SMU students are silhouetted by the video game Rock Band on a projector screen in the new “M” Lounge Wednesday (Casey Lee)
Students filed in as the M Lounge officially opened Wednesday afternoon and headed straight for the game monitors and flat screen TVs, commenting on the high quality and wireless controllers.
The lounge presents many opportunities for students across campus, but it is particularly exciting for the members of SMU’s Video Game Club. Beau Edison, president of the Video Game Club, is most excited about the Rock Band stage because you can face the audience when you play. He also said it will be easier to hold events in an environment that suits the club’s interests.
Lori White, vice president for Student Affairs, began the dedication by calling the M Lounge a “testament to what can be done when a group of people put their heads together and work for a common purpose.” The lounge is not only meant as a gaming location where you can participate in the Guitar Hero tournament, but also as a place for students to meet and socialize.
R. Gerald Turner, president of SMU, is hopeful for the future interaction between SMU Guildhall and the SMU campus, which the lounge presents due to the involvement of Guildhall in the development of the lounge.
“The M Lounge plays a very important role in improving the quality of life for students as a part of the Second Century Campaign,” said President Turner.
The Trigg family, the namesake family of the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, encouraged students to “utilize resources.”
“Though they would not understand most of the technology, the Trigg family would be delighted to see the success of the lounge,” Turner said.
Mark Hogan, marketer for GameStop, hopes that this is just the first step for more engagement in video game stores because everybody is gaming. The technology from GameStop represents a much larger partnership that exists between SMU and GameStop.
Though video games are a large part of the appeal of the lounge, it is also meant to be a hub for student activity for people who might not be as interested in gaming as the SMU Gamers.
“It will be a good place for me to just vent and chill with my friends,” sophomore James Parker said.
The video games and relaxed atmosphere “puts us in touch with our inner child,” Parker said.
