Welcome!

Important: Join our IRC channel, we have a lot of members in there and it's a good way to meet people! Click the IRC link at the top for more details.

Welcome to the University of Essex's Multiplayer Gaming Society (MGS)! We are a society that was set up to get groups of people, who all like to play multiplayer games, together on campus.

The society's focus is on weekly console events, but we also play computer games. We meet every Wednesday from 2pm to 7pm to play console games (both casually and competitively), as well as organising multiplayer computer gaming across campus via our IRC channel.

MGS events
The society's main event is a weekly console event for people to get together and play games in a relaxed environment, and at which there are small but enjoyable tournaments for games such as Halo 3, Pro Evolution Soccer, Mario Kart or Guitar Hero III, to name a few. These are an afternoon event starting at 2pm and ending at 7pm on Wednesdays. Admission to these events will cost a nominal fee (no more than £1 per person for members - the committee hasn't decided the exact price yet).

The society also uses its IRC channels to organise multiplayer PC gaming over the university network and the Colchester area as well as providing support for members wishing to organise their own LAN parties. In the past, MGS has had a small competitive presence in games such as Call of Duty 4, Counter-Strike: Source or World of Warcraft.

A brief history…
MGS was created in 2001 to facilitate multiplayer computer gaming on the University of Essex campus. Over the years, the society has evolved from a loose collection of individuals to a more organised community. A large number of MGS members are University of Essex alumni who have now moved on to jobs in the IT industry and hang around in the society's IRC channel.

From its inception until recently, MGS was primarily a computer gaming society. The society's main focus was bi-termly LAN parties as well as one big, annual, five-day LAN party at the end of June. However, changes in the university's room booking policies have forced the society to change its focus from LAN parties to console games. We hope that the society's new orientation will appeal to new and old members alike.

So, how do you join?
As ever the committee will be managing a stall at Freshers' Fayre where you can partake in a console event to win small prizes. Some members may also be walking around in their MGS T-shirts or hoodies which we will be taking orders for later in the year if you'd like one yourself. You can also sign up at any time during the year at the Student Union (SU) corridor next to the SU bar.

Be sure to visit our IRC channels, as they are the society's main method of communication. There' you will be able to chat with new and old members alike, as well as organise gaming and talk to the committee if you have any queries.