Scholastic-focused esports platform Generation Esports has announced a large-scale partnership with game developer and publisher Nintendo.
The deal will see Generation Esports add Nintendo titles Splatoon 3, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to its Middle School Esports League product.
The Middle School Esports League (MSEL) is an esports competition that sees US middle school children play in organised competitions across several games, including Rocket League, Minecraft and Brawhalla.
The competition is Generation Esports’ middle school equivalent of its High School Esports League (HSEL). The company also owns and runs the Military Gaming League (MGL).
Generation Esports’ partnership with Nintendo will commence at the start of the new MSEL Spring Season, in late February 2023. Generation Esports told Esports Insider it is now the only company to have Nintendo approval to operate within the middle school space.
The new season is free to compete in for students. In addition, the companies announced that they will be distributing Nintendo Switch consoles and software to ‘numerous’ middle schools to widen participation.
Generation Esports is a part of the ever-growing scholastic esports scene in the US. The company recently partnered with Belong Gaming Arenas, allowing children to compete in a LAN setting for some of Generation’s leagues and events.
Generation also released an esports and gaming school curriculum and kickstarted its own student sim racing competition in 2022.
Jon Bukosky, CCO at Generation Esports, said: “Opportunities to create access and develop more paths to success for maturing middle school youths is at the core of this partnership — and we’re looking forward to nurturing the next generation of esports.”
