Just a few decades ago, the concept of electronic sports didn’t even exist. But today eSports has become a thriving and extremely prosperous industry. Professional competitive video gaming is expected to reach $16 billion by 2024 through sponsorships, media rights, merchandise, streaming, and various other sources. Around 495 million people all around the world watch matches and support their favorite eSports teams.
However, older generations may find cybersports unfamiliar or even weird. But more and more people choose professional gaming as their main occupation. In this article, we’d like to analyze the essence of such a thing as eSports and explain why parents must support their children’s undertakings in cybersports.
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What is eSports anyway?
Esports is a subset of the gaming industry, in which professional teams compete with each other. These teams consist of multiple players working on a shared goal – winning a game. Competitive video gaming has been around since the 80s, but cybersport, as we know it today, took its form only in the mid-2000s. Advancements in technologies and the distribution of the internet back then contributed to the surge of interest in organized eSports a lot.
Just like in traditional sports, succeeding in eSports demands extensive practice, skill development, and dedication. A lot of aspiring eSports athletes that go to college reach out to essay writer website – sometimes, that’s the only way to save some time and master their in-game skills. In fact, cybersport today is embraced as an extracurricular activity in many colleges. And more and more students are trying to balance eSports and studies today.
That’s not surprising, considering how many benefits a student may potentially get if they succeed at a professional level. The industry is relatively young and constantly develops. The prize pools at some tournaments can be huge – up to 20 million dollars for 16- to 20-people teams. But other than that, what are other benefits except for paychecks and career opportunities? Well, let’s see.
Main benefits of eSports
Gaming in general provides a wide range of advantages when it comes to strategy, problem-solving, and skill development. Players need to have strategic and analytical abilities to make choices for their own characters, analyze their opponents, and devise strategies to overcome them. By learning how to position each character in a game map, gamers acquire knowledge in strategic thinking and game theory.
Plus, throughout the game, players enhance their problem-solving skills by effectively addressing and overcoming unforeseen challenges. People may argue, saying that there are better ways to enhance all these skills and that gaming is just for fun or a waste of time. But hold on!
If you look at professional players, or specifically, their gaming streams, you’ll see how good they are at most of the games played. Even at the ones they’ve never played before – they quickly adapt and adjust all of their knowledge and skills to be the best and win. What can be better evidence to prove the advantages of gaming?
Of course, it takes regular practice, dedication, and perseverance. But as you can see, it’s quite possible to play games for the benefit.
Any other benefits, specifically for students?
First of all, eSports leagues organized by educational institutions promote favorable social interactions and friendships among students. Games that are usually played in school leagues are non-violent and friendly, like Rocket League, Minecraft, and even FIFA. They convey valuable lessons in teamwork and communication, develop leadership abilities, and establish a sense of belonging among students.
The only thing that may prevent students from participating in tournaments is a huge academic load. But with the best write-my-essay services, that’s not a problem anymore. Writing essays is, of course, important, but social interactions and competing are way more significant for a young fellow. Prioritize the right things!
Regardless of whether a student aspires to become a professional gamer or not, there are numerous ways to contribute to the team’s efforts. You can be a shoutcaster and give a play-by-play commentary during games. You can assist with technical setup, manage team statistics, and other stuff. Esports is not limited to playing games solely. It’s a growing industry that needs different people.
eSports is breaking into the mainstream
Numerous eSports enterprises receive financial support via crowdfunding or individual investors. For example, UK-based organization Fnatic successfully raised over £2 million through Crowdcube. Indian philanthropist Tej Kohli invested approximately €20 million into Team Vitality in late 2018. A lot of people are ready to invest in eSports organizations, considering the industry’s pace of development.
A lot of celebrities are interested in eSports, too. And that’s a good thing because it attracts even more investment in the industry. The world of eSports has drawn the attention of well-known soccer players, like Özil, Bale, and Ronaldinho. And all of them established their own team organizations.
Just look at Neymar – one of the top footballers in the world is obsessed with CS:GO. And to be honest, his in-game skills are no worse than his performance on the field.
The rise of esports in the mainstream opens up new opportunities for students who want to explore their passion and talent for gaming. The more attention cybersport gets, the more opportunities it brings to an average student. They can engage in more eSports leagues, tournaments, and events. And most importantly – the mainstream acceptance of cybersport gives young people a chance to pursue diverse career opportunities.
What happens next?
As the future unfolds, we can expect the continued growth of eSports revenues and viewership. Technological advancements such as 5G and virtual reality will also play a significant role in the field of competitive gaming. The technologies and tools used in traditional sports seem to find their place in cybersport as well. With the end of the coronavirus pandemic, we’ll see an ease in the coming years and a resurgence of live events in eSports.
The future of eSports appears promising and full of possibilities. With the widespread popularity of eSports now, educational institutions can empower students to thrive academically and socially. People need to enhance esports experiences for all students. It’s not just playing games, it’s about something deeper, after all.
Conclusion
We are still in the early stages of the overall evolution of eSports as an industry. In comparison to some other industries, it remains relatively small, though extremely prospective. However, as more people, including students, become involved in it, the knowledge and understanding of eSports will continue to expand as well.