What Makes A Game An Esport?
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Esports have been around for quite some time, with games like Starcraft having tournaments with prize pools in the millions. So what makes a game an esport?
What is an Esport?
An esport is a game that is played at a professional level. The players are usually sponsored by organizations, and they play in tournaments for prize money. The games that are typically considered to be esports are first-person shooters, real-time strategy games, and multiplayer online battle arenas.
The games
The best way to think about what makes a game an esport is to look at the games that are commonly referred to as esports. Currently, the most popular games in esports are:
-League of Legends
-Dota 2
-Counter Strike: Global Offensive
-Overwatch
-Hearthstone
-StarCraft II
These games share some commonalities that make them well suited to being esports. They are all multiplayer games that require strategic thinking and team play. They also have a large and dedicated player base, as well as professional leagues and tournaments with big prize pools.
The players
The players are the heart of any esport. They put in the time to learn the game, to hone their skills, and to perfect their strategies. They compete against each other in tournaments and matches, and they strive to be the best.
Esports players are often highly skilled, strategic thinkers who are able to think on their feet and make split-second decisions. They are also often well-coordinated, able to manage multiple tasks at once, and have good hand-eye coordination.
In order to be successful in esports, players need to be able to work well as part of a team. communication and teamwork are essential in any esport, as is the ability to handle pressure and stay calm under pressure.
The tournaments
The most popular way to watch esports is live, in-person at huge tournaments all over the world. Many of these tournaments have millions of dollars in prize money up for grabs, attracting the very best players from around the globe. The two biggest esports tournaments are The International for Dota 2 and the League of Legends World Championship. These events routinely sell out massive venues like Madison Square Garden and the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing. If you can’t make it to one of these events in person, don’t worry – you can still watch them live on Twitch or YouTube Gaming.
Just like traditional sports, esports also has its own version of scouting and player development. Team owners and managers look for young players with raw talent that can be molded into future stars. These players are often signed to contracts that give them a salary and a share of any prize money their team might win. The best players can earn millions of dollars over the course of their careers.
What Makes A Game An Esport?
Games that become esports have to have a few key things in order to be successful. They need to have a large player base, be easy to follow for spectators, and have a professional scene with tournaments. Some games that have become esports are League of Legends, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, and Dota 2. These games have millions of players and a big following.
The games
The top esports games are the most popular competitive video games that are played in professional tournaments with large prize pools. The most well-known games in esports include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, and Fortnite.
To be considered an esport, a game must have a competitive scene with professional players and tournaments. The game must also be popular enough to have a large audience that watches the competitions. Esports games are typically multiplayer games that can be played by anyone who owns the game.
The players
The most important factor in a game becoming an esport is the players. If there is no one playing the game, then it cannot be an esport. The players must be skilled enough to make the game interesting to watch and they must be able to create storylines and rivalries that will make viewers want to keep watching. Players must also be willing to commit their time to practicing and competing in tournaments.
The tournaments
The tournaments are what make a game an esports. They create heroes and villains. The best of the best (and sometimes the worst of the worst) compete in trials that whittle down the field until a final battle that determines who is the best in the world at that game, at least until the next tournament.
And these aren’t small affairs. The prize pools for some of these events have gotten outrageous, with tens of millions of dollars up for grabs. The biggest event in all of esports is called The International, a yearly affair for the game Dota 2. In 2019, its prize pool was over $34 million. That’s more than double what it was just four years earlier.
While there are many tournaments for many games, some games are better represented than others. For example, Fortnite has only been around since 2017, but it’s already had multiple world championship tournaments with prize pools in the tens of millions. Other games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and League of Legends have been around longer and have correspondingly large and well-organized International Championships.
