The Fighting Games Club turned four years old, a big achievement for any club on campus. In celebration, a tournament was held Saturday in Bowman Hall and included games like Dragon Ball FighterZ, King of Fighters XV and Guilty Gear Strive.

For the members of the club however, it’s about more than just playing their favorite games.

“Most of us just like to be here for the people,” said Jack Madison, member of the Fighting Games Club. “Of course, we are here because of our shared interest in fighting games, but we all keep showing up because we want to see the other people who show up too.”

For many members of the club, the friendships they have made from the community are just as important as the games.

“It has been a great way to make friends for a lot of us,” said Andrew Thomas, manager of the Kent State Fighting Games Club. “Most of us also have many different interests outside of the game, so we talk about those and pick up new interests and hobbies from it.”

Thomas took over management of the club in fall 2022 and has continued to help the club grow since then, hosting two major events for the club, along with many smaller tournaments.

These tournaments not only allow the club members to hang out with their friends for a couple of hours, but also give them a chance to learn and get better at the games they love.

“The tournaments are great,” said Holden Creswell, member of the Fighting Games Club. “They are such a good opportunity for people to show off their skills, for people with rivalries to play against each other and for new people to come out. It just gives us a really great sense of community.”

The Fighting Games Club not only has a lot of longtime members, but is also filled with plenty of new faces – something that Thomas is proud of.

“I’ve seen a lot of new people come around,” said Thomas. “We have grown a lot over the last year or two years. I won’t lie, some of it is because of the games we play like Guilty Gear, but it is also because of the community we have created.”

More than anything, the members of the club just want to have fun and play their favorite games with friends. The club is open to anyone who has an interest, whether experienced or not.

“Honestly just come hang out,” said Thomas. “If you are interested in joining, just come talk to us and get to know us. We are all friendly, and we do not care at all whether you are experienced with the games we play or not.”

The Fighting Games Club meets every Monday and Friday night in Bowman Hall, Room 204. More information about the club can be found in the Kent State Esports Discord server.

Adam Kring is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].