When most people think of esports, they picture highly skilled gamers wearing headsets, eyes on screens, competing in organized video game tournaments. Collegiate esports has become a growing part of campus recreation, with dozens of student teams, intense training sessions, and competition schedules that look a lot like traditional athletics.
But for Liam Granlund ’22, esports is about much more than winning, and that perspective shapes his work at UW–Madison.
As the Coordinator of Intramural Esports, he supports competitive teams playing titles such as League of Legends, Valorant, and Rocket League; manages the university’s esports facilities; advises student athletes; and helps create opportunities for students to compete. But he also believes gaming should be a place where everyone feels welcome.
“It’s less about ‘how do we make these things competitive?’ and more about how we use this as a vessel for inviting people into our spaces,” he says.
For Granlund, games have always been about connection. Some of his favorite childhood memories include sitting on the couch with his parents and taking turns with a controller. As an undergraduate student at the UW, he helped start the Wisconsin Union Directorate’s Games Committee.
His inclusive philosophy plays out across the gaming community on campus. Alongside competitive esports, Granlund helps organize events that bring students together through gaming in a variety of ways, from Wii Sports tournaments to cornhole leagues and other community-focused events. Many of these experiences are designed to lower barriers to entry and make gaming feel more accessible to students of all backgrounds and skill levels.
Before working in higher education, Granlund studied biomedical engineering and planned to help people through medicine and technology. After becoming involved in student leadership, he realized there were other ways to make an impact. Through gaming, he’s found a way to help students grow outside the classroom.
Games, he says, are for everyone.
“If you wake up every day and play Wordle, I think you’re a gamer,” he says. “If you go home and play Candy Crush on your phone, you’re a gamer.”
Liam’s Game Recommendations:
Whether you’re looking for competition, something to play while in a waiting room, or a way to relax after a long day, there is no single way to be a gamer.
As someone who plays dozens of games every year, Liam’s advice for new players is to start with something that makes you curious until you find the game that connects with you.
Here are a few of his recommendations:
- For total beginners: Spiritfarer
For someone completely new to games, Granlund recommends starting with something story-driven and low pressure. Games like Spiritfarer can help players get comfortable interacting with game worlds and using a controller without the pressure of losing. In Spiritfarer, players take on the role of a ferry master who helps guide spirits into the afterlife.
“It’s beautiful,” he says. “The soundtrack’s amazing, and it has a very deep and personal message for anyone who has experienced grief to really connect with.”
- For the gamer ready for a challenge: Celeste
If you’re looking for a way to level-up your gaming, Granlund recommends Celeste. The game follows a character climbing a mountain while exploring themes of anxiety, self-doubt, and perseverance.
While the game can be difficult, Granlund points to its accessibility features including invincibility, infinite dashes, and slowing down the game speed as examples of how games can welcome more players.
“You can meet the game where you’re at,” he says.
- For the card player ready to go digital: Balatro
Balatro warps the rules of poker into a deck-building game that is easy to understand but has endless depth, making it easy to spend hours exploring different strategies and combinations.
- For when you’re ready to start competing: Rocket League
If you’re a casual gamer wanting to get competitive, Granlund recommends Rocket League.The concept is simple: soccer, but with cars.
“It’s a really legible game,” he says. “Ball goes in net, score happens.”
While players can develop advanced skills and strategies, the basic idea is easy for anyone to understand, making it the perfect introduction to esports.
- The “classic” choice: Super Smash Bros.
In a rapidly growing industry, few titles have built a community quite like Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros.
The fighting game series brings together characters from across gaming history, with players battling to damage opponents and knock them off platforms.
“It’s such a great game,” he says. “I think it’s great for parties and it’s really accessible.”
Beyond the gameplay itself, Granlund points to the Smash community as an example of what makes gaming so special. With online and in-person events around the world, the community has created a space where players can connect and make friends through a shared interest.
