HARRISBURG, Pa. — Members of the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology's esports team are the subject of a 30-minute documentary that is now streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Google Play, the university said Monday.
“A Rising Storm: The Burgeoning World of College Esports” goes in-depth on the creation of the team, following them as they move up the ranks to become two-time national champions, the school said.
The Harrisburg Storm won the ESPN National Overwatch Championships in 2019 and defended their title this year.
The documentary was filmed by Cowboy Bear Ninja, a Harrisburg-based production company, along with the university and Pavone Group.
“This documentary captures the grit, teamwork, and character it takes to field a national championship esports team,” said Chad Smeltz, HU Director of Esports. “Everyone involved in the team’s growth knows how hard we’ve worked to build an amazing culture, and we’re thrilled the rest of the world will get to witness that now too.”
“A Rising Storm” has been recognized at several film festivals, including PopCon International in Indianapolis, Seoul Webfest in South Korea and India’s Pune Short Film Festival, the university said.
“We’re proud of the chance to not only shine a light on the incredible efforts of the players, coaches, and staff but also bring international attention to Harrisburg,” said Dr. Eric Darr, president of Harrisburg University. “This is truly a special moment in the team’s history and the history of Harrisburg University.”
Harrisburg University’s Esports Program is the university’s first and only varsity sport. The team competes in some of the most popular esports games around the world, including League of Legends and Overwatch.
Team members practice and contend in a state-of-the-art facility and receive full scholarships.
HU’s Overwatch players are back-to-back Collegiate National Champions, and the HU Storm was named the 2019 Tempest Award Winner for Best Collegiate Esports Program.
