Barnes & Noble College Partners with American Video Game League to Launch Autumn Anarchy Fortnite Tournament

Barnes & Noble College, a Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED) company, today announced it has partnered with the American Video Game League (AVGL), a BoomTV company, to launch Autumn Anarchy, a first-of-its kind college esports tournament. Autumn Anarchy will invite more than 500 gamers nationwide to compete in qualifying tournaments for the popular gaming title, Fortnite, as millions of fans tune in to watch the action. The tournament winners will receive $10,000 in scholarship prize money and gain entry into “Code Red,” one of the largest influencer esports events in the industry.

Esports, competitive online video gaming, bring together gamers from around the world, as different leagues and teams play against each other in popular video games. Fans tune in through streaming platforms, such as Twitch, to watch their favorite gamers compete in real-time. Esports have gained massive popularity in the past few years, with viewership of games further increasing as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced many to remain in their homes in an effort to social distance.

“Colleges and universities worked hard to ensure students’ academic journeys went uninterrupted in light of COVID-19 campus closures. It has been far more difficult for schools to continue fostering social engagement amongst students when so many are at home,” said Lisa Malat, President of Barnes & Noble College. “Esports provide a phenomenal opportunity for students to come together, regardless of where they may be in the Fall. In partnering with the AVGL to create Autumn Anarchy, we can help drive connection and engagement amongst student gamers, and also drive further attention for college esports communities, which continue to grow with the addition of teams and even majors at institutions nationwide. We are very excited for the Autumn Anarchy tournament to begin, and look forward to seeing which gamers come out on top.”

Beginning in early September, Barnes & Noble College’s digital and in-store media channels will serve as the exclusive access point for student gamers to sign up for the Fortnite tournament via a dedicated email or QR Code sign featured at the front entrance of more than 150 participating Barnes & Noble College campus stores. An online qualifying tournament hosted on AVGL.org will kick off in September, and the top college teams will move forward to compete in an online championship livestreamed on Twitch in October. The winners of Autumn Anarchy will win $10,000 in scholarship prize money and gain entry into Code Red, the largest influencer esports event in the industry, where top talent such as Ninja, Shroud, NickEh and others compete with amateur gamers.