the High School Esports League (HSEL) to help your K12

school get started. Our goals are to:

• Provide you with education and programming as well as a gaming platform

• Make it easier for you to offer esports as a legitimate varsity level sport

• Give educators access to a Gaming Concepts curriculum and STEM.org accredited programs

• Help

your school gain access to grant and funding opportunities to help cover the cost of getting started

• Offer a fertile recruiting ground for esports scholarship opportunities in higher education

High School Esports League (HSEL) and Middle School Esports League (MSEL)

We can get you set up with

the subscriptions need

to participate in High School Esports League and Middle

School Esports League tournaments.

HSEL is the largest and longest-operating competitive gaming organization in North America serving 2,000+ part-

nered schools and over 50,000 students across the US & Canada. HSEL fulﬁlls a very important role in bringing order

to the rapidly increasing esports academic landscape across the nation. HSEL’s mission is to “make esports available to

every student as a legitimate varsity level sport in high schools across the nation,” HSEL has 1,700 schools and 45,000

students in its community. They offer a paid partnership deal with high schools, to let students engage in a variety of es-

ports programs. This partnership includes perks like premium tournaments with a chance to win esports

scholarships. Other prices include sponsored LAN parties and streaming opportunities through the Twitch Student

program. The High School Esports League operate tournaments within the esports titles Hearthstone, Rocket

League, CS:GO, Overwatch, Smite, CoD, Injustice 2, Rainbow 6 Siege and Paladins.

HSEL resources:

• High School Partnership Starter Packet

• Getting Started Guide:

• How to start a school club

• Sign up sheet and flyers

• How to set up game connections

• Free Agent Teams

• Gaming Concepts School Curriculum

• Grant and Funding opportunities for HSEL Schools

14 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games to Consider

Top Esports Games to Consider:

Computing Requirements by Game

Game

• Overview

• Details

PC Speciﬁcations

• OS

• Processor

• Memory

• Graphics

• DirectX

• Storage

Soware

• Install Game

• Peripheral drivers

• Game updates and patching policies

• Communications client (Discord, Teamspeak, Twitch, etc.)

Peripherals

• Mouse

• Keyboard

• Headset with microphone

Network

• Network connection

• Bandwidth per player

• White list game speciﬁc public IP and ports in Internet ﬁlter/ﬁrewall

• School’s public IP addresses for onboarding process (Used by game developers to tag/allow

high volume esports speciﬁc traﬃc from high schools.)

Game

• HSEL

• Game System Requirements

• System Requirements Lab/Can You RUN it

• ProSettings.net

• Battle Net

• Steam Powered

• Game Special

15 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

League of Legends (LoL)

Can You Run It?

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• OS: Windows 10

• CPU: 3GHz processor (supporting SSE2

instruction set or higher)

• RAM: 2GB

• VIDEO CARD: Shader version 2.0 capable

video card

• PIXEL SHADER: 2.0

• VERTEX SHADER: 2.0

• FREE DISK SPACE: 8GB

• OS: Windows 10 with the latest service pack

installed

• CPU: 3GHz Dual-Core processor

• RAM: 4GB

• VIDEO CARD: Nvidia GeForce 8800/AMD

Radeon HD 5670 or equivalent video card

(Dedicated GPU with 512MB or higher Video

Memory(VRAM))

• PIXEL SHADER: 4.0

• VERTEX SHADER: 4.0

• FREE DISK SPACE: 12GB

• DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 512MB

League of Legends game details

League of Legends is the reigning MOBA king, with more colorful champions than you could hope to become an

expert with in a single lifetime. League of Legends is far from being a new player in the scene and has continued to be

one of the most played games since its inception way back in 2009. The staying power of League of Legends as being

one of the top games streamed on popular broadcasting sites like Twitch speaks volumes about the fans of this indus-

try-deﬁning MOBA. It shares these commonalities with its biggest competitor, DOTA 2, but each game has their own

playstyle and fans of each will argue that their game is the best! On top of being free to download, the system require-

ments for League of Legends are extremely accessible. Combine these two things with fun and addictive gameplay,

and you have a recipe for a game that can stand the test of time.

League of Legends’ minimum system requirements are extremely low, and it will even run on a wide range of lap-

tops. In fact, the minimum CPU requirement is so low that Riot Games only states that a 2GHz CPU is needed (even

if dual-core). This means that most modern CPU will be well above what’s needed to get League of Legends up and

running.

Once you crank the settings up to High, League of Legends has a very pleasing aesthetic to its art style that you may

miss out on by playing on low resolution/graphics. In order to safely max out the graphics, you’ll need to be above the

recommended requirements, which are still on the low side compared to most popular games.

16 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

Rocket League

HSEL Supported Platform

• PC

• XB1

• PS4

• Nintendo Switch

Can You Run It?

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• OS: Windows 10

• Processor: 2.4GHz Dual core

• Memory: 2GB RAM

• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 260 or ATI 4850

• DirectX: Version 9.0c

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

• Storage: 7GB available space

• OS: Windows 10

• Processor: 2.5+GHz Quad core

• Memory: 4GB RAM

• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 660 or better, ATI 7950

or better

• DirectX: Version 9.0c

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

• Storage: 7GB available space

• Additional Notes: Gamepad or Controller

Recommended

MAC

• OS: MacOS X 10.8.5

• Processor: Intel Core i5 2.4GHz

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Graphics: OpenGL 4.1 - ATI Radeon HD 5670,

NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M, Intel HD Graphics

4000 or Iris Pro Graphics

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

• Storage: 7GB available space

• OS: MacOS X 10.8.5 or Newer

• Processor: Intel Core i7 2.4GHz+

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Graphics: OpenGL 4.1 - ATI Radeon HD 5670,

NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

• Storage: 7GB available space

STEAMOS + LINUX

• Processor: 2.4+GHz Quad core

• Memory: 2GB RAM

• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 260 or ATI 4850

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

• Storage: 7GB available space

• Processor: 2.5+GHz Quad core

• Memory: 4GB RAM

• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 660 or better, ATI 7950

or better

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

• Storage: 7GB available space

• Additional Notes: Gamepad or Controller

Recommended

HSEL Game Summary

17 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

SMITE

Can You Run It

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• OS: Windows 10

• Processor: Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz or Athlon X2

2.7GHz

• Memory: 4GB RAM

• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT

• Storage: 30GB available space

• Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)

• Processor: Intel Core i5 or AMD Phenom II X3,

2.8GHz

• Memory: 6GB RAM

• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or ATI

Radeon HD 7950

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

• Storage: 30GB available space

• Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card

Game Overview

18 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

Counter-Strike: Global Oﬀensive

(CS:GO)

HSEL Supported Platforms

• PC

Can You Run It?

Required PC Speciﬁcations

WINDOWS

• OS: Windows 10

• Processor: Intel

Core

™

2 Duo E6600 or AMD Phenom

™

X3 8750 processor or better

• Memory: 2GB RAM

• Graphics: Video card must be 256MB or more and should be a DirectX 9-compatible with

support for Pixel Shader 3.0

• DirectX: Version 9.0c

• Storage: 15GB available space

MAC

• OS: MacOS X 10.11 (El Capitan) or later

• Processor: Intel Core Duo Processor (2GHz or better)

• Memory: 2GB RAM

• Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 2400 or better / NVidia 8600M or better

• Storage: 15GB available space

STEAMOS +

LINUX

• OS: Ubuntu 12.04

• Processor: 64-bit Dual core from Intel or AMD at 2.8GHz

• Memory: 4GB RAM

• Graphics: nVidia GeForce 8600/9600GT, ATI/AMD Radeon HD2600/3600 (Graphic

Drivers: nVidia 310, AMD 12.11), OpenGL 2.1

• Storage: 15GB available space

• Sound Card: OpenAL Compatible Sound Card

HSEL Game Summary

Counter-Strike: Global Oﬀensive game details

A multiplayer staple, Counter-Strike: Global Oﬀensive pits teams against each other as they attempt to dominate elab-

orate maps with more guns than you could ﬁt into an armory.

19 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

Overwatch

HSEL Supported Platforms

• PC

Can You Run It

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)

• Processor: Intel

Core

™

i3 or AMD Phenom

™

8650

• Video: NVIDIA

GeForce

GTX 460, ATI

Radeon

™

HD 4850, or Intel

HD Graphics 4400

• Memory: 4GB RAM

• Storage: 30GB available hard drive space

• Internet: Broadband connection

• Resolution: 1024 x 768 minimum display

resolution

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)

• Processor: Intel

Core

™

i5 or AMD Phenom

™

X3 or better

• Video: NVIDIA

GeForce

GTX 660 or AMD

Radeon

™

HD 7950 or better

• Memory: 6GB RAM

• Storage: 30GB available hard drive space

• Internet: Broadband connection

• Resolution: 1024 x 768 minimum display

resolution

HSEL Game Overview

Passing the minimum system requirements for Overwatch is important to being able to run with passable frames on

Low settings. If you want to crank the graphics all the way up while you’re zoomed in with Widow preparing for that

headshot, your computer needs to pass the recommended system requirements test. The recommended system re-

quirements for Overwatch are only a little bit higher than the aforementioned minimum specs.

20 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

Super Smash Brother Ultimate

HSEL Supported Platforms

• Nintendo Switch

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a game that’s exclusive to the Nintendo Switch and therefore not available on PS4, Xbox

One, or PC. The Super Smash Bros. series of games groups together various characters from throughout Nintendo’s

history and current lineup of games.

HSEL Game Overview

GameSpecial.com Game System Requirements

21 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege

HSEL Supported Platforms

• PC

• PS4

• XB1

Can You Run It

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)

• Processor: Intel Core i3 560 @ 3.3GHz or AMD

Phenom II X4 945 @ 3.0GHz

• Memory: 6GB RAM

• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 or AMD

Radeon HD 5870 (DirectX-11 compliant with

1GB of VRAM)

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

• Storage: 61GB available space

• Sound Card: DirectX

9.0c compatible sound

card with latest drivers

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)

• Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K @ 3.3GHz or

better or AMD FX-8120 @ 3.1GHz or better

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 (or GTX

760 / GTX 960) or AMD Radeon HD 7970 (or

R9 280x [2GB VRAM] / R9 380 / Fury X)

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

• Storage: 61GB available space

• Sound Card: DirectX

9.0c compatible sound

card 5.1 with latest drivers

HSEL Game Overview

STEAM Game Information

22 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

Fortnite

HSEL Supported Platforms

• PC

• XB1

• PS4

• Nintendo Switch

• Mobile

Can You Run It

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit

• Processor: Intel Core i3 2.4GHz

• Memory: 4GB RAM

• Graphics: Intel HD 4000

• Pixel Shader: 3.0

• Vertex Shader: 3.0

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)

• Processor: Intel Core i5 2.8GHz

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Graphics: Nvidia GTX 660 or AMD Radeon HD

7870 equivalent DX11 GPU with 2GB VRAM

• Pixel Shader: 3.0

• Vertex Shader: 3.0

• Dedicated Video RAM: 2048MB

HSEL Game Overview

HSEL Game Help

23 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

Hearthstone

HSEL Supported Platforms

• PC

• Mobile (Hearthstone App)

Can You Run It

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit (latest

service packs)

• Processor: Intel

Pentium

D or AMD

Athlon

™

64 X2

• Memory: 3GB RAM

• Storage: 3GB available HD space

• Video: NVIDIA

GeForce

6800 (256MB) or

ATI

™

Radeon

™

X1600 Pro (256MB) or better

• Pixel Shader: 4.0

• Vertex Shader: 4.0

• Sound Card: Yes

• Dedicated Video RAM: 256MB

• Internet: Broadband Internet connection

• Resolution: 1024 x 768 minimum display

resolution

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit (latest

service packs)

• Processor: Intel

Core

™

2 Duo (2.2GHz) or

AMD

Athlon

™

64 X2 (2.6GHz) or better

• Memory: 4GB RAM

• Storage: 3GB available HD space

• Video: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT (512MB) or

ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512MB) or better

• Pixel Shader: 4.1

• Vertex Shader: 4.1

• Sound Card: Yes

• Dedicated Video RAM: 512MB

• Internet: Broadband Internet connection

• Resolution: 1024 x 768 minimum display

resolution

HSEL Game Overview

24 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

NBA 2K20

HSEL Supported Platforms

• PS4

• XB1

Can You Run It

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit (latest

service packs)

• Processor: Intel

Core

™

i3-530 @ 2.93GHz /

AMD FX-4100 @ 3.60GHz or better

• Memory: 4GB RAM

• Storage: 80GB available space

• Video: NVIDIA

GeForce

6800 (256MB) or

AMD Radeon

™

X1600 Pro (256MB) or better

• Pixel Shader: 5.0

• Vertex Shader: 5.0

• DX: Version 11

• Sound Card: DirectX 9.0x compatible

• Dedicated Video RAM: 1024MB

• Internet: Broadband Internet connection

• Resolution: 1024 x 768 minimum display

resolution

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit (latest

service packs)

• Processor: Intel

Core

™

i5-4430 @ 3GHz /

AMD FX-8370 @ 3.4GHz or better

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Storage: 80GB available space

• Video: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT (512MB) or

AMD Radeon HD 4850 (512MB) or better

• Pixel Shader: 5.0

• Vertex Shader: 5.0

• DX: Version 11

• Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible

• Dedicated Video RAM: 2048MB

• Internet: Broadband Internet connection

• Resolution: 1024 x 768 minimum display

resolution

HSEL Game Overview

25 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

Madden 20

HSEL Supported Platforms

• PS4

• XB1

Can You Run It

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

• Processor: AMD FX-4320 or Equivalent / Intel

i3-4350 or Equivalent

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Storage: 48.5GB available space

• Video: AMD Radeon RX 460 or Equivalent /

Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or Equivalent

• Pixel Shader: 5.0

• Vertex Shader: 5.0

• DX: 11 Compatible video card or equivalent

• Sound Card: DirectX 9.0x compatible

• Dedicated Video RAM: 1024MB

• Network: 512 KBPS or faster Internet connection

• Resolution: 1024 x 768 minimum display

resolution

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

• Processor: AMD FX-4320 or Equivalent / Intel

i3-4350 or Equivalent

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Storage: 48.5GB available space

• Video: AMD Radeon R9 270x or Equivalent /

Nvidia GeForce GTX 670 or Equivalent

• Pixel Shader: 5.0

• Vertex Shader: 5.0

• DX: 11 Compatible video card or equivalent

• Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible

• Dedicated Video RAM: 2048MB

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

• Resolution: 1024 x 768 minimum display

resolution

HSEL Game Overview

26 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

FIFA 20

HSEL Supported Platforms

• PS4

• XB1

Can You Run It

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

• Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 965 or Equivalent

/ Intel i3-2100 or Equivalent

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Storage: 50GB available space

• Video: Radeon HD 7850 / GeForce GTX 660

or better

• Pixel Shader: 5.0

• Vertex Shader: 5.0

• Dedicated Video RAM: 1024MB

• Network: 512 KBPS or faster Internet connection

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

• Processor: AMD FX 8150 or Equivalent / Intel

i5-3550 or Equivalent

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Storage: 50GB available space

• Video: Radeon R9 270X / GeForce GTX 670 or

better

• Pixel Shader: 5.0

• Vertex Shader: 5.0

• Dedicated Video RAM: 2048MB

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

HSEL Game Overview

27 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

Minecra: Survival Games

HSEL Supported Platforms

• PC (Java version)

Can You Run It?

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• OS: Windows 10

• Processor: Intel Core i3-3210 / AMD A8-7600

APU or equivalent

• Memory: 4GB (2GB free)

• Graphics: Integrated: Intel HD Graphics 4000

(Ivy Bridge) or AMD Radeon R5 series (Kaveri

line) with OpenGL 4.41 Discrete: Nvidia

GeForce 400 Series or AMD Radeon HD 7000

series with OpenGL 4.4

• Storage: At least 1GB for Game Core and Other

Files

• Pixel Shader: 5.0

• Vertex Shader: 5.0

• Network: Internet access is required for

multiplayer, unless the server is on the LAN.

• OS: Windows 10

• Processor: Intel Core i5-4690 / AMD A10-7800

or equivalent

• Memory: 8GB (4GB free)

• Graphics: GeForce 700 Series or AMD Radeon

Rx 200 Series (excluding integrated chipsets)

with OpenGL 4.5

• Storage: 4GB

• Pixel Shader: 5.0

• Vertex Shader: 5.0

• Dedicated Video RAM: 256MB

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

MAC

• OS: OS X 10.9 Maverick • OS: OS X 10.12 Sierra

LINUX

• Any distribution from 2014 or later • Any distribution from 2014 or later

HSEL Game Summary

28 Esports Guide for K12 / Top Esports Games

Call of Duty (CoD) Modern Warfare:

Gunﬁght

HSEL Supported Platforms

• PC

• PS4

• XB1

Can You Run It

Required PC Speciﬁcations

Minimum Recommended

WINDOWS

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

• Processor: Intel Core i3-4340 or AMD FX-6300

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Storage: 175GB hard drive space available

• Video: NVIDIA

GeForce

GTX 670 / NVIDIA

GeForce

GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon

™

7950

• DX: Version 11

• Sound Card: DirectX 11 Compatible

• Pixel Shader: 5.0

• Vertex Shader: 5.0

• Dedicated Video RAM: 2048MB

• Resolution: 1080p 30fps

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

(latest update)

• Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD Ryzen

R5 1600X processor

• Memory: 12GB RAM

• Storage: 175GB hard drive space available

• Video: NVIDIA

GeForce

GTX 970 / NVIDIA

GeForce

GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon

™

R9 390 /

AMD Radeon

™

RX 580

• DX: Version 12

• Sound Card: DirectX-compatible

• Pixel Shader: 5.1

• Vertex Shader: 5.1

• Dedicated Video RAM: 4096MB

• Resolution: 1080p 60fps

• Network: Broadband Internet connection

HSEL Game Summary

29 Esports Playbook / Next Steps

Take the Next Step

We hope the information shared here has been educational and valuable in helping

you make the decision to add esports to your school's curricula or after school

programming.

Evidence shows that a well-planned esports program can support STEM learning in

so many ways, further supporting your students on their learning and career paths.

Our mission is to help bring esports to all schools and elevate the program to the

level of traditional varsity sports. We'll partner with you every step of the way to

ensure that you have the right tools to engage, entertain, and educate your students

through the fun of esports.

Backed by key partnerships with:

30 Esports Guide for K12 / Citations

Citations:

• The Extreme-eCampus News Worldwide Esports Survey

• ESPN - List of varsity esports programs spans North America

• Anatomy of an Esports Arena

• https://www.pcmag.com/news/365904/the-best-gaming-isps-of-2019

• https://www.pcmag.com/article/350064/the-best-gaming-isps-of-2017

• https://www.imperva.com/learn/performance/what-is-cdn-how-it-works/

• https://www.viewsonic.com/library/entertainment/is-esports-sport/

• https://community.connection.com/an-introductory-guide-to-esports-technology/

• http://www.sportspromedia.com/analysis/esports-week-rise-purpose-built-esports-arena

• https://formaspace.com/articles/education/design-esports-labs/

• https://durangoherald.com/articles/304741-new-esports-facility-is-ﬁrst-of-its-kind-in-region

• https://www.wired.com/story/high-schools-need-to-embrace-esports/

• https://www.esportsbeam.com/esports/computer/console/gaming/equipment

• https://www.esportsbeam.com/

• https://www.esportsbeam.com/esports-teams-players

• https://gamerden.com/esports-equipment-every-serious-gamer-should-have/

• https://gamerden.com/follow-understand-wacky-world-esports/

• https://prosettings.net/