The actual history of eSports dates back to as early as 1972 when a bunch of students competed in a game for the reward of a yearly subscription of the rolling stone magazine. This small tournament took place at Stanford, as it was one of the very few places with hardware strong enough to play games.
But what is the main difference between a game and a sport? A sport can be made by combining a game, spectators, and competitors. After the introduction of eSports, it quickly began to earn more reputation, and now, it is on track to become one of the most-watched things within the next few years.
Sports Competitions Re-Introduced
Ever since the production of video games, players have been competing for high scores. As time passed, the internet began to reach in every home, and video games followed. Games have millions of active players these days.
The era of the arcade had ended for good. Now, your opponent can be on the other side of the world, staring at their screens like you. Online gaming is at its peak these days. This has become a very lucrative business over time.
The Growing Popularity Of eSports
Three elements contributed to the immense popularity of eSports.
- Organized leagues, with live streaming.
- Professional players with large fan bases.
- Live events in sports avenues.
One of the best platforms that gaming fans can visit to see live streams of sports and games is Twitch. People from anywhere around the world can access Twitch easily to watch their favorite players live to stream.
Twitch is one of the most renowned gaming platforms in the United States, and that’s why almost everyone knows what it is. In 2014, Amazon bought Twitch for around $1 billion, and the art form has been increasing in popularity ever since. Affording to recent statistics, Twitch now has over 5 million active viewers, who, spend around 2 hours every day watching the live streams of different games. This is more than even primetime TV shows. Also, the fact that the number of eSports fans is projected to double in the next 3 years promises a bright future for platforms like Twitch, and gamers in general.
Going Digital Is The Right Way Forward
Every industry takes a certain number of years and an incubation period to reach its actual potential, eSports (กีฬาอีสปอร์ต) is no different. But compared to other industries that were introduced well before eSports, this industry has grown a huge fan base in a relatively short period. The numbers are comparable with sports like the NFL and NBA.
The fans of eSports have also started filling the stadiums, just like any other major sporting event. But eSports has its own set of problems just like other sports. The trend of player exploitation and performance-enhancing drugs is also on a rise. So, we’ll have to eliminate all of these issues before considering eSports as a major event.
