Shattering The Stigma On Video Games

There has always been a stigma around video games ever since their explosion in the 70s and 80s. These digital delights, which came in the form of video arcades and large, antiquated consoles, received the ire of parents who thought their children should be doing more productive things.

It had been treated as the culprit of the plummet of kids’ attention spans over the past years and their apparent loss of interest in more physical activities. Worse, the older generation attributes the lack of regard for physical reality and physical relationships to these games. 

But of late, despite some protestations from the more kinesthetically-involved crowd that these do not fall under the category of sports, eSports have been seeing a shift in its perceived reputation. This has been a comprehensively positive one, with reasons stretching from a lucrative income stream to a tool for developing focus and strategy among the younger generation. All in all, the discussion on eSports has seen a change toward acceptance.

Positive Outlook

The positive outlook toward eSports has resulted in the expansion of venues that cater to it. Among the more globally-known ones are the following;

1. PUBG Mobile Global Championship

2. M3 World Championship

3. M2 World Championship

4. PGL Major Stockholm

5. The International 10

Regular training is held for teams that join these tournaments. Valve’s online strategy video game, DOTA is among the games that have a vibrant playing community. 

Across the globe, DOTA 2 secures 7.6 million active players monthly. Meanwhile, the popular Play-to-Earn (P2E) game, Axie Infinity, has also become one of the most trending mobile games. It took the space by storm in 2020 and 2021 during the heightened restrictions in the global pandemic—Axie Infinity clocked in active daily players of 708,702 in 2021, with a high concentration in the Philippines.

These numbers strongly suggest popular culture’s embrace of eSports, completely trumping the chagrin it initially received decades before. 

Its usage of the very name also indicates that eSports had earned a place as a legitimate competitive activity. While not akin to the sporting events seen in the Olympics or Asian Games, it had garnered the respect of its community and the media that reports its every exploit.

eSports: Profit and Career

Many have forayed into the space, thinking that they can turn it into an alternative income stream. Some would even go as far as to consider it a career.

Axie Infinity launched what it called the Axie Infinity scholarship. The program allows players, called “scholars” who want to play the game, to do so despite personal financial constraints. 

The scholars are usually taken in by managers who are just players without the luxury of time but can produce the necessary number of SLPs or AXS tokens. 

This effort ushers in a most interesting fusion of business and gaming. While various eSports teams train their members, The Axie Infinity scholarship is a first-of-its-kind program that primes the eSport to become a gaming institution.

The Top 5 ESports For 2022 That You Should Be Playing

If you are interested in entering the eSports arena, you might want to try playing these 5 games. The common element that ties these games is the air of competition and belongingness that they foster. But mind you, there are other games out there that might be more of your speed. 

These games are only being discussed in light of their popularity and gameplay.

1. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a First Person Shooter (FPS) published by Valve. It is touted as one of the best FPS games to have ever been developed. Players who are into this kind of genre may download the game through the Steam Launcher.

Here, players are pitted against terrorists or counter-terrorists depending on the side that they choose. They battle it out through a show of ammunition to achieve several high-stake goals. 

The game is highly competitive. If players were to die, they are not given the chance to re-spawn. They stay dead up until the match’s end. 

2. League of Legends (LOL)

This Riot games-published Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) is a top-down fantasy game. Players are given the option to choose their characters and battle lane. Once this is done, the countdown to the fight begins. 

The LOL players’ main goal is to get across the map and obliterate their opponent’s Nexus. Throughout the game, minions and turrets are scattered across the environment with players tasked to take them out.

3. Fortnite

Published by renowned game studio Epic Games, Fortnite is a Battle Royale game that boasts an array of characters and stylized weapons. The visuals and overall art style are almost theatrical. 

In Fortnite, players can build their forts which they have to defend against the opposing forces.

4. DOTA 2

One of the most popular games in all of the eSports space, Defense of the Ancients 2 (DOTA 2) is yet another MOBA game developed by Valve. 

In DOTA 2, two opposing teams of 5 members must battle it out to get to the “Ancient.” This is a sacred structure that serves as a source of all the characters’ powers. The team that can reach the Ancient and destroy it is declared the winner.

5. Overwatch

Blizzard Entertainment released the second FPS game on our list, this popular game. Overwatch is a co-op game that focuses on heroes. It has more than two dozen of these heroes who are unique in their own right. What this means is that each character has its strength or specialization. The only way for a player to discover these specializations is for them to jump into a match with a hero. 

The players’ mission is singular and that is to destroy the opposing team.

To Play or Not To Play?

Much like any video game, these 5 games foster an environment of inclusivity and belongingness.

Despite video games’ long and often maligned past, eSports have stepped up to the occasion to become one of Pop Culture’s essential markers. 

eSports brought what was once seen as an unhealthy pastime to the fore, transforming video games into a lucrative and well-loved activity by players from all walks of life.