As esports programs gain momentum, broader design strategies are coming into focus as schools realize that an elevated experience requires more than just giving gamers a supportive chair. It also means considering a facility plan that includes a range of performance-focused spaces for players, as well as appealing environments for spectators and fans.

In the heat of the battle, esports gamers typically sit for hours; there’s no grabbing a coffee, no stand-up stretches, no getaway strolls. That’s why, whatever a school’s commitment is to esports, the chair is of paramount importance. Alertness and concentration are essential for gamers. And few things can be more distracting than the discomfort that comes from long bouts of sitting. Unfortunately, however, most so-called gaming chairs offer more in the way of surface pizzaz rather than the hard-working performance that gamers require to be their best.