Exciting news for our PC gaming community! Today, we’re proud to announce NZXT will be joining us at Gamers for Giving 2017!

NZXT is a computer hardware manufacturer which specializes in mid tower and full tower cases, as well as computer cooling and power systems. Based in Los Angeles, California, NZXT has become one of the world’s leading providers of hardware gear for PC enthusiasts since its founding in 2004.

While this is NZXT’s first time sponsoring our event, it marks the beginning of a longer partnership with the brand. Over the last few months, we’ve had extensive conversations with the NZXT team, and have been inspired by the company’s vision for the gaming community. We can’t wait to share more news throughout 2017 as we partner with NZXT to ensure gaming experiences are accessible within hospital environments.

Be sure to give NZXT some love on Facebook and Twitter, and check out the wares we’ll be showcasing at Gamers for Giving on their behalf!

We look forward to seeing you on April 1 & 2 at the EMU Convocation Center

We’re consistently amazed by the support we receive from the gaming community and our corporate supporters. Today, we’re excited to officially welcome another partner aiding our quest to provide hospitalized children with activities – CablesAndKits!

CablesAndKits is one of the most recognized privately owned pre-owned/refurbished Cisco network equipment dealers in the US and one of the largest Cisco network accessory suppliers in the world! They’re a fantastic resource for IT professionals, and for the past seven years, have been part of Inc Magazine’s list of 5000 Fasted Growing Companies.

As you can imagine, producing an event like Gamers for Giving takes significant planning, equipment, and resources. Thanks to our partnership with CablesAndKits, good things are in store for Gamers for Giving attendees! CablesAndKits has donated a ton of networking equipment to help power this year’s event! The collective fair market value of their contribution surpasses $20,000!

Thanks to CablesAndKits’ epic hardware donation, we’ve got an entire inventory of networking gear that will support our fundraising efforts (along with many, many hours of gaming) for years to come! While this equipment is more”behind-the-scenes” type stuff – it’s an absolutely vital component of Gamers for Giving being a reality! Our entire backbone of networking activity will be driven by this recent donation!

We’re incredibly thankful to receive these items, and we can’t wait to put them to use at Gamers for Giving 2017. As part of our gratitude, we’re acknowledging CablesAndKits on the “Partners” page of the Gamers Outreach website, which is reserved for corporate partners dedicated to helping us make a difference in the lives of hospitalized children. Additionally, we plan to recognize CablesAndKits as a sponsor of Gamers for Giving.

If you’ve got a bit of time, please be sure to send CablesAndKits a note of appreciation on their Facebook or Twitter page. We’re super appreciative of their support, and can’t wait for you to play some games on all this shiny new gear!

We’re looking forward to see you on April 1 & 2 at the EMU Convocation Center!

Ever wanted be a part of the Gamers Outreach crew? Now’s your chance! We’re looking for volunteers to help at Gamers for Giving 2017!

Applying to volunteer is easy. Simply click the link below, tell us about your skills and interests, and if an opportunity is available, we’ll reach out and invite you to join the crew!

Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the Gamers Outreach community, and gain experience working in the games industry. Did we mention you get to help provide recreation to kids in hospitals? How can you say no to this!?

Apply here to help us make Gamers for Giving 2017 awesome. Hope to have you out with us!

Returning for their 8th year (woa), we’re incredibly thankful to welcome ASTRO Gaming as a sponsor of Gamers for Giving 2017! These guys are some of our favorite people in the gaming industry. Having built a GO Kart themselves, the ASTRO Gaming crew has stood alongside Gamers Outreach since the early days of our founding, and the brand continues to be one of our greatest advocates.

ASTRO Gaming creates premium video gaming equipment and peripherals for professional gamers and hardcore enthusiasts. Spun-off from design powerhouse ASTRO Studios, (an industrial design firm responsible for the look & feel of such products as the Xbox 360, HP Blackbird, and Nike+ FuelBand) ASTRO Gaming is a leading manufacturer of video gaming accessories.

If you’re in the market for a new headset, be sure to check out some of the products available at AstroGaming.com. They’re a group of fantastic people who truly produce some of the best accessories available in the market.

We’ll also be awarding a number of ASTRO products to attendees through various activities at the event, as well as our raffle.

We’re looking forward to another great Gamers for Giving event this April, proudly supported by ASTRO Gaming!

Update: please note the new concession hours as of 2/18/17.

Curious to know where you’ll be able to grab some noms during this year’s Gamers for Giving? Don’t worry – there are a number of options to choose from!

While the Convocation Center doesn’t have a dedicated food court, concessions will be open, and there are a few delivery joints near the venue that can have food brought your way. Here’s a breakdown of what will be available…

• Concession Stand: The Convocation Center will be opening its concession stand from…
  • 10 AM – 10 PM on Saturday
  • 9 AM – 8 PM on Sunday

• Local Delivery: If the concessions aren’t offering what you’re looking for, there are a number of local restaurants which can deliver food to the convocation center. Here are a few…
  • Jimmy John’s
  • Domino’s Pizza
  • Aubree’s Pizzeria & Grill
  • Tower Inn Cafe
  • Insomnia Cookies
  • Lucky 7 Chinese Food
  • Ahmo’s Gyros & Deli
• Outside Food & Beverage: Attendees will be able to bring their own outside food and beverages into the venue! Feel free to stock up on snacks at your local grocery store before coming over to the event. Just remember – alcohol is not permitted.

• Local Restaurants: Looking for a place to sit down? Here are a some of the local Ypsilanti restaurants we recommend…
  • Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
  • Sidetrack Bar & Grill
  • The Bomber Restaurant (great for breakfast!)
  • The Wurst Bar
  • Haab’s Restaurant
    
  • STUFD
• Greater Ann Arbor area: If you’re feeling really adventurous and don’t mind driving, downtown Ann Arbor is about 15 minutes away from the venue! Forbes recently ranked Ann Arbor as the best college town in the U.S. and there are a number of great restaurants unique to the area…
  • The Black Pearl
  • Aventura
  • Zingerman’s Deli (famous for their reuben)
  • Cafe Zola
  • Frita Batidos
  • Mani Osteria and Bar
  • The Chop House (if you feel like getting fancy)
  • Old Town Tavern
  • Pizza House (Our favorite late night binge spot, open until 4 AM. Get the cheesy bread!)

We hope this list will provide you with a few helpful options during the course of the weekend. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to shoot us an email, or drop a line over on Twitter.

We’ll see you April 1 & 2 at the EMU Convocation Center!

Well, that escalated quickly! In case you didn’t hear: Gamers for Giving registration opened last Friday! Within 24 hours, all 488 general BYOC seats in our LAN party SOLD OUT! We’ve seen tickets move faster and faster each year, but an entire sell-out within 24 hours is certainly a new thing for us!

Here’s what’s still available (as of January 16):

• VIP LAN Seats
  If you’re still hoping to participate in our BYOC LAN, a handful of VIP seats still remain. VIP tickets come with a variety of benefits, including access to our hospitality lounge, the “Sky Loft”, which is stocked with food and beverages throughout the weekend.
• Halo 5 Passes
  Passes to compete in our Halo 5 tournament are still available! Purchase this ticket if you wish to compete in our Halo tournament, spanning both Saturday and Sunday.
• Call of Duty Passes
  Team passes are still available for our Call of Duty MWR / IW tournaments on PS4! Remember, purchasing a ticket grants you and your team entry into BOTH tournaments. Whether you wish to compete in both is entirely up to you.
• Smash Bros Melee
  Individual passes for the Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament on Nintendo GameCube can still be purchased. Grab this pass if you’d like to compete in this year’s Smash tournament!

Ticket sales are managed by our friends at Intel LANFest, and can be purchased here.

Huge thanks to everyone in the community for the show of support. We’re looking forward to seeing you April 1 & 2 at the EMU Convocation Center!

Gamers rejoice across the land! Registration to participate in Gamers for Giving 2017 has opened!

All tickets are sold through our friends at the Intel LANFest series, and can be purchased here.

Gamers for Giving 2017 will be taking place on April 1st and 2nd at the EMU Convocation Center. This year, we’re chasing down a $200,000 fundraising goal to provide recreation and therapy to hospitalized children across the country. Specifically, a large portion of the funds raised will go towards constructing GO Karts – portable video game kiosks which are used to ensure patients have access to bedside activities during long-term care. Last year, we raised enough money to improve our manufacturing process, and over the coming weeks, more GO Karts will be delivered than we’ve constructed in the entire program’s existence!

Gamers for Giving funding will also help us expand the presence of our new initiative, Player 2, which empowers gamers to support families and staff undergoing treatment within hospitals.

Eager to help us reach the goal? Donations can be made on the front page of the Gamers for Giving website.

Here’s a full breakdown of the passes available to purchase:

• BYOC LAN Seat: $30 Online | $40 at the Door
  Purchase this ticket if you would like to participate in the BYOC LAN. This ticket also grants you entry into all of our headline PC tournaments. As an attendee, you’ll bring your PC / console and have a dedicated space to play video games with fellow attendees for the entire weekend! Internet / 2 power outlets are provided with each seat. We’ll also be supporting a variety of casual PC game servers for leisure-play. Check out the LAN Party section of the website to see a list of things you’ll want to bring.
• VIP LAN Seat & Sky Loft: $125 Online | $200 at the Door
  Purchase this ticket if you would like to participate in the BYOC LAN as a VIP. This ticket includes a number of extra benefits, including…
  • Access to the Gamers Outreach Sky Loft: The Sky Loft is a hospitality lounge with privileged views of the arena floor, set aside as an area for guests, partners, and streamers. Premium food items and beverages will be served in a relaxing atmosphere, overlooking the entirety of the Gamers for Giving venue.
  • Extra Table Space: VIPs receive an extra foot of table space.
  • Early Access to the Venue: VIPs will be able to set up their rigs before the doors of Gamers for Giving open.
  • Gamers for Giving T-shirt: VIPs receive a Gamers for Giving t-shirt as part of their purchase!
  • Skip the Check-in Line: VIPs will be able to bypass the check-in line the morning of Gamers for Giving.
• Halo Team Pass: $160 Online | $200 at the Door
  Purchase this pass to compete in the Gamers for Giving 2017 Halo 5 tournament on Xbox One. This team pass grants a total of 4 players + 1 coach with access to the event. Only 1 member from your team needs to purchase this pass for your group. Team information will be collected when you check-in at the event.
• Call of Duty Team Pass (MWR / IW): $160 Online | $200 at the Door
  Purchase this pass to compete in the Gamers for Giving 2017 Call of Duty Modern Warfare Remastered AND Infinite Warfare tournaments. Tournaments will be hosted on the PlayStation 4 console. This team pass grants a total of 4 players + 1 coach with access to the event. Only 1 member from your team needs to purchase this pass for your group. Team information will be collected when you check-in at the event.
• Super Smash Bros. Melee Player Pass: $20 Online | $30 at the Door
  Purchase this pass to compete in the Gamers for Giving 2017 Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament on GameCube. This pass grants 1 player with access to the event.

As usual, press and spectators will be able to access Gamers for Giving for free! If you are a parent accommodating a minor, a member of the press, or you’re someone who just wants to come and check out the event, you’ll only need to visit the spectator check-in desk when you arrive.

Be sure to help spread Gamers for Giving hype by tweeting us with the hashtag #GFG2017! We hope to see you on April 1st & 2nd at the EMU Convocation Center!

Ready your computers, and grab your controllers! Gamers for Giving 2017 tickets will go on sale Friday, January 13th at 11:00 AM eastern!

Scheduled for April 1st & 2nd, Gamers for Giving 2017 will be taking place within the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center. Here’s a breakdown of the passes available for purchase:

• BYOC LAN Seat: $30 Online | $40 at the Door
  Purchase this ticket if you would like to participate in the BYOC LAN. This ticket also grants you entry into all of our headline PC tournaments. As an attendee, you’ll bring your PC / console and have a dedicated space to play video games with fellow attendees for the entire weekend! Internet / 2 power outlets are provided with each seat. We’ll also be supporting a variety of casual PC game servers for leisure-play. Check out the LAN Party section of the website to see a list of things you’ll want to bring.
• VIP LAN Seat & Sky Loft: $125 Online | $200 at the Door
  Purchase this ticket if you would like to participate in the BYOC LAN as a VIP. This ticket includes a number of extra benefits, including…
  • Access to the Gamers Outreach Sky Loft: The Sky Loft is a hospitality lounge with privileged views of the arena floor, set aside as an area for guests, partners, and streamers. Premium food items and beverages will be served in a relaxing atmosphere, overlooking the entirety of the Gamers for Giving venue.
  • Extra Table Space: VIPs receive an extra foot of table space.
  • Early Access to the Venue: VIPs will be able to set up their rigs before the doors of Gamers for Giving open.
  • Gamers for Giving T-shirt: VIPs receive a Gamers for Giving t-shirt as part of their purchase!
  • Skip the Check-in Line: VIPs will be able to bypass the check-in line the morning of Gamers for Giving.
• Halo Team Pass: $160 Online | $200 at the Door
  Purchase this pass to compete in the Gamers for Giving 2017 Halo 5 tournament on Xbox One. This team pass grants a total of 4 players + 1 coach with access to the event. Only 1 member from your team needs to purchase this pass for your group. Team information will be collected when you check-in at the event.
• Call of Duty Team Pass (MWR / IW): $160 Online | $200 at the Door
  Purchase this pass to compete in the Gamers for Giving 2017 Call of Duty Modern Warfare Remastered AND Infinite Warfare tournaments. Tournaments will be hosted on the PlayStation 4 console. This team pass grants a total of 4 players + 1 coach with access to the event. Only 1 member from your team needs to purchase this pass for your group. Team information will be collected when you check-in at the event.
• Super Smash Bros. Melee Player Pass: $20 Online | $30 at the Door
  Purchase this pass to compete in the Gamers for Giving 2017 Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament on GameCube. This pass grants 1 player with access to the event.

As usual, press and spectators will be able to access Gamers for Giving for free! If you are a parent accommodating a minor, a member of the press, or you’re someone who just wants to come and check out the event, you’ll only need to visit the spectator check-in desk when you arrive.

Be sure to help spread Gamers for Giving hype by tweeting us with the hashtag #GFG2017! We hope to see you on April 1st & 2nd at the EMU Convocation Center!

Ready your controllers, console gamers! This update is for you! Today, we are proud to announce that Gamers for Giving 2017 will feature FOUR headline console tournaments.

Tournaments for each of the following titles will offer guaranteed cash AND/OR sponsored product prizes. Players will have a period of time to check in and warm up prior to the start of each respective tournament on Saturday and Sunday morning. Please see the Schedule section of the Gamers for Giving website for our complete time-frame of activities.

Note: we will be hosting TWO Call of Duty tournaments at Gamers for Giving, taking place on separate days. A single team pass will be available for purchase which will grant entry into BOTH tournaments. Players will be able to compete in both events, or one, depending on preference.

Settings and respective prize pools for each tournament will be made available in the near future. For the time being, we hope this preview will give you the chance to ready yourself and prepare for an incredible weekend of competition at Gamers for Giving 2017!

Registration opens Friday, January 13th. We look forward to seeing you on April 1st and 2nd at the EMU Convocation Center!

The featured console tournaments at our 2017 event will be…

Tournament Platform: Xbox One
Tournament Format: 4 vs 4
Prize Type: Cash Prize (TBD)
Schedule: Begins Saturday, April 1st – Ends Sunday, April 2nd

Tournament Platform: PS4
Tournament Format: 4 vs 4
Prize Type: Sponsored Product
Schedule: Begins & Ends on Saturday, April 1st

Tournament Platform: PlayStation 4
Tournament Format: 4 vs 4
Prize Type: Cash Prize (TBD)
Schedule: Begins & Ends on Sunday, April 2nd

Tournament Platform: GameCube
Tournament Format: 1 vs 1
Prize Type: Cash Prize (TBD)
Schedule: Begins & Ends on Sunday, April 2nd

Quick update! For those of you interested in making travel arrangements, we’ve just acquired a discount link for hotel rooms at the Marriott Eagle Crest. The hotel is conveniently located approximately 8 minutes from the EMU Convocation Center.

Gamers for Giving will run throughout the entire weekend of April 1st and 2nd. The venue will be open throughout the night, and attendees are welcome to stay within the arena. However, if roughing the weekend with a sleeping bag or inflatable mattress doesn’t sound like your thing, the Marriott Eagle Crest is acting as the “official” Gamers for Giving 2017 hotel. Many of our team members and guests will be staying there throughout the weekend.

Discounted rooms are available for booking until February 12th. You can make a reservation here.

Hope to see you on April 1st and 2nd at Gamers for Giving 2017!