After struggling with fluctuating popularity last semester, GamerRoos wants to create a casual and friendly environment for all kinds of gamers.
The club hosts gaming sessions for fans of Super Smash Brothers Ultimate on Mondays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in room 302 of the Student Union. They also have practice tournaments for more competitive players in the second half of every meeting beginning at 7 p.m.
The group is known for its laid-back approach and using video games to create bonds with other attendees.
“The environment is more casual than any other club,” said sophomore Aubrey Korte, a media arts and design major. “It’s not as strict and gives people a space to have fun.”
Korte became a community manager for the club when it was announced that the video games branch of the club would shut down without a leader.
“I didn’t want that to happen because I love the club and meeting new people,” said Korte. “I decided that if nobody else wanted to, then I definitely had to.”
The group acts as a space for gamers outside of UMKC, hosting the yearly Roostlemania tournament to bring together the best gamers from Missouri and Kansas. The last tournament ran from March 23 to 24 and had 128 attendees.
A smaller scale tournament, Cherry Tree, begins next month and will raise money for charity. Korte also teased an event in collaboration with another student organization on Nov. 22, with more details to come.
“People need a place to play video games and let out those frustrations,” said sophomore Daniel King, a environmental science major. “It’s nice to see the people you’re fighting against.”
GamerRoos focuses not only on the video game community, but on board games like D&D as well. Interested students can join in and play on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in room 302 of the Student Union.
To learn more about the club, check out their RooGroups or Instagram.
