Competitive video game playing, also known as esports, is now a high school varsity sport in eight states.
It began with Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island in the fall of 2018. A few months later, the National Federation of State High School Associations said Alabama, Mississippi and Texas Charter schools have joined the mix.
CNN was recently invited to see to a competition in Georgia between North Atlanta High School and Grady High School, also in Atlanta, at the city’s newest esports arena. The venue opened in February as part of the Johnson STEM Activity Center.