All worksheets / Competitive Gaming
Edition 2026Active Merit Badge
Competitive Gaming
Official Requirements & Fillable Workbook · 2026 Edition
Competitive Gaming explores the fast-growing world of video games and esports. You will examine the history of gaming from early arcade cabinets to global arenas, apply the Scout Oath and Law to digital communities to counter toxicity, maintain balanced screen-time, sleep, and physical fitness habits, build a custom gaming PC parts list, and explore collegiate esports and careers across game development and broadcast production.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Ergonomics, Nutrition & Healthy Gaming
- Sportsmanship & Online Code of Conduct
- Team Strategy, Communication & Review
- Esports Tournament Management & Careers
12Printable Pages
7Requirements
2026Reqs Revised
What is on the worksheet: Competitive Gaming Requirements
Every requirement for the Competitive Gaming merit badge, word for word as published, with room to write under each one on the printed worksheet.
1History of Gaming
History of Gaming. Do the following:
- a Create a timeline showing how video gaming has evolved since 1958. Include at least one significant event from each decade.
- b Identify and define five major video game genres. Provide an example for each.
- c Explain the difference between video gaming and esports. Include how esports incorporates elements of organized competition such as teams, tournaments, rules, coaching, and spectatorship. Provide two examples of games that are commonly played casually as video games but are also used in organized esports competition.
- d Identify and define five major moments in the development of esports as an industry since 1990. Include key tournaments, technological advances, and organizations that helped shape competitive gaming globally. Discuss your findings with your counselor.
2Living the Scout Oath and Law Online
Living the Scout Oath and Law Online. Do the following:
- a Define the term "toxicity in gaming." Describe a real or hypothetical example of toxic behavior in online play and outline how the situation could be prevented or resolved by applying the Scout Oath and Law.
- b List five strategies for handling negative online gaming experiences. Describe how each strategy reflects a point of the Scout Oath or Law.
- c Research the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating system. Record the ratings of the video games you own and compare them to your age group. Explain to your counselor whether you agree with the ESRB descriptions.
- d List five ways to create a positive online gaming environment for yourself and others. Demonstrate one of these methods with your troop, patrol, or family.
3Gamer Health and Balance
Gamer Health and Balance. Do the following:
- a Read two credible articles describing positive aspects of video gaming and two describing negative aspects. Create a chart showing where the articles agree or disagree.
- b Track the amount of gaming you do each day for two weeks. Record and summarize your results.
- c Track your daily physical activity for the same two weeks. Compare your results to the CDC recommendation of one hour of moderate-to-vigorous activity per day for youth ages 6-17.
- d Track your daily sleep for the same two weeks. Compare your results to the CDC recommendation of 9-12 hours for ages 6-12 and 8-10 hours for ages 13-18.
- e After completing 3(b), 3(c), and 3(d), create a one-week balanced schedule that includes healthy sleep, physical activity, and agreed-upon gaming time. Follow this schedule and summarize your results.
4Gamer Safety and Community Connection
Gamer Safety and Community Connection. Do the following:
- a Explain the benefits and risks of gaming online.
- b Research and list ten ways to stay safe when playing video games online.
- c Play one of your favorite games with your parent or guardian for at least 30 minutes. Demonstrate how to use privacy and safety settings, explain what you enjoy about the game, and let them play for part of the session.
- d Play an online or local multiplayer game with another Scout, friend, or community member in a cooperative or team-based setting. The match may be casual or competitive. During play, demonstrate positive communication, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Afterward, review the experience with your counselor and describe how cooperation and communication influenced your team's performance and overall enjoyment of the game.
5Technology in Competitive Gaming
Technology in Competitive Gaming. Do the following:
- a Explain the difference between console gaming and PC gaming. List the advantages and disadvantages of each.
- b Play the same game on at least two different platforms. Describe the similarities and differences in gameplay and performance.
- c Visit a PC builder website such as PCPartPicker or Micro Center. Design your ideal gaming PC and create a parts list that includes: central processing unit (CPU), motherboard, random access memory (RAM), hard drive, power supply, graphics card, fans, case. Discuss your selections with your counselor.
6Leadership and Service in Competitive Gaming
Leadership and Service in Competitive Gaming. Do ONE of the following:
- a Teach your troop, patrol, or a group of younger Scouts or family members about online gaming safety or digital citizenship.
- b Attend or view a live-streamed esports event online, such as a professional tournament, collegiate match, or school-level competition. Take notes on how the broadcast team presents the event, how players communicate, and how the audience interacts digitally. Share with your counselor what you learned about the structure and presentation of online esports competition.
- c Attend an esports tournament, convention, or community event that includes a competitive gaming activity or demonstration. Attend with another Scout, troop member, or family member. Afterward, share with your counselor what you learned about the atmosphere of live esports events and how the experience changed your understanding of playing games competitively in front of an audience.
7Exploring Professions in the Competitive Gaming Industry
Exploring Professions in the Competitive Gaming Industry. Do the following:
- a Research two colleges that offer varsity esports programs. Record the following information for each: availability and amount of gaming scholarships, offered gaming or IT-related degrees, games played by the esports team, league or association in which the team competes.
- b Research three gaming-adjacent careers that support or connect to the esports industry but are not esports athlete roles. Examples may include: game designer or developer, shoutcaster or broadcast producer, data analyst or statistician, marketing or event coordinator, IT or network support specialist. For each career, identify the main responsibilities, education or training requirements, and how the role contributes to the success of the gaming or esports ecosystem.
- c Visit the "Careers" or "Jobs" page of a major game publisher (such as Blizzard, Riot, Epic or Nintendo). Choose three jobs that interest you. For each, identify the required education, skills, and experience.
Two dates, two different things
Requirements Revision vs. Worksheet Date
Scouting America last revised the Competitive Gaming requirements in 2026. That is the badge, not this sheet — an older year does not mean the worksheet is out of date.
Verbatim Fidelity & Verification
This worksheet was checked against https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/competitive-gaming/ in Aug 2026 and reproduces the requirements word for word. Both dates are printed on the sheet, so a copy in a binder can always be placed in time.
Requirement text is © Scouting America, reproduced verbatim. The worksheet layout and design are original to this project.
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