Stephan Holm likes finding different ways to bring people together for fun.

Holm, a freshman accounting major who lives in Lincoln Hall, has been getting people together to play in video game tournaments on his residence hall floor since the beginning of the school year. He said he created the tournaments to unite his floor.

“The reason I would have these tournaments was to get to know people on the floor and to test the gaming skills that other people have,” he said.

Seventy percent of college students play video games at least “once in a while,” according to a Pew Internet research study. The study showed 45 percent of men play video games for fun, and about 33 percent of women play because they are bored

Holm’s most recent tournament game is Madden 2004. Although the tournament is open to males and females, Holm said no females have participated.

“I really have no problems with girls playing, but it really is harder for them to understand football games,” he said.

Sophomore business major Mary Gilbert said she needs an incentive to participate in the tournaments.

“If I had a chance, I would not mind playing in a tournament, but there has to be a certain prize at the end,” she said.

Holm’s tournaments usually have about 10 to 12 people and last about two to three weeks in a double-elimination format, where each player must lose at least two games to be eliminated. About 49 percent of people who play video games said the games keep them from studying some or a lot, and about one in 10 said playing games is a way to avoid studying, according to a USA Today report.

Holm said he tries to find people who need a break from studying and those who have spare time.

“I play to kill time and it also gives you something to do,” freshman marketing major Joe Suchy said. “My first video game that I ever played was Super Mario Brothers, and after that I was hooked. I wouldn’t mind playing in a tournament because it gives you competition in person besides doing it online.”

Holm would like to see more tournaments besides Madden football evolve on his floor in the future.