eSports: A Professional Sport?

Everyone knows that gaming has increased massively in recent years, and the landscape today is a far cry from the one that was in place when the industry first launched. Gaming has gone from being a hobby to something that people can actually earn money from. Of course, to hopeful children and teens, the idea that people can earn money from doing something they are passionate about is an exciting notion and this is likely why the number of gamers is only increasing. Something else that is also increasing is the eSports scene, which most will know is competitive gaming.

Gaming has always been competitive, but the introduction of eSports took this to another level. Now, the best players in the world can earn staggering amounts of money to do things that they love, and this is the exact same philosophy that fuels professional gamblers in their exploits. Gambling is another industry that has enjoyed mesmeric success in recent years, but it is not accessibly by everyone. For example, in America, the Oregon gambling age is 18 and over. On the other hand, gaming can be accessed by everyone, which is why it is such a popular activity with many.

While eSports have been recognized as a professional sport in some countries, the reality is that most of the world still do not view it as a professional sport. This no doubt frustrates those elite gamers who do play at the highest level as they will be aware of how difficult it is to compete with other elite gamers, day in day out. No one can say that professional gamers do not train just as hard as traditional athletes, but instead of training parts of or their whole bodies, gamers train their dexterity, problem-solving skills and reaction time, among a host of other skills.

eSports isn’t just something that talented gamers do for fun in their spare time. The best players in the world will dedicate their waking hours to the game of their choice, as there is no other way to be the best at it other than playing all day. Those who are part of massive eSports organizations such as TSM or G2 will also typically be placed in a shared house by those organizations, so teammates can build bonds on and off the computer.

While much of the world still has yet to recognize eSports as a professional sport, there is no doubt that the world is heading in that direction. Today, people who claim they want to be a professional gamer will not be discouraged, as people are aware of how lucrative the career can be assuming players are good enough. In addition to this, some universities around the world even offer eSports scholarships, illustrating that even traditional intuitions can recognise how serious eSports is and how it is here to stay.

eSports is growing every year as more people tune in to watch their favorite teams on the world stage. Although it is not viewed as a valid sport in many places across the world, there is no doubt that it demands a certain level of talent and skill – just like any other sport.