LandonBuford.com Staff
Electronic sport also known as e-Sports and competitive video gaming refers to professional gamers or teams competing against each other in organized competitions, events, or tournaments. It deals with a wide range of video games including shooting games, sports games, first-person shooters, and many more.
These players dedicate their time to becoming highly skilled professionals to compete at top levels. Electronic Sports has become a source of income for esports athletes because just like any other sport, players are highly skilled in their field, compete in events and earn income from it.
The Rise of Video Gaming
E-Sport began taking precedence around the 1990s as a competitive sport and has been attracting investors, sponsors, and viewers ever since. Compared to the 1990s, today, E-sport has become a massive industry expected to make a revenue of $1.5 billion in 2023 and have millions of teams signing up on different sites to compete: Let us explore the factors that have contributed to this massive growth ;
Increase in accessibility
With the advent of advanced technology and high-speed internet, gaming titles and e-Sports has become very accessible for anyone with an interest in it. Gaming hardware and equipment are affordable and easily accessible for a majority of the population. This makes it possible for people to be able to participate in esports when compared to any other form of sport.
Rise of Streaming Platforms and Content Creators
Platforms like Youtube, Facebook gaming, and the infamous Twitch have made it possible and easy for gamers to show their gaming skills to a large audience that tunes in daily to watch them play. Professional gamers with top skills can now interact with their fan base and create content and grow their communities which in turn grows the e-Sports industry.
Professionalization and Training
Just like traditional games, the e-Sports industry has developed training centers for players. With the creation of standard training facilities, game coaches, sponsorships, and team management, there are provisions for the professionalization of the sport. Individuals are provided with adequate resources to develop their skills and become professionals in the sport, earn income and gain global recognition just like any other athlete.
Gaining Global Recognition
Over the years, eSports has become recognized by several countries as a legitimate sports ad source of income for its players. Major sporting events now add it to their list of sports for events such as the Asian Games. The global recognition has further conceived viewers of its legitimacy and elevated its status in the sporting world. This has also led to increased opportunities and sponsorship for gamers.
Increase in Sponsorship and Investment by Brands
The growth of the eSports industry has attracted investment from organizations such as tech companies, traditional sports organizations, and brands. E-Sport has a high ratio of younger players and brands and the organization recognizes it and uses its reach to access that demographic. The sponsorship and investments that it has attracted have supported the growth of the industry as they are provided with adequate funds to create professional teams, pay players, and organize competitive events.
While fun and entertainment might be a major appeal of competitive gaming to the audience, it is by far not the only appeal as it involves so much more than being able to use game consoles.
Competitive gaming requires top intellectual skills in order to become professionals in the realm. It also requires problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and strategic planning. Lots of games require these skills to be played and that is the reason they appeal to the majority of the players and viewers.
Casino gaming is an example of another type of competitive gaming, with some casino games requiring players to use a strategy to help them win. Since the transition online, more players are opting to play online casino games using bonuses offered by most casino providers to make the games cheaper.
Popular E-Sport Genres
Several e-sports games from several genres are quite popular among players and audiences alike and some of these are:
- Multiplayer Online Battle Arena: This game involves team players controlling powerful characters to destroy enemy bases. Examples of games in the genre are: League of Legends and Heroes of the Storm ( HotsS ).
- First-Person Shooter (FPS): this kind of game requires players to use characters armed with firearms and other weapons to compete against each other in combat. Popular games in this genre are Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, and Overwatch. This genre of e-Sports requires teamwork, criteria thinking, and tactical decision-making.
- Sports games: One of the most popular games in the world is not left out of the esports games. Games like FIFA ( soccer ), NBA 2K (basketball), and Madden NFL (American football) attract a lot of players as they are very popular among viewers.
The e-Sports industry is still gaining global recognition and acceptance with more people seeing a career in the industry. It is gaining respect and becoming profitable for both players and investors and it is predicted to bring in more revenue by the end of 2024. It is gradually changing the competitive environment and the sporting industry.
