It’s an Esports evolution

Over the years, Esports have become one of the most popular competitive entertainment venues in the world.

Even with its staggering viewing numbers, it still hasn’t gained the respect it deserves as an actual sport. Most of this doubt comes from older generations, as 62% of viewers are from ages 16 to 34. I believe that this is due to older people not having a point of reference for how difficult professional gaming is. If I was to sit down with my parents and show them some Esports highlights like Jstn’s beautiful flip resets in the Rocket League Championship Series playoffs or an amazing flick triple from Shroud in his Counter Strike Global Offensive days, they wouldn’t even understand what they were seeing.

However, for me and anybody else that has ever tried to play these tough games, we see a beauty, a mental feat, something that few people in the world are able to pull off in environments where the pressure is on.

It’s much more than some guys pressing some buttons and having fun. These teams train and put in the work for their craft just as much as any professional athlete, and I’m tired of people downplaying the skill of these athletes.

Viewership is also taking major leaps, especially after the Covid pandemic. Although most Esport competitions were shut down, most of these athletes started streaming. This led to many players gaining a much more personal fan base and letting these players market themselves, much like we see in traditional sports.

RLCS is probably the best example of where Esports is going. These tournaments can rack in up to 250,000 viewers at a time, and with prize pools up to $500,000.

RLCS is also very good about packing in crowds into arenas and making the games feel more lively, as the fans start chants and get pretty loud whenever something crazy goes on.

Maybe you don’t necessarily like Rocket League though and reading that was a waste. There are plenty of other games and leagues out there that have great presentation and players from across the world. As Esports is still a relatively newer sport and is trying to grow in popularity and how it’s displayed to its viewers, it will continue to grow and evolve before our eyes just like how it has already.

All I ask from people is that you accept this new world of entertainment., modernization continues, with or without you.

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