Courses, esports competitions and the opportunity to create careers related to gaming have come with the new announcement of UCAB’s Gaming Hub.
As we noted here at Game Freaks 365, the history of the video game industry in Venezuela was complicated. The country’s complicated economic situation has deprived many Venezuelans of purchasing game consoles and PCs. Still, the passion and desire of the people of the country for the gaming movement has allowed it to evolve in many ways.
The magnitude of this movement has led major international companies and well-known institutions in the country to bet on it. Recently, one of the country’s most respected universities, the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (UCAB), has started investing in gaming. They have created an on-campus gaming hub that has opened up for all those video game fans the opportunity to educate themselves in areas of the industry.
A huge digital evolution that has delivered good results
Six years ago, Venezuela went through one of the most difficult economic periods the country has ever experienced. Food shortages, a low household income and a daily increasing inflation caused a huge negative impact. One of the hardest hit areas was without a doubt the digital area. For the Venezuelan, it was impossible to get the latest iPhone, the latest PC on the market or opt for next-generation consoles.
Because of this, many Venezuelans chose technology from five or even ten years ago for their entertainment. The market for sixth and seventh generation consoles increased by 600%. Office towers with processors of the first or second generation i3 and i5 processors were the most in demand in the market. Venezuelans increasingly sought alternatives to adapt to current technology.
After a technological boom in the country before 2020, the technological culture of Venezuelans transcended. For the first time in a decade, jobs (both physical and remote), the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies and freelance platforms brought some economic stability to Venezuelans. This allowed more and more people to opt for current technology. As a result, the country’s gaming culture grew exponentially.
Esports leagues, gaming hubs, the massive advent of fiber optics in the country and many other factors have allowed the gaming movement to reach a wider audience. This move undoubtedly caught the attention of global companies such as Samsung, Aorus, and local institutions such as SoyTecno, CLX, and more. But the biggest move was that of UCAB. One of the most respected universities in the country has been the educational forerunner to bet on the gaming industry.
The country’s first major eSports academy
The University of Catolica Andres Bello (UCAB), has been studying this industry for a long time. They host small on-campus gaming tournaments and lectures on topics related to the video game industry. But given the cultural growth of gaming, the university’s board wanted to go further. In the past, there have been other national companies that have bet on gaming in the past, such as Spartacus eSports, but only on championships and offering the first gaming hub in Caracas.
However, UCAB has taken this idea to the next level by establishing the first major educational eSports academy in the country. The UCAB eSports Academy provides both on-campus and off-campus students with an educational center to become professionals in various areas of gaming. Currently, this academy offers courses in esports, streaming, esports technical guidelines, and more.
All of this has come hand in hand with a state-of-the-art gaming hub designed to give gamers the best possible performance. The courses are taught by professors with experience in various fields. We even have Venezuelan professional players who have served on esports teams in Turkey, Brazil and China.
The aim of this eSports Academy is to promote even more of the gaming culture in the country. In addition, one of the medium-term objectives is the inclusion of graduate careers within the UCAB in the various areas of the courses available. These projects are in the development stage with a view to seeking approval from the country’s Ministry of Education in the future. In this way, Venezuela’s first graduate professionals in gaming fields would be created.
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