On Wednesday, Aug. 28, the Brandeis Department of Student Engagement celebrated the opening of the Shapiro Campus Center’s new Game Room. 

Located on the second floor of the SCC, the Game Room is home to a variety of games and activities for Brandeis students to enjoy. The new Game Room has continued to offer popular amenities, including three pool tables and two ping pong tables. What's new are the two designated video game rooms that offer large televisions and spaces to play the Nintendo Switch, the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5. 

Students can reserve equipment for the Game Room by presenting their Student identification cards at the service desk on the first floor of the SCC. Traditional board games and lawn games such as cornhole, giant scrabble and bocce are also available to reserve. 

The Game Room is just one part of the Shapiro Campus Center Enhancement Project, which was announced by the Brandeis Division of Student Affairs in April 2023. The project began with the reallocation of SCC meeting spaces among student clubs and organizations in May 2023. Shortly after, the Brandeis Food Pantry was moved from the Usdan Student Center to SCC room 316. 

This summer, the SCC received a fresh coat of paint, bright canvas prints featuring Brandeis students and a new line of study desks on the second floor, in addition to the new Game Room. According to the executive summary of the Shapiro Campus Center Enhancement Project, next steps will include a reevaluation of food service offerings in the SCC as well as the continued maintenance of meeting and lounge spaces. 

Before it was relocated, the Game Room previously resided in the Usdan Student Center alongside the Brandeis Food Pantry. Now that both the Game Room and the Brandeis Food Pantry have been moved to the SCC, it is unclear what the empty space in Lower Usdan will be used for. Currently, the room seems to be a mixed study and gathering space where students can relax on couches, sit around large tables or work at desks. The room may also serve as an overflow space for both Upper and Lower Usdan, offering additional seating during peak dining hours.