North Carolina Esports Academy was proud to be contracted to assist with the Blackpoint Tournament featuring Fortnite, hosted by Blackpoint Studios, a Fayetteville-based game design studio. This event was a fantastic example of what’s possible when STEM, entertainment, community, and competition come together under one roof.
A Custom Fortnite Experience
Blackpoint Studios showcased their creativity by building a custom Fortnite map using Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). The map was a replica of Fort Bragg, giving the tournament a unique local connection that tied the game to the community.
Not only did NC Esports Academy serve as a vendor supporting the event, but we also had a couple of our youth players compete—and end up on the winning team! It was exciting to see our players’ skills shine in such a high-level, one-of-a-kind environment.
What This Event Showed
The Blackpoint Tournament highlighted how esports can integrate multiple valuable elements:
- Game Design (STEM): Blackpoint’s UEFN map demonstrated what’s possible in game creation, blending creativity with technology and showing students a pathway into game design.
- Entertainment: The tournament was a fun, engaging event for players and spectators alike.
- Community: Families, friends, and local supporters came together to watch and participate.
- Competition: Players competed for prizes, giving the event real stakes and excitement.
- Collaboration: With over 10 companies and vendors contracted to assist, the tournament showed the importance of teamwork beyond the games themselves.
Challenges That Esports Still Faces
While the event was a success, it also revealed a few common challenges that esports events often run into:
- Equipment Differences: Gaming trucks brought consoles, which worked fine, but our Academy’s gaming laptops delivered smoother performance.
- Internet Reliability: Gaming trucks provided decent internet, but lag was still an issue. Our setup—featuring Verizon 5G and hardwired Ethernet connections—was more stable.
- Timing: Like many grassroots esports events, this tournament started late and ran late into the evening.
- Outdoor Setting: Being outdoors in July heat made things less comfortable and may have deterred some attendees.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Blackpoint Fortnite Tournament was an outstanding event that brought together technology, competition, and community. Yes, there were challenges—but that’s true of almost any esports event at this stage of the industry’s growth.
The good news? There are solutions, and most of them come down to better funding and resource allocation. As esports continues to mature year after year, events like this will only get smoother and more impactful.
At North Carolina Esports Academy, we’re excited to keep supporting these kinds of opportunities that showcase the best of what esports can be—innovative, community-driven, and full of potential.
