Sources: Activision Blizzard collegiate partner Tespa closing down

North American collegiate esports organization Tespa is coming to a close and will make way for new university programs from game developer Activision Blizzard, according to sources.

Headquartered in Blizzard’s offices in Irvine, California, the company confirmed to members that the “Tespa name and brand will not continue to exist come 2021” according to documents obtained by Dexerto.

Since their national expansion in 2013, the organization has existed as an “event support network” for colleges who have gaming and esports initiatives. In 2014, they partnered with Blizzard to host collegiate events for Hearthstone, League of Legends, StarCraft II, Heroes of the Storm, and Overwatch.

Following the closure of Tespa, the developer will continue to host competitive programs for students across North America. At the time of writing, there are programs for Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

The decision was at least partially made due to the restrictions surrounding hosting events in 2020 due to the global health situation. Tespa will “indefinitely” cancel their Chapter Program, a network of officially-recognized gaming clubs for students across Canada and the United States.

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“With the rapid amount of change that has been in effect this year, we’ve taken time to reflect and plan for how we want our collegiate programs to grow in the future,” a document reads.

“The Tespa name and brand has been with us since the beginning, and although we are moving on from this brand, we’re excited for the opportunity to integrate more with our game franchises.”

Further solidifying the end for the company, there are plans to close the Tespa Community Discord — a hub for those who take part in the program.

To commemorate the closure, the company will share highlights and milestones from the community on their Twitter from December 9 to the end of the month.