Big shout out to PCX's own Andrea "Bordey McBored" Richmond (aka "Bordey" for short) who is casting for Season 4 of Cxmmunity Media's HBCU eSports League! Andrea came to us as a high school senior in Atlanta, GA, who wanted to be a game developer and a shoutcaster. Like many Black and Brown youth we serve, she didn't know how to get started. Andrea...
With its market size valued at $1.22 billion in 2021, eSports has seen momentous growth. Furthermore, it shows no signs of slowing down in the coming years. According to a global eSports report by Fortune Business Insights, the market is set to be worth $5.48 billion by 2029. Truly, increasing live-streaming events and a growing viewership have sky...
This year's College Fair returns Thursday, November 3rd to the Kennesaw State University Conference Center, 3333 Busbee Drive Kennesaw, Georgia 30144. More information comingsoon! Past Colleges, Universities and ExhibitorsPast exhibitors have included Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), SMU's Guil...
Jakita Thomas founded Pharaoh's Conclave to bridge the gap between black and brown representation within the professional video game industry. But she soon realized that working with children is like raising them: it takes a village. In the latest installment of our animated women founder films, the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund recipient...
Over the last decade or so, eSports has grown into a massive industry worth over $1 billion. By the end of 2022, a TechJury report on international eSports growth estimates that this industryvalue will rise to almost $2 billion. That said, despite its impressive boost, eSports remains a mostly online experience. Naturally, this means that eSports h...
Gamers Read .5k (500 m) Walk/Run/Sprint aimed to bring the gaming, cosplay, anime, and running communities and their families together to advocate for literacy, especially among youth in grades K-5. This event also celebrated National Video Games Day. Literacy is a critical skill for success in society, and esports careers such as game design &...
Overview: YEL National Championship & Conference Youth eSports League National Championships & Conference was a free 2-day esports conference that exposed the entry points to esports careers. It featured team and individual tournament play, hands-on workshops and panels with esports and video gaming professionals, an expo the DoorDash Game ...
Over the last decade or so, eSports has grown into a massive industry worth over $1 billion. By the end of 2022, a TechJury report on international eSports growth estimates that this industry value will rise to almost $2 billion. That said, despite its impressive boost, eSports remains a mostly online experience. Naturally, this means that eSports has tapped into social media, too. An immensely powerful medium that can launch careers and cement organizations, social media is an essential asset, especially for eSports teams. Here's why:
What propelled you into the entrepreneurial space? And what do you enjoy most about being a founder?
The ability to impact youth and help them marry their passion and purpose to careers is what propelled me into the entrepreneurial space. I love being able to directly impact young people, and I love seeing where that impact takes them in terms of the amazing things they accomplish in their careers and their lives.
Tell me about an experience you had as an entrepreneur or in starting your company that exemplified one of Camelback's core values: "Belief in Mission + Vision"; "Unafraid of Failure"; "Constant Learner"; "Humble + Hungry"; and "Give First."
[Constant Learner] When COVID first appeared in the U.S. in late January/early February of 2020, we anticipated that it might last well past the summer of 2020. We envisioned what a 100% virtual summer camp experience might look like. We had no idea if it would actually work or if we'd fall on our faces, but spent a weekend assessing what that pivot might look like and even put up an MVP website to see if anyone would be interested in signing up. The following Monday, we got our first call from an executive director telling us that all of their face-to-face summer programming had been cancelled and asking if we had any 100% virtual offerings.
Combining both her academic passions and her gaming background, Dr. Jakita Thomas is working to transform the future of esports.
Pharaoh's Conclave, a non-profit she started with her husband Erich, has set a goal of placing 500 Black and Brown youth in esports career opportunities over the next two years through a combination of "online skills-building platform, league, and our apprenticeship program," Thomas tells Hypepotamus."
To help reach that goal, Pharoah's Conclave was recently named as a recipient of Google for Startups Black Founder Fund.
As Pharoah's Conclave grows, Thomas answered our questions about the organization's origin and how building a more diverse esports workforce can help move the industry forward.
PCX GO! was excited to present the Youth Esports League National Championship & Conference. This 2-day conference prepared youth for esports careers in the eSports and gaming industries by exposing the entry points to esports careers, introducing K-12 youth, their families, educators, and youth workers to the esports industry, and showcasing th...
If you haven't yet, be sure to check out our new podcast, GAMeFi! The podcast where we talk all things gaming, art, music, esports, and film with the Black and Brown folks creating and innovating. Jerry Lawson Black History Round Table: Karen Lawson and Anderson Lawson. Dr Jakita Thomas and Erich Thomas of Pharaohs Conclave reminisce about how gami...
The Black Collegiate Gaming Association's purpose is to pivot black and women of color college students into the overall gaming industry, not only as consumers, but as contributors. They strive to build-up students that will be prepared to interview and become a part of the gaming industry both on the competitive and corporate level. They will aide...
We're so excited to announce the launch of our podcast, GAMeFi! The podcast where we talk all things gaming, art, music, esports, and film with the Black and Brown folks creating and innovating. You can watch our first podcast below and be sure to stay tuned!
"Dr. Kevin James, president of Morris Brown College and video game company Pharaoh's Conclave, announced the Ronald Floyd Thomas Center for eSports and Innovation center during a "wall breaking" ceremony Tuesday.Both James and Pharaoh's Conclave owners, Erich and Jakita Thomas smashed a sledgehammer into the future center's wall to officially begin...
"We were so excited to be on 102.6 The Situation's Morning Show at Morris Brown College! It was an awesome experience to get to sit down and talk about our journey through gaming and how we have been working to pioneer esports education and prepare youth for esports careers. Take a minute to tune in and listen to learn all the exciting things PCX i...
The DoorDash Game Design Challenge is an opportunity for individuals to design a mobile game about some aspect of food (e.g., delivery, sustainability, nutrition, etc.). Now is your chance to win your share of $35,000.00 in scholarships and prizes. In addition to scholarships and prizes, winners in each division (Mini, Junior, Youth, and Minority S...
Gamers Read Virtual .5k (500 m) Walk/Run/Sprint aimed to bring the gaming, cosplay, anime, and running communities and their families together to advocate for literacy, especially among youth in grades K-5. Literacy is a critical skill for success in society, and eSports careers such as game design & development, comic book creation, shoutcasti...
A total of 35 companies from the Georgia city were selected as recipients of the funds for their small businesses. "Google is reportedly investing millions of dollars in Atlanta Black-owned businesses.The tech giant has pledged to invest $2.35 million in tech startups in the city as part of its Black FoundersAccording to a press release recei...
Pharaoh's Conclave received $100K from Google for Startups Black Founders Fund "The summer was marked by the collision of the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest over racial injustice, prompting the creation of the $5 million Google for Startups Black Founders Fund. The tech giant has now announced the startup Black businesses that will be the...
"It is imperative that we continue the work of creating opportunities that will allow our children to thrive in the generations to come," said PCX Co-Founder Erich Thomas. "Atlanta – Pharaoh's Conclave (PCX), Georgia's leading organization for diversity and inclusion in competitive video gaming, and the Thomas Family Fund are proud to announce a co...
LVL UP+ BREAKING INTO THE GAME INDUSTRY Level Up Your Game! We provide insight into how you can get into and work your way up in the gaming industry. With many stuck at home due to quarantine, now is the perfect time to use some of your free time to work toward your passions! Post Your Work on Discussion Boards If you're aspiring to be a part of th...
Compete. Build skills. Win Championships.If you're a gamer, come join our Youth Esports League. Teams will compete in local, regional, and national events. Practices and events are held at local eSports venues, such a 4o4 Esports, VS Realm ESports Arena, Gamers Xperience, and Johnson STEM Activity Center.
PCX is excited to announce that we've been accepted into the Microsoft for Startups program! Microsoft for Startups is a founder-first program that delivers the technology, goto-market and community benefits needed to catalyze startup success.PCX GO! has been selected as a new Stadium Neighborhoods Community Trust Fund (the Trust) Grantee! This awa...
Helping youth develop the skills they need to move from amateur to professional Taught by eSports industry experts, and brought to you by the connectors of the eSports ecosysstem (PCX), your child can explore the exciting and lucrative world of competitive video gaming (aka eSports). They can choose from Shout Casting, Comic Book design, or Game de...
"As we confront the effects of COVID-19, the Georgia Department of Economic Development continues to work around the clock arming our partners with the resources they need to navigate these turbulent times. We're also maintaining our focus on unique growth opportunities with expanding industries to help ensure that the state remains well-positioned...
DreamHack announced that, due to the ongoing health and safety concerns in the world, and the interest of the safety and health of our players and staff, DreamHack Masters has been rescheduled and will move to an online format to fulfill our promise of bringing the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) community the world's best CS:GO action. Dr...
We are thrilled to announce the launch of Camp LVL Up this June! Camp LVL Up features virtual instruction and mentoring provided by eSports professionals and curricula grounded in active learning and project-based learning. K-12 youth will explore the exciting world of eSports for 8 weeks from June 1, 2020 through July 24, 2020. Camp LVL Up feature...
Formed in 1995, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation promotes innovative solutions to transform the lives of youth and their families, seeking results that move communities beyond what seems possible today. The Foundation invests in education, parks and greenspace, youth development, community redevelopment, and the arts, and leads giving programs...
Catch & Release LLC is a game development studio based in North Carolina that is focused on compelling stories and innovative game design. 2015's narrative adventure "Star Billions" marked their first foray into game development, followed by 2018's "Cold Iron", a VR puzzle-shooter released on PS4/Steam, and now Rolling Hills, a friendly life si...
A new report released by the Georgia Game Developers Association revealed that the industry's statewide economic impact exceeded $830 million in 2018. In fact, the video game industry in general is growing so fast that some believe it will reach over $300 billion by 2025, according to Forbes. In Georgia, the video game industry employed more than 2...
Allied Esports will build a dedicated esports venue located inside the Mall of Georgia in Buford, Georgia, as part of its previously announced partnership with the Simon Property Group, according to an announcement made early Friday The facility will be a two-level, 13,000-square-foot facility located at The Village, which will facilitate regularly...
The Atlanta Sports Council (ASC) announced that it has formed the Atlanta Esports Alliance (AEA), a collective of local companies and industry professionals that will work together to try and bring more esports events and opportunities to the city. The ASC is a division of the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC), and the Atlanta Esports Alliance will be a ...
PCX is excited to announce the relaunch of our website this month that will reflect our company's focus on pioneering esports education! We expose, engage, and prepare middle school and high school-aged youth to eSports career pathways. We accomplish in three ways: Educating parents/ guardians, educating youth, and educating society. EDUCATING PARE...
STEAMsport, Inc. is a 501-C3 non profit organization with the mission of providing science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) exposure, engagement and education to youth living in underserved communities in a fun and competitive environment. Our goal is to break the cycle of generational poverty through accessible and effective STEAM ...
"On June 21, 2019 at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Pharaoh's Conclave delivered another standout event for the gaming community, the 3rd annual GA High School eSPORTS Invitational. This event wasn't just about a tournament that matched up Georgia's best in team and individual competitions fighting for prizes, grants, and scholarships. But wha...
VS Realm "VS Realm is dedicated towards building eSports leagues, hosting tournaments, and supporting the gamer community through console and PC rentals and retail. Console Gaming Need to train to elevate your gameplay from Casual to Pro? Come train with us and become unstoppable! PC Gaming Great Gaming PCs available to battle with a friend online ...
Our goal is to expose youth to new and exciting learning and career opportunities that focus on and leverage technology while providing access to viable and lucrative careers in a number of different areas in eSports (e.g., playing, casting, journalism, game development, marketing, etc.). LVL-U is designed to engage and support youth by helping the...
PCX is pioneering esports education through two integrated esports educational experiences! We are excited to announce our two new organizations, Youth Esports League (YEL) & LVL Up Academy! Our Youth Esports League is designed to help students compete, build skills, and win championships! We have broken down the league into 3 divisions geared ...
We're so excited to be partnering with our local arenas like Gamers Xperience for #YEL 's tourneys & practices! We love supporting our local gaming community and wait for our first season of our Youth Esports League to start in January! Stay tuned for more info on how to sign up! #YouthEsportsATL #PCXGo #esportsATL
Calling all gamers to our Youth Esports League! Teams will compete in a local, regional & national level! Get your team together and look for sign-ups to open soon! #YoutheSportsATL #PCXGo #YEL #esportsATL #hearthstone
Calling all gamers to our Youth Esports League! Teams will compete in a local, regional & national level! Get your team together and look for sign-ups to open soon! #YoutheSportsATL #PCXGo #YEL #esportsATL #Paladins
We're super excited for our Youth Esports League tourneys to be hosted at our local esports arenas! For practice and play, we will be posted up at 4o4 Esports, VS Realm ESports Arena, Gamers Xperience, and johnson STEM Activity Center! Stay tuned for more information and how you can sign up! #YoutheSportsATL. #PCXGo #YEL #esportsATL
History of Black Video Game Characters
In honor of Black History Month, we take a look at the history of Black video game characters!
Kimberly Bryant: Black Girls Code
Esports production company, Skillshot Media, is partnering with the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network to create “a comprehensive esports medical program for SMITE and Paladins esports athletes.”
“In discussions with the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network, it became clear that they are not only taking early notice of the rising trend of esports injuries, but also aspire to serve our pro players just like athletes in traditional sports – benefiting from nutrition, exercise, rest, and best practices for optimizing performance and prolonging careers,” said Todd Harris, president of Skillshot Media. “We are thrilled to partner with Northside to provide complementary injury-prevention services for our players and also share ongoing research with the broader esports community.”
"Established in 2012 and based in Raleigh, NC, BitMonster, Inc. is comprised of 5 passionate senior developers, previously with Epic Games and other Triple-A studios, who headed out to explore the world of indie game development.
BitMonster represents an inflection point in the industry where a small group of skilled developers equipped with powerful tools can make a huge impact and shape future trends.
PCX is proud to showcase one of it's We PLAY eLeague members, Dorian Fields!
Dorian is a sophomore at Tucker High School and has been a part of We Play Eleague since the summer of 2017, when his high school esports club won a tournament sponsored by PCX. Each participant won a $1,000 college scholarship. This was this first of many PCX experiences that Dorian would become a part of:
PCX would like to welcome its newest member, Andrea Richmond, one of PCX’s new streamers! You can find Andrea online through her gamertag (BoredyMcbored) and she’ll be streaming each week through our Twitch channel Monday and Fridays at 7pm.
Andrea is immensely excited to be apart of the PCX community and has been gaming since she could remember:
“One of my first gaming memories was getting a controller put in my hand and playing Streets of Rage 2 with my family on the Genesis. Since then, I've fallen in love with video games and the art that can be displayed via the medium. I love and play a litany of different games from strategy, open world, RPGs, sports, stealth and just anything that seems fun at the time.
The Entertainment Software Association and The NPD Group have declared that U.S. video game sales reached a record-breaking $43.4 Billion in 2018. According to data provided from market intelligent company Sensor Tower, this marks an 18 percent growth in revenue compared to the $36.9 billion in total revenue generated in 2017.
“The impressive economic growth of the industry announced today parallels the growth of the industry in mainstream American culture,” said acting ESA President and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis in a prepared statement. “Across the nation, we count people of all backgrounds and stages of life among our most passionate video game players and fans. Interactive entertainment stands today as the most influential form of entertainment in America.”
Read Variety’s full article on the growth in the gaming industry here.
Wishing you good times, good cheer and a memorable new year.
All of us at PCX and We PLAY eLeague want to thank you for your business, guidance, and support this past year. We made a lot of strides and impacted a lot of lives through gaming! Here are some of our highlights from 2018.
Photo Credit: Digitalundivided, BIG Demo Day 2018. Jakita Thomas, co-founder of We PLAY eLeague 6th from the left.
THE SCIENCE OF ESPORTS SUCCESS
Learn more about what you need to be focusing on to level up your skills and your game.
Practice Does, Indeed, Make Perfect
WAKANDAN ESPORTS
eSports across the diaspora
Each week, we'll feature people, teams, and eSports orgs of color across the diaspora doing it big and making it happen. Don't get it twisted - the village is definitely present and strong!
Welcome to Traega Entertainment. They are an independent video game studio based in Nashville, TN. Founder, Dax Hock, has been passionate about games his entire life. It has long been his dream to create his own game studio, and in 2015, he made that dream a reality. Since then, he has been strategically assembling a team of veteran game makers from around the country to create Traega Entertainment. The team has decades of industry experience from Blizzard, EA, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Disney, Midway, and Funcom. They are currently working on their first game and are excited to share more details soon.
Be sure to go check out their website!
Sign up today for one of our innovative programs for elementary, middle & high school students
