As of 2022, the eSports industry has been valued at over a billion dollars, making it one of the fastest rising markets over the past few years according to Statista. However, when people talk of Esports, a few popular mobile video games come to mind—League of Legends, DOTA 2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), Valorant, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, among others.
You may be wondering what eSports are all about, and how a game qualifies as such. Let’s deep dive into the world of eSports, and how this became a global phenomenon.
What are Esports?
Esports (short for electronic sports) are skill-based video games played competitively against other players, whether as individuals or as teams, in an organized setting. It’s like any other traditional sport, except the skill is shown through a player’s proficiency in a particular video game.
Can all video games become Esports?
Not all video games can become Esports, since not all video games have a competitive player vs. player (PVP) aspect as its core gameplay. As popular as Elden Ring or The Last of Us may be, these games are single player adventures that may require skill to finish the game, but lack the competitive aspect against other players.
From Capcom Official Website
Skill-based competition is the foundation of all sports, and it is no different for Esports. It’s for this reason that certain game genres proliferate the modern scene. Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, first person shooter (FPS) games, and fighting games are thriving because they meet the competitive PVP requirements of an Esport.
Do video games need backing from its developers to become eSports?
The support and backing from a game’s developer or publisher isn’t necessarily required to turn a game into an Esport–but it helps immensely when it’s there. What truly elevates a game to becoming an Esport, though, is having a thriving competitive community.
From Riot Games Official Website
A video game can be highly competitive and require a lot of skill–but without a community that’s passionate about the game, the chances of it becoming a recognized Esport are slim. A game’s player base is its built-in fanbase, as well as its potential roster of players for organized tournaments and leagues. Without a player base that loves playing and watching others play, potential organizers won’t be enticed in setting up competitions–possibly stalling a game from turning into an Esport.
It’s in this aspect that a game’s developer backing the competitive scene is helpful. Proper funding for organized competitions is what makes or breaks an Esport–and while the funding may not always come from the game’s publishers, community-organized events still exist.
Take for example the ESports scene for Super Smash Bros. Melee. Nintendo has been notorious for being protective about their intellectual property, and supporting the Esports scene of a twenty-year-old game that has seen more recent installments isn’t one of their priorities. However, grassroots tournaments like the Smash Summit Series and Collision keeps the Melee scene alive despite Nintendo’s lack of support. It goes to show how powerful the community is in keeping an Esport thriving.
Are Esports exclusively played online with fast internet connections?
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