Teamwork in new Esports event

Te Hāpua Halswell Centre has played host to the country’s first ever Esports Minecraft Build Challenge/Wero Hanga.

Technology entrepreneur Sir Ian Taylor opened the event, which was developed in response to his online learning platform Mātauranga.

This online resource explores the voyage of the explorers who crossed the Pacific Ocean to land on Aotearoa New Zealand.

Monday's competition involved about 60 Year 7 and 8 students from 12 Christchurch schools working in teams of four to build a waka hourua, a traditional double-hulled canoe used by the Polynesian explorers.

Students competing in the first-ever Esports Minecraft Build Challenge at Te Hāpua Halswell Centre.

Live audiences

The teams had 20 minutes to build the waka collaboratively using Minecraft – the world’s best-selling video game, often used in educational settings.

More than 550 students, teachers and parents watched the event as audience or via live stream. 

While Breens Intermediate took the top prize on the day, Christchurch Libraries Special Projects Learning Specialist Danny McNeil says all the teams and spectators had a blast.

“The feedback was excellent. It was a very successful event and we’re now sitting down with our partners to plan the next ones.”

The build challenge was a collaboration with Christchurch Libraries and ImpactED, as well as Ngāti Gaming, Digital Natives Academy and Victory Up, three Māori owned Esports Companies.

Video game competitions that can be played in teams and watched by online audiences, Esports is increasingly popular with young people.

Mr McNeil says competitions like this provide a great opportunity for students to represent their schools. 

 He says libraries are becoming the ‘playing field’ for Esports in Christchurch with gaming equipment sets also located at Tūranga, South, Upper Riccarton and New Brighton libraries.