NYC Student Finalists Advance to Minecraft Education “Battle of the Boroughs” Esports Championship

15 Public School Teams and 8 New York Colleges to Compete at the NYC Video Game Festival, Presented by the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment; Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels to Open; Commissioner Rafael Espinal and HipHopGamer to Announce Winners

The 2nd Annual NYC Video Games Festival Takes Place: Convene Brookfield Place, 225 Liberty St
9:00 am - 6:00 pm, Saturday, May 9, 2025

REGISTER FOR $10 TICKETS AND DISCOVER MORE AT nycvideogamefestival.com

LIVE STREAMING: twitch.tv/NYCVideoGameFestival

PHOTO AND VIDEO ASSETS HERE

NEW YORK - May 5, 2026 - The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) today announced new programming and competitions for the previously announced 2nd annual NYC Video Game Festival (NYCVGF), taking place Saturday, May 9, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Convene Brookfield Place.

Highlights include the Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs Esports Finals (BOTB), presented in partnership with NYC Public Schools, and the NYC Collegiate Esports Circuit Finals (NYCCEC), produced with Video Game Amateurs (VGA). The festival will also feature a College and Career Lane in the Collegiate Esports Arena and expanded educational programming in the BOTB Arena, offering students opportunities to explore pathways in game design and related fields.

Students, educators, and families are invited to attend this game community and education-focused event to meet local indie developers, experience a classic arcade, enjoy the activities, and participate in an immersive drone soccer competition.

"New York City is one of the fastest-growing hubs for gaming jobs in the country, and this administration is committed to making sure that growth reaches every borough,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “The students competing here today are building real skills — in coding, design, and collaboration — and we intend to make sure they have every opportunity to turn those skills into careers right here at home."  

Fifteen teams have advanced through the qualifying round to become finalists for the BOTB competition. Representing all five boroughs, three teams from each borough - one elementary (K-5 grade), one middle school (6-8), and one high school (9-12)- will compete in the finals for the championship title. Finalist teams include:

• Queens - Young Women's Leadership School, Astoria; PS/MS 200 - The Magnet School of Global Studies and Leadership; PS 239Q 
• Staten Island - Tottenville High School; IS27 Anning S. Prall; PS 21 Margaret Emery-Elm Park 
• Brooklyn - K371 Lillian Raskin High School; Fort Greene Preparatory Academy; PS 889
• Bronx - Mott Haven Village Preparatory High School; Soundview Academy for Culture and Scholarship; PS 86 The Kingsbridge Heights School 
• Manhattan - Frank McCourt High School; New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math High School (NEST+); PS084 Lillian Weber Manhattan 

Since its inception, the BOTB competition has engaged over 15,000 NYC Public School students, and 2026 set a new participation record, with 3,395 students from schools across all five boroughs, up from 1,200 in the first year in 2021. This year also saw a 44% increase in the number of high school submissions, and a total of 178 schools that have never competed before. These incredible achievements reflect the dedication and enthusiasm of our educators, students, and school communities, who continue to make BOTB an unforgettable celebration of creativity, learning, and innovation.

In addition to Battle of the Boroughs, the NYC Video Game Festival will also feature the NYC Collegiate Esports Finals. Eight teams from SUNY, CUNY and NY private colleges will advance from the field of 27 to go head-to-head in the NYC Collegiate Esports Circuit finals, showcasing top emerging talent and the next generation of competitive players. Teams are in order of first-to-fourth seeded schools: 

• League of LegendsⓇ - Brooklyn College; The City College of New York; Hunter College; SUNY Farmingdale State College
• ValorantⓇ - Baruch College; Pace University; The City College of New York; Brooklyn College

These student competitions showcase efforts by the City of NY to engage students from kindergarten through college with opportunities to enter the digital games industry. Through hands-on experiences, students are introduced to careers in video game design, coding, city planning, and related fields.  

Gerard “HipHopGamer” Williams, is joining the NYCVGF as a NYC Gaming Ambassador to pass out awards during the competitions. Born and raised in East New York, Brooklyn, Williams started gaming at the age of four and is now one of the biggest faces in video games and host on New York City's HOT97 FM radio. HipHopGamer is a Hip-Hop artist making songs for video games such as Street Fighter 6, Watch Dogs 2, Twisted Metal, Destiny, HALO, Uncharted, Mafia, and more. HipHopGamer is also a character in video games such as Watch Dogs 2, NBA 2K Playgrounds 1 and 2, Mutant Football League 2 and the upcoming title The Wrestling Code. HipHopGamer uses games as a platform to engage students in learning including his “PlayMakers” initiative in partnership with Denzel Washington, and to connect gaming culture and entertainment through his nationally syndicated “TheSic60” radio segment. HipHopGamer is also partnered with Chase Bank , New York Stock Exchange, AMD, Gamesbeat, The Global Gaming League and so much more.

A limited number of $10 tickets are still available at nycvideogamefestival.com, but for New Yorkers and broader audiences who can't attend in person, a digital show of the festival will run throughout the day on twitch.tv/NYCVideoGameFestival, featuring live coverage of the event floor, interviews with guests and partners, and competitive gameplay. To follow the conversation on social media, please tag #NYCVideoGameFestival. 

 “What sets the NYC Video Game Festival apart is our focus on the future workforce, preparing young New Yorkers for real careers in the gaming industry,” said Commissioner Rafael Espinal of the NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment. “This isn't just about playing games, it's about building a pipeline into one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world, and making sure New Yorkers are first in line for those opportunities.” 

“The Battle of the Boroughs is a great example of meeting students where they are to expand their interests,” said Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels. “This competition is about showing our young people that the skills they build through gaming - coding, design, and collaboration - are the same skills that lead to real, fulfilling careers. I am incredibly proud of every team competing this year, and I look forward to seeing all that they accomplish.”

"The fact that New York City is taking gaming seriously, truly represents a shift in impact that the game industry is having on the world. This isn't just a hobby, it's a lifestyle, its culture, its connection, and New York City is leading the next generation of economic wealth for all people through the controller," said Gerard "HipHopGamer" Williams.

“The NYC Video Game Festival reflects the energy, talent, and diversity of New York City’s gaming community while also highlighting the growing importance of the digital games industry in our city. From student competition to creator programming and industry engagement, this event is designed to show that digital games are not just entertainment. They are a real part of how young people learn, create, compete, and imagine their future. As New York continues to grow its presence across gaming, esports, interactive media, and digital storytelling, it’s important that we create spaces like this that celebrate the culture while also building awareness around the opportunities, careers, and creative ecosystems connected to it.” - Brandon Henriquez, Founder, Video Game Amateurs