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eSport v Regular Sport

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Imagine 40,000 fans in a football stadium, some in fancy dress, but all there for the same reason and it’s not football.  Esports has become so big that the action is shown on giant screens, that is how much competitive computer gaming has grown.

It’s safe to say that computer gaming has grown throughout the industry as software technology has advanced along with the hardware, take mobile devices for example.  Many who will not be able to attend E3 in Los Angeles will watch the expo via a live stream through their mobile devices, which means they can stay in touch with all the action as it happens.  Who would have thought that we would be able to play our favourite games, budget our finances, rate and rand restaurants, plan our next vacation or play at one of the top 20 mobile casino sites when and where we choose.

So is computer gaming really sport?

Let’s look at the different disciplines between the two.

Strategy

 

  • Sportsmen and women have a high appreciation of strategy knowing that is can separate them from the merely good into the few elite.  Elite sportspeople must be aware of a host of options at all times, they must also be aware of their opponent’s weakness and strengths.  Sportspeople are also well aware that different conditions will require different tactics (such as adjusting play when using either a clay or grass court in tennis.)
  • For the eSportsperson games like StarCraft and League of Legends are very complicated, constantly changing and evolving, and in fact some scientists now believe that the more complicated computer games may give a truer indication of great intelligence than the game of chess.  eSport teams also spend a massive amount of their time working and changing strategies as this will have a big effect on whether they are defeated or victorious.

 

Fitness

 

  • When talking about fitness most elite sportspeople are mega fit with low body fat and developed muscles.  Sportspeople are strong, quick and have great stamina.
  • eSports-people do not have to be as physically fit, and could even be sat infront of a computer screen for many hours of the day.  Today it is accepted in many circles that a fitter body relates directly to a fitter mind, so many eSportspeople do take care of themselves, eating healthily and taking daily exercise.

 

Reaction Times

 

  • The elite sportsperson need to be able to make decisions in a fraction of a second and this needs exceptional hand to eye co-ordination, a quick thought process, vision and spatial awareness, especially when playing sport in a team environment. Just think if you had to return one of Serena Williams serves, you would have less than half a second to react..not a lot of time to make the right choice that could keep you in the match is it?
  • Competitive eGamers have flexible thought processes and lightning reflexes in order to carry out in excess of 300 actions per minute and within a team that would take multi-tasking to a new level.  There have been studies carried out which have proved that the reflexes and mental agility of eSortspeople are better than those of the general population.

 

One other interesting fact is the British government has announced the very first eGames event that will take place every four years, so it is going to be the equivalent of the Olympic Games, taking place in the host countries of each Olympiad, and that includes this year’s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

So far Britain, Brazil, Canada and the USA will compete with their own ‘eteams.’  The teams have been advised to create advisory bodies to oversee the eTeams, assisting them with governance, responsible gaming, and also the advisory bod will make sure that the competition is as diverse and as inclusive that it can be.

As yet there is no mention of what games are to be included, and other important aspects such as how the eGames will be broadcasted is a little unsure, but the biggest set-back could be the lack of prize money, and that is going to be a big hurdle as the success of competitive eGaming runs on prize money, as that is what many eGamers rely on for their living.

This post is done as a collaboration. 

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