GameSquare Holdings (NASDAQ:GAME) has entered into a strategic partnership with Barnes & Noble College (BNC), a division of Barnes & Noble Education (NYSE: BNED) to build collegiate esports and gaming-related programming across the U.S.
Financial terms of this deal were not disclosed.
Under the terms of this new collaboration, GameSquare and Barnes & Noble College will work together to build gaming-related programming targeting “nearly 6 million students across over 1,100 physical and virtual campus bookstores in the US.” Details on what that programming will consist of remains to be seen, but we suspect a formal announcement on that is forthcoming. The new series will be called the Legends Cup.
For its part, Barnes & Noble College will promote and support a new collegiate esports and gaming program developed and managed by GameSquare featuring multiple competitions throughout the 2025–2026 academic year. These competitions will include online qualifiers leading to live finals held on a national stage.
“Gaming and competitive esports are a huge part of campus life, and it’s important to offer programming that fosters competition, education, and social connection,” said Justin Kenna, CEO of GameSquare. “We are providing students with opportunities to build their legacies on campus and earn valuable experiences, all with support and guidance from our established platform. We’re thrilled to partner with Barnes & Noble College to expand our reach and deliver meaningful, student-centered experiences across campuses nationwide.”
Further details about the timing of these competitions, the location of the in-person finals, partners and sponsors, and what games will be utilized will be announced at a later date.