An Ohio university is offering Fortnite esports scholarships

Ashland University of Ohio, the home of the Eagles, has announced that it will include Fortnite Battle Royale in its collegiate esports program, set to begin competition in the fall of 2018. The school said that its esports team "will be the first known collegiate esports program in the country" to add Fortnite to its roster.

"Fortnite appeals to both the core and casual gaming audience," head coach Josh Buchanan said. "We're excited to provide this platform for gamers who want to showcase their skills in a more competitive space. Fortnite facilitates an environment that allows players to get creative, innovate and show off their mastery of their skills."

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Ashland launched its collegiate esports program in February, when it announced Buchanan's hiring. The school said he has more than five years of competitive experience in esports and is ranked 40th in the US in StarCraft 2; he also works as a freelance StarCraft 2 coach and caster.

Other games offered in Ashland's esports program include League of Legends, Overwatch, CS:GO, and Rocket League. Construction of a "gaming center" in the lower level of the school library, with 25 gaming stations equipped with PCs, accessories, and peripherals, is slated to start later this month.

The university offers esports scholarships of up to $4000 "based on player skill level and academic requirements." Interested? Try your luck with the Ashland University Esport Prospective Student Athlete Recruitment Form.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.