On Friday, November 17, 2023, the Golden Pirates, SU’s gaming and e-sports student organization, hosted its second Golden Gaming Tournament, where they announced plans for it to be turned into a bi-annual event. The event was funded by the Community Chest, which allows registered student organizations to fund campus-wide oriented events.

With around thirty students in attendance before the Thanksgiving break, competitors worked through a bracket-style tournament system in three games, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (MK8DX), and Ultimate Chicken Horse (UCH)–the same games as the previous tournament due to the positive reception of their inclusion.

SSBU Results

1st Place – Marlon

2nd Place – Marios

3rd Place – Anton

MK8DX Results

1st Place – Elvis

2nd Place – Marlon

3rd Place – Gerald

UCH Results

1st Place – Gerald

2nd Place – Tanner

3rd Place – Anton

The energy displayed at the social is reflected in the ongoing integration and promotion of gaming at Southwestern University. There has been an expansion of resources for the Golden Pirates as prospective students learn about the organization’s annual participation in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) and the overall sense of community here on campus.

Next semester, the Golden Pirates will return to SCAC to compete in games such as SSBU, Valorant, Rocket League, and Apex Legends. The SSBU and Valorant teams have already started initial practices to prepare for the competition.