New club inspired by love of video gaming

There's a new club at Tulane, and it comes with sound effects. The Tulane University Video Game Society is one of the fastest-growing clubs at the university, according to Sean Douglass, president and founder.

Sean Douglass is president and founder of the fast-growing Tulane University Video Game Society. (Photo by Sally Asher.)

The club currently has 286 members, including affiliates from Loyola University, the University of New Orleans and the general citizenry of New Orleans.

“We are second only to Humans vs. Zombies,” quips Douglass, referencing the live-action game that is especially popular on college campuses. Members come from all backgrounds and age groups, and include staff and faculty as well as students. “Everyone loves playing video games,” he says.

Video Game Society members get together every Saturday at 4 p.m. in Jones Hall (room 108) to play games projected on a large screen. They also hold movie nights, contests and special events.

Douglass, a senior majoring in political economy and international relations, says one of the most popular events the club has held so far was “Retro Night,” which was open to the public at large.

“Retro Night is a tribute to the good old days where if your game didn't work, you blew on it,” says Douglass. “We play all the old-school consoles: Nintendo 64, Playstation, Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, Gamecube, Dreamcast and Atari.”

The classic games run the gamut from fighting and sports to role playing and fantasy, and include several generations of Power Stone, Mario Cart, Pokemon, Hey You, Pikachu!, Zelda, Madden, Mortal Kombat and more.

The group is planning another Retro Night to be held early next semester. It will be free and open to the public. Through raffle prizes, the event will raise funds for the Tulane Hospital for Children chapter of Child's Play Charity, an organization that seeks to improve the quality of life of hospitalized children with toys, books and games.