Video Gaming is the biggest juggernaut in modern entertainment, with a projected value this year of $282 billion and over 3 billion gamers across the globe.
However, some players take their passions for gaming to the next level by participating competitively.
This year, over 285 million viewers will watch the most dedicated players on platforms like Twitch and YouTube battle it out to win at their favorite titles from many different developers; Such as Nintendo Entertainment, Epic Games, Valve Games, Riot Games, and Electronic Arts. As such, FISD is on the cutting edge of providing opportunities for students looking to pursue futures in or adjacent to the gaming industry.
“Our Electronic Sports (ESports) classes are built more as business classes, ” said Mr. Wesley Dennis, Independence’s ESports coach. “Yes, we get to play some games and compete against each other, but it is about the industry… students may not end up in an ESports career industry, but it can still branch off to a lot of different technology-based careers.”
Due to the rise of ESports in viewership, participation, sponsorship revenue, and overall popularity, debate over whether or not it should be considered an actual sport has persisted for the past few years.
While surveys from different polling institutions have shown inconsistent results, the consensus of data appears to show that while most participants view ESports as a real sport, the majority of non-participants do not due to the lack of rigorous physical activity typical of most sports.
In spite of this uncertainty, players still participate in an extremely competitive field where small decisions and fine motor skills can be the difference between victory and defeat.
“What matters most is more millisecond based decisions and really micromanaged gameplay,” said Dillon Tran, IHS senior and ESports team captain.
Students were also surprised with how accessible opportunities to participate in and benefit from ESports could be.
“I thought these were things you could only do in the pro leagues,” said Mikey Vasquez, ESports team member. “But then I saw it was an actual career and people make a lot of money off of it.”
There also exist numerous scholarship opportunities through competitions and websites like staypluggedin.com, which allow colleges to connect with and recruit students to compete on their own ESports teams.
“You can get straight-up full ride scholarships just for playing on an ESports team, I actually have friends who don’t even have to pay anything just because they’re on the ‘Valorant’ team for their colleges,” said Tran.
Many players also see the social experience of competing with a team as its own reward, in spite of the obstacles that exist in the wider gaming community.
“I knew [gaming] would be male-dominated… but honestly everyone was just so nice and it was just a good experience,” said Umoni Hallie, ESports team member.
Today, while 55 in 100 of gamers are male, female players have increased in the gaming community, with 45 percent of playership coming from female gamers.
The ESports competition also presents a unique opportunity for male and female players to compete with one another. Although athletic sports are usually divided into male and female divisions, in ESports the two have little to no difference in hand-eye correspondence, reaction time, and micro-decision making.
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to play an ‘Overwatch’ game,” said Hallie.
Players have also expressed optimism that the negative elements of the gaming culture are on the way out.
“In any community, there’s going to be some toxicity,” said Tran, “If you’ve played games actively, I’m sure you’ve encountered that, but for the most part, it’s getting a lot better.”
Moreover, an enjoyment of gaming can act as a shared point of experience for individuals of different backgrounds to connect.
“No matter where you are, who you are, you just bond over the one game you play,” said Hallie, “You can meet people from across the world and they can tell you about different cultures, different customs, while you’re just playing a video game, and that’s something really cool.”
