Vision for the future - Scottish Esports League Season 4

James Hood is the founder and CEO of Esports Scotland. Since starting the 'Xbox Scotland'' Facebook group in 2017, he has been one of the main driving forces behind ESS over the last 4 years. Taking things from virtual dreams to reality, James is always thinking big and envisioning what the future of esports in Scotland has in store for us all.

I'm a very passionate Scotsman who is proud of his country and is proud to watch its development and its people. Scotland has a great name within game development and I want to make the Scottish Esports League one of the best competitive leagues in the world. Growing up in the 80's and 90's, my friends and I loved gaming. From Mario Kart to GoldenEye to Street Fighter to Halo, we all loved competing against each other. That competitive rivalry is so strong in Scotland and it's amazing to see a new generation of kids starting to realise that there are genuine opportunities that can come from their passion - that's how I feel now! I'm working and helping to shape an industry that I'm a fan of and have loved for over 35 years. I was one of those guys hanging around ASDA for a midnight game release! The thing I love the most about gaming is how it connects people from any background. As soon as you are playing a game with someone, all social barriers are down and you are locked in with people you don't know and may never see again. But for those short moments, you are sharing an enjoyable, unforgettable experience.

When I look back to where we started - having a corner at a LAN event in Kirkcaldy, to the Biscuit Factory in Edinburgh, to a Transformer esports truck in Glasgow, to Covid - it's clear that we have gone from strength to strength. We now have a truly incredible and passionate team who work tirelessly behind the scenes, all pushing with that one vision of creating great content and telling stories to create the platform for the Scottish esports scene to grow! My vision is to make esports in Scotland accessible to all, and to build the foundations for communities to grow and for new organisations to be created. Then smile and watch the new rivalries start!

I want people who love games to feel like there is an opportunity for them: if they work hard they too could be involved in the gaming and esports industry.

We started as an idea and like-minded people bought into that idea and have helped shape ESS into what it is today. With the team, partners, and experience that we have, the future has never looked better for esports in Scotland and we want to play our part to bring Scotland up to speed with the rest of the world. No more Scottish sporting hard-luck stories, we have the passion, desire and now the platform to compete with the rest of the world.

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About the Author

James Hood

James is a passionate gamer and father of 3 whose vision for Scotland's gaming future is what made Esports Scotland the success it is today.