The emerging gaming scene of Southern Maryland

By Erica Rigoroso     

In the center of the room, extension cords, PC monitors, and various gaming consoles are carried away and placed on neatly organized rental tables in the large community center of a classy apartment complex. There are a handful some other young men waiting around. Some are sitting alone, while some engage in heated discussion about “broken” gameplay mechanics and playable characters in the popular fighting game, Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. A young man with impeccable posture diligently distributes electronics to their respective tables, black cords dangling from his hands, swaying like vines as he strides towards a small table in the middle of the room.

Every Wednesday night, 23-year-old Reid Hancock travels 40 miles to the southernmost part of Southern Maryland to host an independent fighting game tournament. Being the only event of its kind within the Southern Maryland region, Reid provides an opportunity for competitive gaming enthusiasts to connect with others with similar interests.

With the only other and larger gaming tournament being located in Laurel, Reid’s passion and enthusiasm allows for an easily accessible and supportive entry into the competitive gaming scene.

Seated at a counter in the venue, an apartment complex’s community center, Reid eats a burger from Wendy’s as he enters competitors’ usernames into a program that generates the tournament bracket. He dons a red fleece jacket, casually keeping warm in the air-conditioned space.

“This program I’m using is basically a matchmaker; it’s easy to use, but can be really tedious. I try not to get too frustrated when 7 o’clock approaches and I have yet to fill the brackets in completely when there are so many people, but I’m glad that so many people are interested at all.”

Reid, helpful and courteous, explains each step that goes into running Mega Drive.

“I just wanted a cool video game-related name for the tournament,” he chuckles about the weekly competition’s namesake.

For how eager he is, it’s hard to believe that only he and one other person run this entire event each week. He never seems exhausted by the work he does, the passion and dedication he has for this tournament can be felt even during the more mundane parts—clicking and typing away on a small grey laptop.

Though tasked with essential technical and organizational duties, Reid makes sure to welcome each person that comes in. He’s got a disarming presence, making anyone who walks in comfortable as he gives a friendly wave and smile.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt you, but hey there,” a regular attendee says to him as he straightens out a monitor placed on the counter next to him.

Reid steps out of his focus when he recognizes the face greeting him—a stout, blonde man named Matthew—his expression quickly changes as his eyes light up and his mouth curls into a smile.

“Hey! It’s great to see you! It’s been a while since you’ve come around here,” Reid excitedly responds.

This kind of interaction repeats over and over again as 7 o’clock approaches, his excitement never faltering or having any less enthusiasm.

“He’s generally pretty cheerful and positive,” a friend named Anthony contests, “he always brings a lot of good energy wherever he goes.”

Another friend, Michael, chimes in: “When he ran Mega Drive at a different venue, you could really tell he put his heart into this tournament. He’s definitely passionate about these games and just wants everyone to enjoy themselves.”

Growing up, Reid found a community online dedicated to discussing video games, spurring his excitement and fervor for this hobby. Forming friendships with like-minded individuals in middle school and high school only fueled this interest as he discovered his love for this type of gaming.

“I was the typical nerdy band kid at school,” he laughs, “I was even in Computer Bowl and marching band—I played alto sax.”

The friendly disposition forged by this enthusiasm for what he loves has made making friends an effortless skill for Reid, eventually majoring in Communications at the local community college, the College of Southern Maryland.

“Holding this tournament is extremely fulfilling, I’ve made so many friends through this,” he explains.

Though grateful for how far Mega Drive has come since its beginnings in the March of 2019, Reid looks back on the obstacles that he’s faced since then.

He furrows his brow a little as he goes through the list of struggles when running an event like this; yet, there isn’t a hint of despair.

“Well, COVID really hit this tournament, with quarantine and all ceasing all in-person playing. We’ve been gone for two years, but now we’re back, and I’m glad to be here again. But one of the main struggles I still have to deal with is having enough equipment, including tables or chairs, and mostly everything here belongs to me. Some people bring their own stuff, like controllers, but I don’t like the idea of having to rent things out.”

As the night continues on, Reid becomes more and more involved in every match happening, observing the skills of attendees and enjoying the atmosphere of camaraderie. Nothing else can compare to knowing that you’ve provided a positive outlet for those who need it.

Despite being an ordinary guy, Reid’s friendliness and passion for his hobbies has spurred a great community of those with shared interests in the underrepresented region of Southern Maryland within the fighting game scene.