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In the last decade, the popularity of esports, has grown rapidly. Teams of competitive video gamers compete across the globe in front of spectators, all the while hoping to score a championship win.

Video games have always been competitive. In the '90s and early 2000s there were arcade game tournaments and gatherings, and open fighting game events, like, largely centered on games.

The spirit of those competitions from a decade or more ago continues today, mostly with multiplayer games like and .

Popular games like , and have a presence in the world of esports. Sports simulation games like and are also popular.

Bebeto Matthews/AP

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AP

And esports isn’t just for professional gamers. In North Texas, it’s everywhere now. Here’s a list of a few organizations who’ve gotten in on the fun in our area.

Several colleges in the region have esports teams and programs.

• Southern Methodist University - Aside from an esports club for students, SMU’s Continuing and Professional Education program offers an.
  
• University Of Texas At Dallas - has a varsity esports program, which launched in 2018. The Comets currently have teams for , , and . The team has seen lots of.  
  
• University Of North Texas - Like UT Dallas, also has varsity teams in Overwatch, League of Legends and Rocket League.
  
• Dallas College - The campuses also have an esports league with  several teams.
  
• UT Arlington - has a varsity level esports program. The team competes in games like Rocket League and Super Smash Bros.
  

Some North Texas public schools have started offering esports programs. There are also local organizations with leagues young people are eligible to play in.

• Dallas ISD -  In 2019 launched an esports program offered to students at over 60 schools.
  
• University Interscholastic League (UIL) - Last year, Generation Esports became the esports sponsor of the . Texas high schools with can now compete in seasonal tournaments against other students in Texas.
  
• YMCA - The also has esports leagues and tournaments.

Here are a few other esports organizations based in Dallas-Fort Worth.

• Esports Stadium Arlington - The is located in Arlington. Live events and tournaments are hosted at the stadium regularly.

• Envy Gaming - Rapper bought a majority stake in this last year. Recently it was announced that Envy may acquire , another esports company located in Frisco.
  
• Complexity Gaming - Based in Frisco, is partially owned by Jerry Jones.

•  DreamHack -  This Swedish production company hosts esports tournaments and festivals all over the world. Our local event, , is postponed until 2022.

Got a tip? Email Galilee Abdullah at Gabdullah@ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôº.org.

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