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The second-smallest state in the country kicked off 2025 by pressing “play” on a groundbreaking esports initiative for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The statewide program aims to foster teamwork, critical thinking and STEM skills through competitive scholastic esports.
The Delaware Department of Education is partnering with Delaware State University, Goldey-Beacom College, the University of Delaware and Wilmington University — as well as Delaware-based esports organization Futures First Gaming — to offer virtual esports competitions from January to April, culminating with in-person championship invitationals hosted at each participating institution. Five esports titles will provide diverse challenges for students of all skill levels, officials say.
“What we’re trying to do is bring together the competitive side of esports and the scholastic side, where we’re focusing on the inclusive aspects, school climate and culture, as well as the college and career connection aspects of it,” Alyssa Moore, education associate for digital learning at the Delaware Department of Education, told WHYY.org. “Helping students to look at their interest in esports and how that might connect to the opportunities for their future for jobs and what they might want to do to prepare for those jobs [so] they can see connections to the work that they’re doing in their other curricular classes.”
The statewide rollout builds on the success of earlier pilot initiatives, according to WHYY, and the new program is expected to connect students with higher-education campuses and their academic offerings.
“We hope to encourage more students to consider higher education and explore the growing esports field by hosting these championships,” Kiernan Ensor, esports coordinator and head coach at the University of Delaware, said in a statement. The university recently added a Bachelor of Arts in Game Studies and Esports, which offers specializations in design, industry management and cultural studies.
“We believe esports is more than just gaming,” added Stephen Sye, chief executive officer and co-founder of Futures First Gaming, which is a STEM.org-accredited company focused on fostering competitive and recreational gaming communities. “It’s a gateway to critical skill development, teamwork and career exploration in STEM and digital industries.”
According to the United States Academic Esports League — an education company that, as its Facebook profile notes, “channels students’ passion for video games into career and college readiness” — 96% of U.S. teens play video games, 300 colleges and universities offer esports scholarships and more than 50% of esports players go on to study in STEM majors.
No wonder the National Federation of State High School Associations has embraced esports. Nearly half of all high school esports participants say esports is their first experience in an after-school activity — which is a leading factor contributing to its popularity.
Additionally, more than $16 million have been awarded annually in scholarships to esports competitors at colleges and universities across the country. As of last March, at least 20 high school state associations offered state-sponsored esports competitions.
As SDM reports in the January/February 2025 issue, competitive gaming over the past 15 years or so has emerged as a viable sport in a $1.7 billion global market, anchored by cool arenas designed specifically for high-end battles, a rabid fan base and — as of last summer — the backing of the International Olympic Committee.
The IOC approved the creation of the Olympic Esports Games and announced Saudi Arabia will host the event for the next 12 years, beginning this summer and happening every two years in between the Summer and Winter Games. IOC President Thomas Bach said at the time that the Olympic movement is “keeping up with the pace of the digital revolution.”
While details of the inaugural Olympic Esports Games are still emerging, popular gaming franchises generally associated with esports include League of Legends, Dota, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros., Rocket League, Counter-Strike and others. And competitions don’t necessarily need to be held in esports-specific venues — which makes educational esports initiatives like the one in Delaware a no-brainer.
Meanwhile, the Esports Trade Association has announced that it will host EsportsNext 2025 in Dallas on May 22-23. Billed as the esports’ industry’s leading B2B conference, it will take place during DreamHack, one of North America’s largest gaming lifestyle festivals, where esports business leaders and the gaming culture converge.
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