The Association of Information Technology Professionals is hosting the 45th TekLAN Friday in the Information Technology Building on the second floor from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

TekLAN is a bi-annual gaming event at Georgia Southern University, according to the TekLAN Facebook page. The event is open to all GS students and there will be concessions available.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own gaming consoles, according to the GS event calendar.

Amber Usry, the AITP secretary, said that organizations involved in TekLAN 45 include Aurora Game Development Club, Green Ambassadors, Women in Technology, Eagle ESports, Geeks n’ Gamers Club, Creators Club, Anime Crew, Association of Computing Machinery and Southern Smash.

“We are lucky enough to have a lot of orgs willing to participate and help with the event,” Usry said.

AITP is also hosting a Super Smash tournament during the event. According to the TekLAN poster featured on the GS event calendar, top players will win prizes provided by the Tech Corner.

Usry said that the prizes will consist of headphones, speakers and keyboards. The first place winner of the Smash tournament will also have a $50 donation given in their name to Eagles for Eagles.

The Geeks n’ Gamers club is one of the sponsors for the event. Elvis Mack, president of the GnG club, said that Super Smash Brothers Ultimate tournaments usually garner massive attendance. Mack hopes to show newcomers how fun tournaments can be at TekLAN’s Smash tournament.

“Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has exploded the university since its launch in December,” Mack said. “This will also be people’s first experience of a tournament, so our hope is to show them how fun they can be competing with others and making friends and rivals that will last for years to come.”

Usry also said that food available for purchase will include pizza, chips, soda, energy drinks, water, coffee and various sweets.

“I love the environment, getting a chance to relax [and] socialize and game with old friends and new friends,” Usry said.

Mack said that TekLAN is a gaming event that players of all types can enjoy as well as explore various gaming genres.

“What makes TekLAN so special is seeing various types of players coming together to play games,” Mack said. “It also gives people the chance to experience new things. Never heard of Jackbox? There is a room just for that. Don’t play a lot of fighting games? There is a room for that. It gives players the chance to explore.”

TekLAN has grown at GS immensely since its start as a small event ran by a few friends and clubs. Now the event is open to everyone on campus and is run by four GS organizations with over 1,000 students.

The event takes up the entire second floor of the IT Building, Mack said.

“The event has become a major event for gamers at Georgia Southern,” Mack said.

Elizabeth Gross, The George-Anne News Reporter, ganewsed@georgiasouthern.edu