Gaming valuable experience at world-leading festival proves a winner for Harrison

Published on 13, March, 2025

A University of Sunderland student has taken his studies beyond the classroom, gaining hands-on experience at one of the world’s biggest gaming festivals.

Harrison Richardson, 19, a first-year BSc (Hons) Esports Events Management student, attended DreamHack Stockholm 2024, the inaugural Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) World Finals, an opportunity made possible through the University’s Esports Scholarship.

Last year’s event saw over 52,000 visitors from 59 countries, making it the most-attended European festival in DreamHack’s 30-year history.

“Travelling to DreamHack was incredibly beneficial for my course,” Harrison said. “It gave me the chance to experience an event of this scale for the first time in my life.

“I was also able to meet and speak with individuals involved in the production, creation, and management of the event, which gave me valuable insight into the industry.”

Harrison, who is also the Vice-President of the Team Sunderland Esports Club, explains the structure of international esports tournaments.

He said: “Each game has its own regional tournaments, and only the top teams qualify for international championships.

“It’s similar to football—teams compete within their regions, and the best move on to the bigger competitions. In Overwatch, these regions include North America, Europe and the Middle East, and Asia.”

Beyond the competitions, Harrison gained a behind-the-scenes look at the event management side of esports.

“I saw first-hand how DreamHack was ran, from broadcasting and hosting game servers to managing the internet infrastructure, stage production and graphics,” he said. “It was an incredible learning experience.”

Harrison also had the rare opportunity to briefly interview Sean Miller, Vice President of Overwatch Esports, gaining insights into the industry’s direction and future opportunities.

Dr Serkan Uzunogullari, Programme Leader for BSc (Hons) Esports Event Management, said: “In esports events, what happens behind the scenes is just as important as what happens on stage.

“Thanks to the University of Sunderland Esports Scholarship, Harrison had a front-row seat at DreamHack, where he was able to see the event unfold, gaining insight into its inner workings.

“With opportunities like this available, future students can take their education beyond the classroom.”

The Esports Scholarship provides first-year students with £1,000 each year of study, as well as up to £750 to support travel to esports tournaments and competitions in the UK. Harrison used part of this funding to attend the event, covering travel and accommodation costs.

He said: “I couldn’t have asked for a better experience for my first international esports event. Watching a tournament live is an entirely different feeling from watching online—it’s something I hope to replicate after I graduate and start my career.”

Applications for the Esports Scholarship close on Sunday 31 August 2025.

If you are interested in studying BSc (Hons) Esports Event Management at the University of Sunderland, find out more here.

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