Rotaract Club to host Summer Showdown Vol. 2 gaming tourney

The Rotaract Club of Saipan is set to reignite the island’s e-sports scene with the highly anticipated Summer Showdown Vol. 2 gaming tournament this Saturday, June 29, 2024. The event, which promises to draw gamers from across the island, will take place at the newly opened Pepoy’s Restacafe in Susupe. Doors open at 4pm., and an entry fee of $10 is required to participate.

Simon Necesito, the club’s director-elect and committee head, expressed the club’s motivation behind organizing this tournament.

“There was a need in the gaming community for a gaming tournament. The last one we held was two years ago,” he said. Reflecting on past challenges, Necesito noted, “Some of our biggest problems at the time were because of COVID and finding a venue to host. With the rise of e-sports returning, we have a chance to introduce it back into the islands.”

He added, “We also have a lot of passionate players who need a community to come together and showcase their talents.”

Rotaract Club of Saipan president Richard Baleares echoed Necesito’s sentiments, highlighting the demand from the community.

“Since our last tournament in 2021, I’ve heard people asking about when the next one. We tried to have another in Fall 2021, but the timing of COVID community cases made us scrap that idea,” said Baleares. “From there it was just chatter about wanting to do one on top of our projects. However, nothing materialized until recently when director-elect Simon and I saw the opportunity to host one towards the end of the Rotary Year and here we are.”

For Baleares, the upcoming tournament holds a special significance.

“It’s a poetic end to my three terms as president as the first project I pitched to the club when I was a new member was to hold a fighting game tournament with the help of Simon who wasn’t a part of Rotaract then,” he said.

He further emphasized the broader goals of the event, stating, “We hope we can help build goodwill and better friendships within the gaming community and help foster interest in e-sports all while helping our cause of putting Service Above Self in Rotaract.” He also shared that ultimately, the tournament would be a fundraiser for the club.

The Rotaract Club of Saipan invites all gaming enthusiasts to participate in this exciting event. For those interested in competing, registration can be completed at http://start.gg/tournament/rotaract-summer-showdown-vol-2/events.

Don’t miss out on this chance to not only showcase your skills, but also be a part of a growing community dedicated to not only e-sports but service.