Heather Wallace vividly remembers her 8-year-old son, Kaiden, turning to her and saying that he felt like his heart was about to beat out of his chest. Kaiden, an up-and-coming virtual video game player, was competing in his first gaming tournament last month — and for the first time, it looked like playing on a grand stage was getting the best of him.
“The guy he was playing against beat him at the start of the tournament,” Heather Wallace said. “I could tell he was very nervous.”
Clearly, young Kaiden figured out how to deal with the pressure. He claimed first place in a Fortnite tournament at Be Legend Gaming in Highland Village, exacting revenge for the earlier loss with six kills. And in the process, he walked away with $500. He was one of two winners. Tony Johnson, Jr., 13, also took home a $500 prize for winning a Super Smash Bros tournament.
“I didn’t expect to be an Xbox mom, but I went with it,” Heather Wallace said. “I’m glad they all have opportunities to compete.”
Johnson agreed. His win was his fifth out of 10 tournaments, and he and Kaiden were competing against kids and adults.
“My dad saw how good I was and thought I should be competing,” Johnson said. “I’m excited to win against those types of competitors.”
Be Legend Gaming, an eSports lounge located at Bowery Park on FM 407 in Highland Village, specializes in console and PC gaming as well as interactive virtual reality — all in an upscale lounge. They have 19 gaming computers, 3 PS5s, 8 Xboxs, 4 Nintendo Switches and Oculus and Omni virtual reality — making it the perfect host for virtual tournaments that span weeks at a time.
The facility is owned by the local husband-wife combo of Folahan and Irene Ayoola, and it’s not just for kids. The venue offers a menu and full bar, which make it the perfect place for gamers of all ages. In addition, they have a great party room with super-affordable party packages that include full venue rental and a customized experience.
Learn more about Be Legend Gaming and its upcoming March tournaments at belegendgaming.com.
(Sponsored content written by Steve Gamel)
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