Rise of Esports: A Deep Dive into Competitive Online Gaming
Until recently, video gaming stood in stark contrast to traditional sports. Most people, including leaders, educators, and parents, disapproved of children spending time playing video games (while traditional sports have always been approved).
Little did they anticipate, however, the transformation of gaming into a fully-fledged industry marked by extreme competitiveness and moreover, by community engagement.
Today, electronic sports, commonly known as esports, captivates a broad audience from various age groups. Esports have also brought up fresh career prospects and alternatives for those seeking options beyond traditional sports.
Esports has rapidly transitioned from a niche pastime mostly pursued by teenagers to a global sensation that adults are passionate about. The swift evolution of this competitive gaming niche not only redefined the gaming industry on the global scale but also reshaped the overall perception of gaming.
Gaming's Evolution: From Child's Play to National Phenomenon and the Billion-Dollar Esports Boom
In the 1980s, video game consoles were labeled as mere children's toys. However, adults also quickly discovered the thrill they offered via gaming. As a result, video gaming evolved from a mere pastime into a widely popular hobby and later a sports phenomenon.
Esports today takes gaming to unprecedented heights no one expected. The transition of video gaming to the status of a legitimate sport happened quickly, mostly due to the scaling popularity of video gaming streams on popular platforms. Esports turned into a booming billion-dollar international industry in recent years. It has started to even outperform the online casino gambling industry and no deposit bonus codes in Canada for casino games are now less attractive for gamblers than making a bet or two on an upcoming video gaming tournament.
At the time of writing, esports surpassed $1 billion valuation and attracted millions of viewers to tournaments broadcasted on local and international platforms. Acknowledging the economic appeal of esports, corporate sponsors and all kinds of organizations contribute to the growing legitimacy of esports, making and paying huge money within this niche.
The Thriving Ecosystem of Esports
Esports is based basically on a diverse ecosystem that includes game publishers, players, teams, tournament and league organizers, fan communities, as well as sponsors and advertisers. Frequently, tournaments center around a specific game, and it's common for the organizer to also serve as the game's publisher.
The majority of tournaments means there is a cash prize, so professional gamers can generate some impressive income based on their performance. Moreover, the most successful teams and players compete for further sponsorships.
Esports' development has also transformed the gaming industry in a different way. Game developers currently focus on creating and enhancing games in terms of catering not just to casual players but also to those engaged in competitive gaming. Instead of making products for individual fun, game publishers work on games that offer strategy, immersive spectator experience, and adaptability for competitive play.
As some of the most interested and profiting stakeholders, game publishers also invest substantially in establishing leagues and tournaments, creating conditions for gamers and their audiences. It also means additional jobs, and evolution of technologies.
Professional Gamers as Athletes, Ambassadors, and Strategists
As the industry was developing, passionate gamers have evolved into professional athletes and influential figures. Beyond mastering the games they play, they work as brand ambassadors, content creators, and global icons. They are viewed as chess or poker athletes, and no one now dares to claim that esports is not real sports - especially when they see the bills.
These gamers actually undergo rigorous training and competition to be in the top teams and get a chance to win some impressive prizes. They are expected to demonstrate peak performance, and frequently participate in team-based competitions. Players in each team have to work on synchronized strategies and exceptional teamwork. This is why being a pro gamer is actually hard work.
Teams are important because they give more flexibility to each player and have more chances for success as a group. These are some of the most popular esports teams in the world:
- T1 (League of Legends)
- RRQ Hoshi (Mobile Legends)
- Natus Vincere (CS:GO)
- DRX (League of Legends)
- FaZe Clan (CS:GO)
- ONIC Esports (Mobile Legends)
- Gen.G Esports (League of Legends)
- EVOS Legends (Mobile Legends)
- G2 Esports (CS:GO)
- DWG KIA (League of Legends)
On the other hand, individual players are those who make the team. They often have the background of streamers and popular video game bloggers. These are some of the most famous esports streamers:
- Michael “k3soju” Zhang, a former League of Legends pro and current Teamfight Tactics player.
- Frederik “NoWay” Hinteregger is a German League of Legends player who has been competing in the discipline for over a decade.
- Cody “Clix” Conrod is not only the third-most-watched esports professional in live-streaming but the most-watched Fortnite streamer.
- Phillip “ImperialHal” Dosen. is a well-known Apex Legends professional and recently won his first-ever ALGS Championship, the most prestigious event in Apex Legends esports.
- Sam “s0m” Oh began his professional Counter-Strike journey in 2017 on the team Naventic.
- Óscar “mixwell” Cañellas Colocho began his professional career as a Counter-Strike Source player, and enjoyed a long career in CS:GO that lasted almost a decade
- Daigo “DaigoTheBeasTv” Umehara is one of the most famous names in Fighting Games history.
- Marcin “Jankos” Jankowski is a League of Legends esports professional and has been competing in the European league since 2014.
Tournaments
Every year, hundreds of smaller and bigger tournaments take place in different countries, bringing together gamers from different leagues and focusing on various games. These are some of the most widely-known esports tournaments that took place in 2023:
- World Championship (League of Legends)
- M5 World Championship (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang)
- M4 World Championship (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang)
- MLBB Southeast Asia Cup 2023 (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang)
- Mid-Season Invitational 2023 (League of Legends)
- Season 12 (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang)
- MPL Indonesia Season 11 (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang)
- LCK Summer 2023 (League of Legends)
- BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 (CS:GO)
- LCK Spring 2023 (League of Legends)
The economic significance of esports cannot be ignored. The industry's revenue streams, including sponsorships, advertisements, merchandise, and media rights, are constantly growing. Global attention and increasing investments promise further expansion of the industry. =
The future of esports is truly promising, pushed forward by technological advancements and an increasing selection of gaming products. The permanence of the esports movement is evident, indicating that this billion-dollar industry will continue to gain significance and popularity in the future and expand its fanbase. Even mainstream audiences are starting to acknowledge the legitimacy of esports, leading to its further acceptance.
Although esports is not yet to be part of the 2024 Paris Olympics, the International Olympic Committee conducts an Olympic Esports Series. We can really expect that in the future, esports will be integrated into the conventional Olympic Games.