Suffolk University’s Video Game Association kicked off the spring semester with a unique take on traditional carnival festivities on Feb. 10, welcoming new and old members along with video game enthusiasts across the university.
The event was structured like a carnival with games, tickets and prizes. The games available differed from a standard carnival, with card and competitive video games taking center stage of the event.
People participating could play games to earn tickets for raffles that were selected at the end of the night. Prizes included plush game characters, Sony headphones and five passes to PAX East, a video game convention in Boston. The carnival theme was sealed with an open candy bar, pizza and popcorn for everyone there.
The club’s board members were excited about the turnout at the event, and are hoping to bring more interactive events to Suffolk alongside their weekly meetings. The club members aim to bring the laid-back and relaxed parts of video games to the community through these events.
“Essentially we’re a club that’s about chill vibes. We are a space for people to just hang out and play games with each other,” said Gilad Gerber, the VGA Event Coordinator.
Gerber said the idea of a video game-style carnival was his idea and that the help of the club members was crucial to the success of the event. This event was a new and exciting take on their usual style of get-togethers for the community. The change proved to be a success for the club.
“This was a surprising turnout given our past track record and if even a fraction of these people stays on for longer, then the club is in a good place. Especially [after] the pandemic we have struggled to get outreach. It seems like the first night of some progress and I can hope it only grows from here,” said Aeneas Reid, VGA’s vice president.
The carnival brought in a new crowd for the video game club and students said the event was something uniquely entertaining.
“This is my first video game association event. It looks like everyone is having a lot of fun. I’m having a lot of fun . . . I love that they have a lot of different games instead of just one kind,” said Stacey Galdamez.
The club had games like Wii Sports and MarioKart available for people to play. Nintendo and Jackbox seem to be fan favorites amongst board and club members, making appearances at weekly meetings and other events as a good place for those new to video games to be able to jump right in and play.
“We play Super Smash Bros. and we love to play Jackbox since you can show up with no experience and just play along,” said club member Tyler Politano.
President of VGA Jake Gunderson advises the E-board and works to make sure that all the members get to see their passion for video games at every event.
“The VGA is all about community and we are one of the largest ones at Suffolk. We try [to] have bigger and better events each time,” said Gunderson.
According to VGA, the club is all about fun and enjoying one’s hobbies with other people who have a shared interest, which is why the club has ensured that members and Suffolk students always have this safe space. This can be found in the form of a video game room located in Sawyer 215. It always has games available and is open every day the building is open. The club curated the space as a place for people to gather and enjoy themselves and wind down with some fun.
“I think the best thing about VGA is just getting to show up and engage with people with similar interests. The room we have is great. You can just drop in and play games. It’s the same people every day and is always something you can come back to. There is always something to do,” said Politano.
VGA also connects members with other schools and events around the city that involve video games. Miles Mazzotta shared how being in the club has given him the opportunity to compete in video game competitions around the city.
“The club introduced me to some Smash Bros. tournaments. That allowed me to engage with this community and other ones as well,” said Mazzotta.
The association also shared some plans for the future. On Feb. 23, there will be a board game event. The variety of games they bring to the community is especially important for them to reflect on their events.
The group is also hoping to host another event before spring break, according to Reid.
“There is also an in-progress game show night hopefully happening in March or April,” said Reid.
Alongside larger events, VGA hosts weekly events and meetings on Thursdays that are open to anyone interested in joining the club.
“We truly want to be as open as we can be here. At Suffolk, [there are] so many clubs you have to sign up for or audition for. You might not even get welcomed in. I really want VGA to be an open space, you don’t even need to be a member to join in,” said Gunderson.
