WHY CAMPUSLAN IS BACK
Gaming has always crossed borders, bringing people together through shared challenges, virtual worlds and the simple joy of playing.
“Honestly, I just love the moment around 4 a.m. when everyone’s tired, someone’s still trying to win one more round, and people who didn’t know each other in the morning are suddenly sharing snacks and talking like old friends. That’s why we brought CampusLAN back. If people leave with a few new friends and the urge to come again next year, we did it right.”
Jannik, CampusLAN organiser
From 12:00 on Saturday, 7 November, until 12:00 on Sunday, 8 November 2026, the Mensa at Chemnitz University of Technology will become a 24-hour playground for gamers from Chemnitz and across Europe. Students from all nine Across partner universities are invited to play, explore and connect.
A Chemnitz gaming tradition returns
CampusLAN is more than ten years old. Originally organised by CSN, the Campus Student Network initiative, it brought gaming culture to the university campus long before esports became mainstream. After a break during the COVID-19 pandemic, students from several departmental student councils revived the event in 2023.
What makes CampusLAN special is not just the technology or the competition. It is the atmosphere created when people share something they genuinely enjoy. For some, gaming means strategy and skill. For others, it offers a welcome break from studies and everyday life. And for many, it brings back the excitement of the games they have loved since childhood.
No gaming PC? No problem.
Anyone who wants to bring a PC and set up their own gaming station can register until 7 November, provided places are still available. Around 100 participants are expected over the course of the event.
But CampusLAN is not reserved for players arriving with a complete setup. Visitors can try retro consoles, virtual reality, a driving simulator, board games and a hydrogen-powered racetrack. A shared Minecraft server will also allow participants to build something together during the event.
Those who simply want to watch, meet people or discover what CampusLAN is about can drop by spontaneously.
Find your party across borders
CampusLAN will be hosted and moderated in English, making it easy for international students to take part. The event’s Discord server includes channels for different language preferences and helps players find others who enjoy the same games.
Whether you are looking for a team, a worthy opponent, a co-builder for the Minecraft server or simply new people to meet, Discord is the place to connect before the event begins.
With support from the Across Engagement Team, CampusLAN is expanding beyond Chemnitz and welcoming students from all Across partner universities. It shows how a local student tradition can become a space for international exchange – through shared games rather than formal introductions.
So pack your PC if you have one, bring your competitive spirit if you feel like it, or simply come along and join the community.
CampusLAN 2026 at a glance
When: 7 November 2026, 12:00, to 8 November 2026, 12:00
Where: Mensa, Reichenhainer Straße 55, Chemnitz
Participation: Free of charge
Registration for PC places: campuslan.org
Discord: Join the CampusLAN community