By: Sydney Umstead, News Editor
The Gaming After Dark event held by the Fusion Gaming Society will be held on Sept. 29 from 5 to 10 p.m. in the basement of Palisano. After a night of gaming, students participating in the event will have the opportunity to win a PS5.
Gaming After Dark (GAD) is an event held by the club with various prizes showcased. These events occur two times in a semester and have featured some big-ticket items. Some of the previous winnings from last year included a Nintendo Switch Lite and, last semester, a PS5.
The prizes are won through raffle tickets, as opposed to gaming skill. This has been a focal point for the club, who are striving towards a collective community, as opposed to one of gaming elites.
The presidents noted that their favorite part of the GAD events is “seeing people win.” Tinklepaugh stated that one of the “gags” last year was that someone in attendance had guessed each and every ticket correctly.
Before holding these events, Carolyn Tinklepaugh, president of Fusion, stated that one of the most important things is “making sure you have everything prepared before the event.” Tournaments are also held to add in a touch of competition; however, it was noted that “positive vibes” are of importance to the club.
Tinklepaugh stated that before joining she did not see herself as “being a part of the club.” She went on to say that one of her goals is establishing a space where “anyone can be welcomed and anyone can play video games,” regardless of their specific skill level.
As the club has recently seen some shortfalls with engagement, one thing the team has begun to work on is crafting a “chill vibe,” as Tinklepaugh put it. She addressed the notion that someone had to be good at video games to join and stated people think that “you have to be good at video games to be able to join Fusion, which is not the fact.” Members can simply be found hanging out and playing board games in their club room on Friday nights.
Last semester, the club began a “Just Dance” tournament that Tinklepaugh highlighted as the top tournament she has ever competed in. She went on to say, “A lot of people actually really liked it, so I’m going to be making it a thing now.”
The GAD event has been a long-standing tradition for the club, and the offered prizes have been an important part of the events, with items that typically hold high retail value.