People never really thought that playing video games would be considered an actual job in today society. However, over time the definition of careers has changed.

E-sports has become one of those careers.

Playing video games as a career has become so popular that it even has its own events for different games including League of Legends, Call of Duty, and Overwatch, to name a few.

With video games having their own events, they also make competitive events as well where teams are formed and go against each other to win a prize. This is what e-sports are.

In this case it’s a cash prize ranging from $2 million for huge tournaments such as the Call of Duty World League (CWL), to $3.5 million for first place in the Overwatch League, as stated on the e-sports earnings website.

Universities including UC Santa Cruz, UC Riverside and Miami University all have their own forms of e-sports. Scholarships such as the Gamers Helping Gamers scholarship are offered to students who want to play professionally.

El Camino College should have its own e-sports program because it would not only help students trying to enter this field, but it would also create job opportunities.

Having a Warriors e-sports team would benefit ECC in a few ways.

One huge way it would benefit ECC would be through exposure. Being able to play in tournaments with ECC’s logo on shirts is something that would lead to the college’s name being displayed across multiple platforms.

Job opportunities are also created by having an e-sports program.

It’s not just players that play for hours, but also coaches that would tell the players what to do whenever a problem arises in game.

The college would also have to chance to host tournaments against other colleges.

All of this could be hosted in the Marsee Auditorium where students, faculty and spectators could buy tickets to see these tournaments play out.

“I have not heard about it (e-sports) but it doesn’t mean that it’s not happening,” Dean of Counseling and Student Services Dipte Patel said.

Degrees in esports are also becoming a new option that students can register for, such as the case of University of Staffordshire (UCS).

According to UCS’s website, the degree in esports would be for, “Developing your skills for single player and multi-player team events you will create business plans to build teams, create online communities and promote your events through digital marketing.”

UC Irvine also offers scholarships for esports to students as well as was one of the first few universities to introduce esports to its programs.

“UCI is the first public university to create an official esports program and is regarded as one of the best and most comprehensive in the world. The vision for the esports program was born in the summer of 2015,” according to UCI’s website.

However, on the ECC’s club brochure and degree list, there is no mention of e-sports.

ECC should start incorporating esports to its programs. Not only would it bring more attention to ECC but would also create more opportunities not just for jobs, but for students interested in the field.

It would also help those trying to get into the e-sports with scholarships as well as transfer opportunities.