Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, Overwatch. These are just a few of the titles that took the world by storm as they became some of the highest-grossing streamed Esports.

An Esport is a form of competitive video gameplay, usually streamed or televised, in which teams compete against each other for the winning title, just as how any mainstream sport would operate. However, in spite of this, many still undersell the importance of Esports as well as advocate ideas of their irrelevance, but these are simple platitudes. In fact, this rising competitive environment has many areas of interest and even advantages over mainstream sports. 

One major way that Esports hold great amounts of potential is due to vast accessibility. Anyone with the internet is able to find a stream in which they’re free to watch competitive content on their favorite games. Accessibility also extends to the venues in which such tournaments can be held. Anywhere with a few computers can be shaped into a location for an Esport. This means a stadium or court, which has set locations, isn’t necessary at all. It’s free to watch, easily accessible, and in large quantities, contrary to many other sports. 

Not only that, but Esports tend to be very high scoring games. Unlike mainstream sports in which points are generally scored slowly, video games provide fast passed content in which there are little times in which the game remains idle.

Even scholarships are offered to Esport players as well. According to ncsasports.com, scholarships are generally awarded from amounts between $500 to $8,000 dollars per year. Professional players can even make up to $5,000 monthly based on the games they play and the way they perform. Additionally, approximately 335 million people tune into large Esports events, making them by no means irrelevant. As new competitive games are released the versatility of Exports continue to grow, and will continue to grow.  

Most importantly, Esports offer something that mainstream sports can never achieve – variety. First-person shooting, class-based games, multiplayer online battle arenas, and even more, Esports has it all. The variety of genres, games, and activities offered by this particular sector of entertainment is seemingly boundless. 

This new industry can be described in one word – versatility. The different games, streams, tournaments, and venues create a sports environment where something different is always occurring. Even if it’s the same game being played, teams shift and the fast-paced nature of many video games provides infinite possibilities for what could happen during the match. A large number of games, viewers, teams, venues, and professionals is enough for Esports to be considered legitimate.

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