Derwin James to speak at EDGE Esports Conference

Throughout this entire pandemic and era of self-isolation, video games have become an escape for everyone. Whether you’re just a regular Joe or a professional athlete, the virtual world has probably provided some much-needed time to decompress and melt into a whole other world.

For LA Chargers safety Derwin James, video games have been one of his biggest hobbies since the pandemic started. He’s been absolutely crushing it with Madden, having already won a tournament host by The Checkdown that featured eight other NFL players, including Tyreek Hill, Denzel Ward, and his teammate Keenan Allen.

This Saturday, James was asked to be one of the featured speakers at the EDGE Virtual Esports Conference that is being put on by VY Esports, an L.A.-based global gaming and esports company.

“Students and their parents will hear from gaming and esports industry icons, influencers, players, pro athletes, and music artists who will provide unique insights, stories, lessons, and guidance on how to forge a future in gaming across various career paths,” the company said in their media release. “In addition, EDGE will showcase a live esports event featuring Madden in partnership with the North American Collegiate League.

Apart from James, other celebrities set to take the stage include esports teams FaZe Clan and Team Liquid, rapper and gamer YBN Nahmir, Rams rookie running back Cam Akers, and esports representatives from local universities. James and Akers are scheduled to speak together at 3 p.m. PT before playing each other in a game of Madden 20 at 3:30pm.

“EDGE brings together pro gamers, influencers, and developers in a new way to share their experiences and give attendees the tools to create a promising future within their local gaming community,” said Oleg Butenko, CEO and founder of VY Esports. “We’re excited to partner with GameStop, UPROXX, and American Eagle to develop cutting-edge content and events.”

If you are interested in watching James and Akers’ conversation and their game of Madden, the event will be streaming on Edgelive.gg and both Twitch streams for GameStop and UPROXX.