The Significance Of eSports And Pro-Gaming In The Medium’s Evolution

Video gaming is so much more than a hobby now. Seeing its popularity today, it’s very hard to believe that games were a rather niche medium back in the day. What started as a simple and pixelated interactive entertainment experience now has photorealistic visuals, massive, big-budget virtual worlds, and above all, very lucrative career opportunities just for playing games.

The extreme popularity surge of gaming as an entertainment medium has made all of this possible. And we have eSports and competitive gaming to thank for a lot of this. Don’t let anyone tell you that eSports is not a proper sport in this day and age. It has valiantly earned its place and has been a boon for gaming as a whole. Let’s see how.

No Longer A Hobby

My most important point is how gaming is no longer just an unpaid hobby. This thing resonates with me deeply, as I spent my whole childhood listening to my parents saying, “Stop wasting time on these silly games and study, learn something more productive.” Needless to say, they can’t say that anymore. This article in front of you is but one example of how gaming gives you a career now.

Before eSports and pro-gaming were a thing, games were mainly for personal entertainment or having some fun with friends. But now, a wider audience appreciates gaming; those who like to watch thrilling matches and competitive players duking it out. And it’s because people enjoy watching gaming content now that there are so many new avenues.

Competitive tournaments, journalism, content creation, live streaming, the list goes on. Whether you decide to go pro and showcase your skills in tournaments or pick up a mic and a camera and go live with your gaming skills, all of this is possible. Gaming can be your successful full-time career if you decide to invest in it. Have a custom email domain and let the world know about yourself. Your gaming skills are no longer wasted.

A six-figure career playing video games? Welcome to the world of professional esports
byu/Filament_Games inesports

eSports: Recognition For The Talented

This brings me to the next point: talented and skilled players finally get the recognition they deserve. Beyond a career opportunity, pro-gaming brings appreciation to the deserving. Honing your skills and showcasing them in competitive tournaments and public platforms bears fruit now. Skilled gamers are known and appreciated throughout the world now, even among those who don’t play games themselves.

Back during the arcade era, there was always a kid who beat everyone. Everyone who played with him knew he was good. But that was it. His skills were real, but of no use. There were no opportunities for him to hone and develop his gaming talent, and eventually, he moved on. Because, first, investing hours to perfect wasn’t practically possible, and second, even if he did, there was no reward.

I personally know of many such people. Even today, I meet up with childhood friends I haven’t been in contact with for years, and upon catching up, I learn that they gave up gaming long ago. “Got busy, life happens” is what they say. And I think to myself, this guy was one hell of a gamer, such a waste. Well, I’m happy to see that newer generations have ample opportunities to nourish their talent, do some real good with it, and let the world know of their prowess.

Popularizing The Medium

Probably the most important factor is how eSports and competitive gaming have introduced a massive amount of public to the medium. This goes way beyond just gamers. I’ve met countless people who had no idea about single-player gaming and thought games were just Call of Duty or Tekken. They avidly watch fighting games tournaments or competitive shooters content, but have never played games themselves.

I like watching people play video games but I don’t play them myself. How do I make friends with gamers in my area so I can hang and watch them play?
byu/BlissfulEating ingaming

Then, there are people who got into gaming simply because they saw people playing games and found them interesting. They have sunk countless hours into stuff like PUBG, but never any single-player game. The list goes on. Now, many people are interested in a game’s release simply because they want to see people play it. Tekken 8’s release window was filled with such people, just like how we’re eager to see our favorite team’s football game. 

The lesson here is don’t consider gaming to be a useless time sink, and ignore those who tell you so. If you want to go pro, there are countless opportunities and very lucrative avenues to do so. If you’re a skilled gamer, don’t let that talent go to waste and fulfill your dreams.