The Ohio Northern University have only recently launched its esports program, with the university having not really know what may have been positive to achieve when they first did so back in 2019. However, there is no denying that it has been able to grow and become a rather successful program.
By taking a look at their website, it is clear that they have been able to make steady progress within this field, as they continue to offer 60+ programs of study for students who wish to attend and participate on the ONU esports team while having the choice to play four games; two of which would seem they have already been rather successful in.
Four Games Including The Biggest Available At ONU
Naturally, there is no better way to test your program against some of the best in the country and around the rest of the world than by competing in some of the tournaments that take place when playing the biggest titles that are available.
Indeed, the ONU program – which states is continuing to expand and grow – already includes four of the mainstream esports titles that its players can compete in. These are:
- League of Legends
- Overwatch
- Rocket League
- Valorant
Since competing in these games, they have already been able to amass a handful of awards, despite being a rather new program compared to many that are already competing on the circuit. For instance, in their first year of competitive action, they had managed to end up winning a pair of “League of Legends” titles and earning two runner-up finishes in “Overwatch”.
Given their new status, there have been many that have been wondering how this is possible, especially given the caliber of their opponents that they will typically face, and it seems they may have a hidden gem in their ranks currently majoring at the school.
Joren Kirsis is a talented “Overwatch” player for the Polar Bears
Joren Kirsis is perhaps a name that not many will recognize, and as a computer science major, there would not be much reason to know exactly who he is. However, he is an esports player that is gaining stock within the industry, especially as he has shown how good he can be at playing “Overwatch”.
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Going by the gamertag “Dizian”, he is the top player for this game at ONU and has already managed to be ranked inside the top 1% of all players around the world for this game at one point in his playing career. This makes him a seriously good player and one that many have started to take a little more notice of each time he plays.
Hailing from Alaska and with Latvian dual nationality, he has become a popular figure with many in Ohio that have introduced esports as a form of wagering to enhance their own favorite pastime because of the ability he has when playing the game as a DPS (damage per second) player.
The Caesars Ohio Bets and Odds appear to have considered how good he is whenever he plays “Overwatch” as they continue to provide favorable prices to players who consider backing him with each contest he participates in.
However, those that have thought about potentially placing wagers on him might want to think about the fact that he is not as dedicated as some of the other esports professionals that are playing around the world, despite the fact that he clearly has the natural talent needed to be a star in the industry.
Kirsis wants to focus on other things than gaming
As it is widely known, esports gamers need to spend almost all their waking hours playing the games they want to compete in, as this helps them stay sharp and practice for the tournaments they may be participating in.
Of course, this is only normal and something other sportspeople must continue doing. Showing passion and dedication can go a very long way in helping an individual go further than just having their sheer talent.
However, Kirsis has already admitted that playing video games is not something he wants to do all day, despite his love for gaming. In fact, he has revealed that he likes to enjoy the time that he can spend with friends, while it also seems that his college studies is something that is very important to him, too.
Why has esports become so big and popular across the world?
Esports has become a popular form of gaming due to its ability to offer an exciting, competitive environment that can bring together players worldwide.
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In addition, esports such as “League of Legends” have also been able to become incredibly lucrative for professional gamers and teams as there are now big prize pools for tournaments hosted in different countries every year which encourages more people to take part.
Finally, the rise of social media has also been instrumental in helping esports become more popular as it allows fans to follow the progress of their favorite teams and players with ease, while streaming services such as Twitch have made it easier for people to watch matches from anywhere around the world. This helps them feel like they are part of the action.
Final Thoughts
Joren Kirsis is one of the players that could potentially take esports to a new level and he has already shown his incredible talent by being ranked in the top 1% of all “Overwatch” players worldwide. He may not be playing full-time, but he certainly should not be discounted as someone who could potentially become a great esports star in the future. We can only wait and see what he will achieve in the esports world, while it is also perhaps worth keeping tabs on what ONU are able to achieve with its program in the future as it continues to expand and get better with thanks to the exposure that they have received by winning a pair of “League of Legends” awards!
