While competitive gaming has existed since the first video games were released, it wasn’t until a few years ago that it began to gain a standing comparable to traditional sports.
Today, people worldwide come together on Twitch and other platforms to watch the top names in gaming battle it out. The viewership often surpasses that of sports like baseball and hockey. In-person esports events pack huge arenas, with fans cheering on their favourite teams in the same way they would at an NBA or NFL game.
The best gamers have made careers out of their passions, and many are celebrated in the same way as traditional athletes. What started in small arcades in the 1980s and internet cafes in the late 1990s and early 2000s has become an industry with millions of fans and multi-million-dollar competitions. In this article, we look at how esports is changing how we view and engage with all sports.
The Growth of eSports
Esports has been around for decades, even if it wasn’t always known by that name. If we look back at the golden age of video games, LAN parties and competitions like the Nintendo World Championships attracted the attention of gamers worldwide. However, nothing could prepare those old-school gamers for what was to come. Today, competitive gaming is widely known as esports, and it’s become a billion-dollar industry. Games like League of Legends, Fortnite, and Dota 2 are household names in the gaming world, and millions tune in to view their tournaments.
Even unexpected games now fall under the esports’ radar. While blackjack is typically considered a casino game, it has moved online recently, attracting new players. These days, many platforms offer different variations of blackjack online, along with tutorials to help new players learn the ins and outs of the game. The arguments for including blackjack under the esports banner are that it involves skill and strategy, just like other esports. It departs from esports because players compete against the dealer and not directly against other players. Whether blackjack will ever be considered a true esport remains an open question.
Whether we’re talking about blackjack or League of Legends, one thing they all have in common is that streaming platforms have played a significant role in their popularity. Platforms such as YouTube and Twitch make it easy for fans to connect and interact with players and watch live tournaments. When major events like The International or League of Legends World Championships take place, their viewership is comparable to that of major sports, making the mainstream appeal of esports undeniable.
The Changing Definition of Athletes
Physical exertion has always been the defining characteristic of sports. What has separated professional athletes from the rest of us is their ability to play sports at a higher level than the general population. When competitive gaming first began using the esports title, it raised a few eyebrows because many didn’t think gamers should be placed in the same category as athletes who played traditional sports. Many argued that gamers weren’t athletes at all.
However, like with everything, people’s attitudes are changing, and they have begun to recognize that the rigorous training professional gamers undergo is, in many ways, the same as that of traditional athletes. Professional esports teams now enlist the help of coaches, psychologists, and fitness trainers to help prepare esports athletes for competitions. Esports athletes put in hours practising the games they specialize in, mastering strategy, and working as a team.
Like athletes in traditional sports, the best esports athletes have gained celebrity status and all that comes with it, including massive followings and sponsorship deals, just like superstars in other sports. Now that esports athletes attract endorsements from major brands and use social media to their advantage, their profile has become even bigger. All of this has led to reconsidering what it means to be a professional athlete, with many agreeing that professional gamers belong in that category.