Video games are often seen as a waste of time but year after year, things seemed to show otherwise.
Billions of people are playing, teams are appearing everywhere on television, and companies all over the world are even sponsoring let alone investing in eSport events.
Governments and schools are even allowing students to start their own eSport club in their institutions.
Slowly but surely, there’s a worldwide acceptance on the said industry and we know little about them so if you’re like me – fresh and wanting to know more about what it’s all about, then read on as I unveil the bigger picture.
What is Esports About? –Embracing the Rising Tide.
Also known as Electronic Sports, eSport is simply a form competitive gaming which is very much like the other type of sports around out there today.
It revolves around tournaments which appeals to its competitive nature, very much like any other form of sorts such as soccer, badminton, or basketball where we compete for the prize.
Except that unlike those other sports, eSport is done electronically.
And there’s no sweat involved.
Like chess.
But it’s more than that.
It’s challenging both mentally and physically as not only do you have to play long hours as most competitions take the whole entire day, you also have to strategize and counter your opponents’ moves quickly which tests your reflexes ultimately.
Esports also has the most number of contestants compared to any other sports in the world.
The flexibility of tournaments being able to host multiple game tournaments at once attracts people all over country, all over the world to play.
Prize pools can go from a mere thousand bucks to hundreds of thousands of dollars and when the stakes are high, the match becomes even more interesting and more and more people will come to watch and play.
A few examples of top eSport games include Dota 2, Fortnite, PUBG, Fifa, PES and even Mobile Legends and these are only to name a few.
I always get so excited whenever I go to eSports events as there’s always so many people there who I can connect with and learn from.
I’ve only been to the ones where I’m near to such as the Malaysia Cyber Games, Selangor Cyber Games, MESL, even eBorneo and all of those events offer massive prize pools which made them really popular with the people.
If you like playing video games, surely you must have had a Player Versus Player (PVP) encounter with some random persons, right?
When you defeat your opponent, that feeling of satisfaction of being good at your hobby is what makes people join eSports.
The Main Attraction – Massive Prize Pools!
Yesterday a man sitting at the table next to me asked his friend, why do so many people like to play eSport games?
I realized that many people still do not get the hype that is taking over medias worldwide so to explain it simply, it’s all about the prize.
I know, I know, what are the chances of winning, right?
It’s a bit hard to explain the nature of why people still go through with those competitions even though there is a slight chance of not winning the match.
The answer to that is because by joining and competing in these tournaments, we get to hone our skills even more by meeting new people and learn more strategies and tips not to mention connecting with them.
It’s like digging through golden knowledge.
Most professional players keep in touch with their rivals and they even share their stream videos of them sparring with other top players before the competition and this induces a healthy interaction between the community members.
In a way, you get a glimpse of hope that one fine day, you too can become a champion and win that prize.
With competitions, you know that the odds of winning depends purely on your effort and it has nothing to do with luck like those lotteries.
Although, you actually can win awesome lucky draw prizes at those events so it’s not all that bad. I myself actually won a PlayStation 4 at one of the local events here. Yaay! ?
Participating in tournaments can actually give you a whole different experience than seen on televisions.
With all eyes watching you and people you don’t know supporting you, the energy around you creates a spark that awakens the athlete in you to do your best and get through the tournament no matter what.
The feeling is so exhilarating that even after finishing one tournament, you’ll be hungry to hunt for more eSport tournaments that you can join and conquer.
You’ll start to continuously train at home and develop more skills to counter any attacks that brought you down previously and you’ll start joining smaller competitions to develop your winning record, all the way until you’re confident enough to play with the big guys.
What Games Can be Considered Esports?
If you’ve been reading through, you’d probably get the idea by now that eSports is all about competition.
And what better way to have competition than to play games which allows you to meet other people, team up with them and beat other players?
Whatever the game may be, as long as it has a feature which allows you to play PVP mode with other player, it has a potential to become an electronic sport medium as people can use it to compete with one another.
Some of the eSport games of today include…
- Dota 2
- Smite
- League of Legends
- Fifa 18
- PES 18
- PUBG
- Fortnite
- Counter Strike Global Offensive
- Starcarft 2
- Tekken 7
- Street Fighter 5
- F1 2017
- Mobile Legends
- Arena of Valor
- Hearthstone
- World of tanks
And the list goes on.
However, not all games are supposed to be super competitive like those mentioned above.
You can simply pick any game that you like, have an audience and do a simple challenge to attract people and have some fun casually.
In fact, have you heard of Nintendo Switch?
Of all the game devices currently used today, the Switch is the latest release with not so many games being available and of course, no tournaments done with the said device yet.
That is, until we tried some to do our first ever Mario Cart Challenge.
The idea was so crazy yet well accepted and we decided to try out at one of Malaysia’s biggest festivals, Gegaria.
Just last month we did a mini Mario Cart challenge just as soon as Nintendo Switch got launched.
There are not many games yet at that time but we wanted to test that water and see how people react to new games being competitive.
Will they be offended?
Do you think it’s competition worthy?
Will we ever reach contestant target?
Little did we know, everyone actually loved it.
When they saw that a new game was there to join, they leaped at the opportunity and our booth became so cramped that everyone had to queue to play!
Whatever the game is, people generally love competing.
It’s in our nature and it makes everything more fun too.
What we did was only a fun trial of one type of game. There are countless more genres of gaming to choose from.
Whether it’s Real Time Strategy (RTS) games or Trading Card games like Hearthstone, it’s up to you if you want to make eSports into a fun and casual gathering for families on an event, or a super competitive one with high stakes to spice things up.
Not any video game is an eSport game, but all eSport games are video games.
Top 10 Types of Esport Games
If you’re new to Esports, you might think that it’s probably just about Dota.
You’re not wrong.
Dota is definitely one of them. However, there are a number of other game genres as well, and mastering even one type of game of your preference, would take way longer than you think.
People spend months perfecting their craft which adds even more hype to the game.
Want to know what type of eSport games are there that suits your soul? Here we go!
Genre #1 – Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA)
With over $24 million worth of prize pool, this is probably the most popular form of eSports that most of us know of.
Many parents do not really play games but they support their children nevertheless when it comes to eSports.
Yet when we did a survey and ask them about it, 99% of them mention that they only know of Dota.
In brief, MOBA is a type of multiplayer gaming where 2 teams fight together with a goal of destroying the opponent’s main tower.
Each team comprises of 5 players which means that in one battle, there will be 10 players fighting each other.
Super competitive, highly addictive, and great for teamwork coordination.
It’s so fun in fact, that the MOBA games have even placed itself in mobile phones and games like Mobile Legends and Arena of Valor quickly gained top ranks in the Android and App stores worldwide.
Genre #2 – Battle Royale
Want to kill hundreds of people in Deathmatch?
Introducing Battle Royale.
Remember the times when all we had in mind when playing games is to kill, kill, and kill every single one of the enemies on the game without even knowing the storyline?
Simply put, a Battle Royale is a type of feature which will put you in a survival mode whereby you will be up against everyone else in the map.
In order to win, you could choose to go berserk and destroy everyone you see, or come up with a strategy by connecting with other players to form a mini-group to survive that holocaust.
It is so fun that people play for hours trying to be number one.
Popular games that implement the Battle Royale system includes PUBG and Fortnite that also rose to the mobile phone gaming scene too with prize pool up to $1million for the lucky winner.
Beware though, once you play, you can never stop playing.
Genre #3 – Real Time Strategy (RTS)
Remember the times of Age of Empires?
Try playing that online with another player.
RTS games date back to the 90’s and until now, people are hooked to it especially when it comes to competitive modes.
Realizing the potential in eSports, tournaments for RTS games like Startrek and Command & Conquer are still very popular with prizes up to $700,000 on the international level!
A lot of people ask what is the difference between MOBA and RTS and I’m sure you might be wondering on that too.
Simply put, Real Time Strategy games are very much like MOBA games, except that it is much bigger as instead of just controlling one hero, you’ll be controlling cities, overseeing material productions, as well as troop management.
It is very nostalgic for many because it brings us back to the era of traditional gaming.
And plus, it is very engaging.
It’s like real war where one can play for hours building cities and armies, and thinking of different strategies to overtake the opponent’s base like through infiltration by sending spies, or cutting their resources to weaken them before attacking.
But due to the game length and learning curve, many people prefer to play MOBA games because they are much shorter with a length of half an hour to an hour of battle.
I for one, love playing both.
Genre #4 – Shooting Games (FPS)
Games like CS:GO and COD fall into this category.
I get a lot of questions asking the same thing, what is the difference between first person shooter and third person shooter?
Basically, it’s the same thing.
With a little camera angle difference.
First person gives you a closer look as you can see the entire zoomed-in gun view on your hand. A lot of people prefer this view because it feel realistic – As though, you are holding the gun.
Third person on the other hand, is a bigger overview as instead of just seeing your hand holding the gun, you basically see the whole character body complete with the armour setup like many adventure games today.
With a prize pool of $1,500,000 for international tournament such at the previous World Electronic Sports Games 2017, it’s no wonder a lot of people are hooked up to it.
Genre #5 – Fighting games
Fighting games play a HUGE role in eSports.
It dates back to the era where we used to play fighting games on the arcade machine with the fighting stick, remember?
Well today, it has grown immensely with eSports tournaments all over the world with games like Tekken 7, Injustice 2, King of Fighter, and Marvel vs Capcom being some of the big names.
In fact, Warner Bros Interactive even offered a whopping $600,000 prize pool for the Injustice 2 championship series just recently!
The fighting game community all over the word is mind-blowing and the community itself helped in increasing the reach as well through their mini-events and activities.
In Malaysia, we partner with Flash Vision, the number one fighting games sponsored eSport team to bring in more engaging tournaments for the years to come.
Genre #6 – Sports Game
When you can’t play sports outside, you play virtually.
The sports game industry is also one of the top played games in eSports.
Games like the Fifa series, Pro Evolution Soccer (PES), Madden NFL, and even NBA 2k still live up to now with millions of players from different countries.
In fact, Fifa alone has tournaments with prize pools worth $400,000 in their FUT series final and if that’s just one type of sports game, imagine the rest.
Genre #7 – Racing Games
If you love cars, you would definitely play the game too.
And fortunately for hardcore racers, they love competing with each other to find out who amongst them drives the fastest and thus tournaments started happening.
Popular eSport racing games include F1 2017, Project Cars 2, Asseto Corsa, Gran Turismo and many more.
What’s even better is that instead of using controllers or keyboards, we provide our eSport racers with the use an actual racing simulator for the tournaments which adds to the intensity of the game.
Genre #8 – Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG)
I’m into role-playing games so this one’s my favourite.
Have you ever played an Online RPG game like Runescape, World or Warcraft, or Guild Wars 2? They have eSports in there too.
MMORPG games is has a unique twist compared to the others because not only do they let you play in peace without connecting with other players which we know as PVE (Player versus environment), you can also go against other players through PVP (Player versus player).
The PVP part of the game is what makes it competitive.
The game itself are all set in fictional realms filled with wonderful lore like the history of Lion’s Arch in Guild Wars, or even Ered Luin from Lord of The Rings Online with breathtaking views unlike any other.
They also have guilds where players can interact with other players to communicate, hangout, or raid dungeons.
From time to time, MMORPG games give out challenges where guilds can compete with one another and that led to the birth of the eSport element within the game.
One good example was Arena Net’s Guild Wars 2 Pro-League which gives out a $400,000 prize pool for the winners, talk about whoa!
Feeling itchy to play yet? I know I am 😉
Genre #9 – Card Game
Remember the Pokemon days where we used to play cards?
You can still play that online. And win money.
I’m terrible at card games, even poker but you’d be amazed to know that those that are good, compete in tournaments.
Although they may seem quiet, card game communities are very much alive with millions of players all over the world.
In fact, if you go to game expos, you might see a Heathstone booth or even Magic: The Gathering.
Oh, have I mentioned that the previous Hearthstone championship had a price pool of $1 million? Even I am amazed.
Genre #10 – Tank Games
When you can customize tanks, they aren’t as boring as you think.
With high definition graphics, breathtaking view of the battlefield, and awesome huge bullets, who doesn’t get immersed in a tank war?
I remember when playing games, tanks are my favourite and lucky for us gamers, tank battles are now a thing with huge eSport capabilities.
In fact, last year’s The Final Battle 2017 had a prize pool of $300,000 for World of tanks so if there’s any a time to hop back into tank battles, now’s a good time as any.
Is Esports Worth Investing in?
Definitely yes.
No matter the country, eSports is definitely on the rise and we are one of the living proofs of companies that make a good business out of eSports.
There are tons of mediums to leverage on such as through merchandising, console equipment rental, and streaming but the main attraction is and always will be, the eSport tournament itself.
That is the core of every eSport business.
We thrive on tournaments and here at Kitamen Shah Alam, we do that almost every week to keep our communities alive as well as sharpen the team’s skills.
Our services does not just include eSport management, but also eSport consultancy, streaming and PS4 rental in Malaysia.
Whether it’s for corporate events or events of our own, we cater for everyone.
It all starts with a spark of idea that you have and if you want us to weigh in on your eSport ventures, we’re here for you.
Final Word
Esport is a world with boundless possibilities.
The gaming ecosystem is massive compared to any other sports out there due to the fact that there are just so many game varieties that we can choose from to make an eSport tournament of.
It can be a good business to invest in with huge brand visibility potential, however it can also be a double-edged sword if you lack the proper knowledge and connections on event organizing.
We do a lot of PS4 rental in Malaysia so if you’d like some top notch eSport setup, check our services page to know more.
Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions you’d like us to answer, I’ll be more than happy to reply down below.
158 Comments
LeNard Simmons · April 9, 2019 at 2:30 pm
Thank you for sharing your article on eSports. I now have a better understanding of why so many people are turning to eSports.
When I was younger I considered myself to be a gamer, but slowly as I got older I faded away from playing video games both on and offline.
My game of choice was shooting games like Call of Duty, or Ace Combat, and my favorite of all time; World of Tanks. I found them to be challenging mentally and physically as you have stated.
I would stay up all night and some times for days on end playing to get to the next challenge. Just One More Time, I almost won that round. Those were my favorite words while playing eSports.
Fortnite; is an addition. That’s what I tell my son, a straight-A student hooked on being a gamer at 13.
I have never been to a live eSports event, but I’m sure my son and I will be making it part of our plans the first chance we get. I agree too with you on the rush you get playing PVP, especially when you win.
I can see how keeping in touch with your rivals and streaming online with them can help you build your gaming skills. Every once in a while I sit down with my son and we watch online matches. Some of them I must admit are exciting to watch and learn from. I can feel the pressure some of the players are going through.
Sometimes I say that gaming corrupts the mind, but yet I still have it in my system to play now and then with my son for hours.
The prize pool for some eSports gams is impressive. Your list of top eSports games has got me thinking of getting in on the World of Tank events.
What a wonderful read this was. I will be sure to share it with others. Thank you and God bless you, Kitamen.
Riaz Shah · April 10, 2019 at 1:15 pm
Seems like you really need to get back on the World of Tanks boat, LeNard! If you’re almost winning, you’re better than half of the people there and you really have got talent in it. Thank you so much for the kind feedback, meant a lot to me and I really appreciate it 😀
Richard U. · April 9, 2019 at 1:45 pm
I may not be a huge fan of gaming but I pretty much knew that eSport is huge and on the rise. It has become a global phenomenon and a lot of companies finding promotion opportunities and advertisement more lucrative within eSport.
And reading your post on this subject has opened my eyes more and now I am even more curious than I was before.
Your definition of eSport is spot on and I also think the game helps one develop more skill in terms of intelligent information derivatives. I will surely be looking forward to your next post now.
Riaz Shah · April 10, 2019 at 1:37 pm
Thanks Richard!
Peace · April 9, 2019 at 1:44 pm
I love anything done online, to the extent that I only work online. I hate breaking a sweat and I love being at my comfort zone whenever I am involved in any activity. What’s the best way to be 100% comfortable? Do it from an electronic device!
Esports seems like it has enough perks to attract me. I get to do it electronically and I get to make money or win gifts. That’s amazing! I am really interested!
Riaz Shah · April 10, 2019 at 12:52 pm
That’s the way to go, Peace!
Barrywesley · March 26, 2019 at 4:07 am
I want to appreciate you for taking out time write this article on what esport is all about. I will like to say that it’s a great information. And it is a great sport. Following the fact that It is challenging both mentally and physically, you also have to strategize and counter your opponents’ moves quickly which tests your reflexes ultimately. It is just like any other sports and it helps develop minds and the way you reason. So, it’s a nice
Afiq Le Mahar · March 27, 2019 at 1:47 am
Definitely Barry, it’s a battle of quick reflexes and strategies!
Olalekan · March 26, 2019 at 4:04 am
Thanks for sharing this article. It is really mouth watering to know that a top player can have access to such a great price offer of millions by playing ESports games. It is really amazing, eSports video games is one of the best things that has happened to this generation in about two or three decades. It helps in developing a good cognitive skills and widens the mind. I love eSports games and other ones too because they really beautifies our world. It will be more competitive with high price of money placed on it. Thanks for sharing this article.
Riaz Shah · March 28, 2019 at 3:08 am
Glad you see it that way Olalekan!
Louis · March 26, 2019 at 4:03 am
I disagree that videogames are a waste of time. It helps one develop quick and intuitive reasoning. As a video game lover, I wish there were also E sport events in my country as well. The video game industry keeps expanding by the day, with more innovations, adding more quality to our gaming experience.
This prize money are really attractive. If a relative young industry like the E-sport can generate this revenue in a short while, in a couple of years, I can imagine people would watch E sport on their television just like regular sport. Then, investors and stakeholders would be really happy they got involved.
Riaz Shah · March 28, 2019 at 3:09 am
And by that time, prices to accept sponsorships would be double the amount we charge now 😀
Dapoach · March 26, 2019 at 3:59 am
The reason why some people who sees Video games as a waste of time is because they have never had a first time experience with it. I don’t think its possible to play EAsports games without actually falling in love with it. Among the list of games to be considered as EAsports that you mentioned, my favorite is PES18. I really love Pro Evolution soccer a lot, and the EAsports version of it is really top-notch. Thanks so much for this informative and interesting topic. Hope to read more of your posts subsequently. Cheers!
Riaz Shah · March 28, 2019 at 3:14 am
Don’t you mean eSports?
ajibola40 · March 26, 2019 at 3:57 am
Thanks for writing this article on esports and all it entails. I must commend you for taking your time to write this article. I really find it informative and educative on all aspects concerning exports.i have been hearing about esport for sometimes now from friends and online advert. And I must say it going to the the next big thing very soon with the way people are talking about it and I wish to watch my first esport very soon and see how fun it is
Afiq Le Mahar · March 28, 2019 at 3:15 am
Hoi you again
Adamuts · March 26, 2019 at 3:56 am
I absolutely love what I read in this insightful article because it is full of great information. This is fascinating and interesting to me. eSport has been in vogue and interesting in the heart of youth. ESport has been a good gaming and a good technology development, more awareness should be place for esport and it should be accept generally.
Esport investment will be a great and privilege to go about,thanks for the review. Best regards
Riaz Shah · March 28, 2019 at 3:16 am
Appreciate the feedback, Adamuts!
LearnToEarn Admin · January 29, 2019 at 1:45 pm
I am totally shocked to learn that these eSporting events have millions in prize money to offer the top player! This is definitely highly competitive and one can fully understand why your booth was overflowing with players trying to prove their playing skills to others.One question I have for you, have you ever won the top player’s prize worth millions? Do you really get the real money, or is it prizes worth that much? This is very intriguing, hope to read of your response soon.
Riaz Shah · February 3, 2019 at 12:53 am
I’ve never won that prize money and yes, you get the prize that you are supposed to get mentioned in their tournaments.
Denis · January 29, 2019 at 1:04 pm
Great article! eSports has created itself a great reputation in the gaming industry. What I find so amazing is the competition is from all over, which makes it so appealing. That and the fact that it takes skills to win, and it’s not based on luck is also another big plus for me. Although I am not a big gamer, I do like the occasional challenge and “real” sports (No.6 in your article) like Fifa soccer and Madden NFL are my favorite kind of game. It has a real feel to them and it gets better every release.
Gaming is a huge industry and will only get bigger and better with time. However, we have to realize that it is addictive to a certain degree and it should be done in a balanced manner. I have seen myself being so completely immersed in a game that I even dreamt about it, and had to quit cold turkey in order to gain back my “sanity”. Do you have any suggestions about this? How can someone be gaming without being “hooked”?
Riaz Shah · February 3, 2019 at 3:58 am
Getting too involved with something is quite normal Denis, you just need to discipline yourself and set a schedule from what time should you be playing and you’re good to go.
phranell86 · January 29, 2019 at 12:36 pm
It is a wrong notion that video games are a waste of time. The truth is that they actually help develop your thought process, enabling you makes decisions wisely and quickly too. Life is a game, it’s all about strategy, and only the smart wins. eSport is certainly the best thing that has happened to the gaming industry. eSport has also helped to break boundary previously set by the real life sporting event. You get opportunities to network with hundreds of people from across the globe. The rush of adrenalin is something I always look forward to Thanks for exposing me to a whole new world of eSport games, before now I was only conversant with Fifa 18, Fortnite and Street Fighter 5. My only worry about eSport games is that they are highly addictive and time consuming.
Riaz Shah · February 3, 2019 at 4:09 am
Everything we do consumes time Phranel, it’s how we put that time to good use.
Jon · January 29, 2019 at 12:26 pm
The growth in eSports is just astounding. I feel like it is the democratization of sports in that it gives people with a wide array of skills and talents, some perhaps not having been valued in traditional sports, a chance to compete, have fun, and maybe even make a living.
The fact that it can be done remotely, that you can get involved early on sitting in your house, makes it even more so and increases its accessibility.
Great roundup of the scene, thank you.
Riaz Shah · February 3, 2019 at 12:34 pm
Appreciate the feedback John!
Dave Sweney · January 29, 2019 at 11:32 am
This is one of the most comprehensive looks at the world of esports I have come across. You manage to not only explain factually what is involved but also why it has gained a foothold in the world of competitive sports. I pretty much agree with your analysis by the way.
As a young adult, I lived through the Atari and Commodore home computer years, and the games that we played back then had a competitive nature only because we created it amongst our friends. The search was to get the high score, the most levels, or similar, but we carried that a step further.
Perhaps we were ahead of our time, or more likely that is just who we are as a species. We like to compete with one another at almost every level. This esports phenomenon is addressing that at many levels. What I like about it as well is that it opens the door to everyone. Geeks are now cool!
Much like the cosplay world, anyone can be a part of it, and it provides real entertainment for all. That you can win prizes and get recognition is so much the better. In reading through the many competitions and games that are included you list, I was surprised to see just how far the esports world has progressed.
I still play games, all the years after starting with the old Atari games, and I enjoy every minute too. I do have to meter my time playing, as life gets in the way, but that was the case all those years ago too. I have that same sense of enjoyment and it offers that stress break (although playing can be stressful, it is a different kind of stress) from the day to day routine.
Thanks for this comprehensive look at the world of esports, I have bookmarked it for reference (and your website too)!
Riaz Shah · February 17, 2019 at 2:57 am
Wow awesome to hear that Dave,
appreciate the feeedback and vast explanation on eSports. I totally agree with their progressiveness, a lot of people prefer to play eSports excessively because that’s where they’re good at and for some, it can be a game changer as they live their lives growing up with games.
Joy gateru · January 29, 2019 at 11:16 am
Very true, eSports has grown rampant to an extent it’s getting addictive especially to the youths , personally I did not know the benefits I just thought is all about fun and pressure until I came across this post and now I have learnt and come to understand why people keep on playing this game, I think I need to research more about them because of now I only play the FIFA and I do it as part of my leisure activity, I think there is more hidden in between the eSports business, I am sure to subscribe to your newsfeed to learn more about this eSports strategies to get more information about it, thank you.
From Joy.
Riaz Shah · February 17, 2019 at 3:18 am
Let’s get into eSports Joy!
Paul · January 29, 2019 at 11:07 am
Dear Riaz,
May I not congratulate you on your informative and insightful post. Any man who devotes that much time must of necessity make discoveries of great value to others.
I always wanted to know more about eSports and your article gave me a lot of helpful information.
You have given me plenty to think about here. This article is so thorough it opened my eyes to all sorts of information I wasn’t aware of! To be honest, before reading your post I just had a very little knowledge about eSports and now I am sure I gained some additional knowledge. Thanks for the great insights.
Much Success!
Paul
Riaz Shah · February 17, 2019 at 3:56 am
Thanks Paul.
Kehinde Segun · January 26, 2019 at 12:51 pm
Yeah, Esports has been in vogue for sometimes now and growing into the heart of youths.
As for me, no much time for it. Because of work and other more important things.
How can i get to know more about it? Perhaps it will intrigue me to surge into it deeply.
Riaz Shah · January 26, 2019 at 1:50 pm
You can google for starters Kehinde, what would you like to know?
Md moinul Islam · January 26, 2019 at 10:44 am
Hello Riaz Shan,
I have read the whole review about this information.This is really a wonderful information about this.Video game addiction is very harmful for us.I did not play video game.But my younger brother is starting to get into gaming as well.He is so addicted in this.I will surely this post with my brother.I believed this information is very helpful for us.
Thanks for sharing this important information.
Riaz Shah · January 26, 2019 at 1:51 pm
It’s not harmful if you control, Moinul.
Clement · January 26, 2019 at 10:31 am
Esports is a nice innovation and a a good upgrade of technology, More awareness should be created about it and esports should be globally accepted and welcome. I think I like sports game and I still prefer it to other types of electronic game.FIFA and pro evolution soccer are my favourites.
Riaz Shah · January 26, 2019 at 1:52 pm
Mine too Clement! Although I stopped playing once I found out there are other genres I’m better at
Jim · January 26, 2019 at 10:26 am
Hi Riaz. I have to admit that I know nothing about eSports apart from what I have seen on the news. It’s amazing how quickly this form of gaming sport is catching on. It seems to be highly competitive with big prize money available.
It stands to reason that humanity would eventually head in this direction, with the rapid development of technology, robotics and computer software. I believe it will be the sport of the future and will eventually outgrow many more physical sports.
I do have family members that are into fortnite and the street fighter series so I believe I will have another look through your blog and check out some of the newer games they mightn’t have. They could make great presents.
All the best Jim
Riaz Shah · January 26, 2019 at 2:11 pm
Thanks Jim!
charles39 · January 16, 2019 at 3:50 pm
I am one person who knows very little about the the computer games and all the hype that goes with it I would love to learn so that I can know a few tricks hear and their that is only way I can get to understand what the players are doing the best moves and better players you can learn from them some old tricks of the games
Riaz Shah · January 16, 2019 at 4:30 pm
You can learn by trying out a game Charles!
Margarette · January 16, 2019 at 3:43 pm
Thanks for your post explaining eSports. My son plays all the time and I didn’t realize there was so much involved. Although I don’t think he plays for money, he’s always yelling at the computer screen when one of his team mates let him down or cause him to lose a life.
Looking through the list of games you have listed, I don’t recall my son playing any of those. I’ll tell him about them
Thanks for all the great info and congrats on winning a PlayStation 4.
Do you compete often?
Riaz Shah · January 16, 2019 at 4:31 pm
I used to compete a lot but now I’m more to writing and organising tournaments rather than joining one 😀
Joseph Smith · January 16, 2019 at 3:37 pm
This is a great review on eSports. I am sure you have noticed, but games like fortnite have taken over the gaming world. I will take it even a step further… battle royale games have taken over the gaming world. I think it is very impressive how eSports created a platform for players from all over the world to come together and battle it out!
Riaz Shah · January 16, 2019 at 4:32 pm
Couldn’t have agreed with you more Joseph! Battle Royale is a thing now and many games are adopting that feature too, even Call of Duty.
Stacie · January 15, 2019 at 4:39 am
I had no clue that Esports was even a thing. After reading your article, I am very interested in how to start. I have a WIIU and love MarioCart. Can I start with that? Do I need to buy any more equipment?
Making money to play video games sounds very fun! I am in my mid 40’s and not sure if I could compete with these youngsters. What is your opinion of age and gaming?
I really enjoyed this article thanks for posting it!
Stacie
Riaz Shah · January 15, 2019 at 5:14 am
Mario Cart is considered an eSports game too and people are hosting it all over Stacie! It’s a great idea and you can start looking for tournaments near your area.
Rasa · January 15, 2019 at 4:31 am
I have to admit that I have been negligent to considering eSports a sport in the past.
That was until my husband’s brother participated in a huge event devoted to that. I had no idea. Plus, it’s mind-blowing that this new way of the sport has more competitors than any other in the world. I definitely did not see that coming.
Plus, I love the fact that also in eSports winning depends purely on the effort put forth and it has nothing to do with luck like the card games. I always considered those more or less a luck based effort. And thus, not as compelling.
I had no idea of the diversity in e-gaming. Meaning, the various game… A digital card game? Yeah, I mean… Had no idea. Isn’t that one hugely based on luck?
Either way, thank you for all the insights!
Have a Wonderful Day!
Rasa
Riaz Shah · January 15, 2019 at 5:16 am
Totally agree with you on the card games Rasa, I used to be good at it but because of the unfair shuffle at the start of the game, I always tend to lose as I have terrible luck
Matiss · January 15, 2019 at 4:19 am
Hey, Riaz!
I loved the article. I’ve always considered eSports a solid, full-fledged industry. Yet I’ve seen so much ridicule about it. When in truth there is actually nothing to be ridiculed about.
I do believe that often times competitive gaming actually takes more brain power than many other sports. I guess that ridicule is just a form of a coping mechanism for people as either do they not quite understand it (all the efforts that go into this) or are they just too rigid to change their definition of what actually the word “sport” means. They probably still associate it with huge physical effort.
In that sense, I partly agree that there is no sweating involved as it’s definitely not as intense as something like soccer. On that same take, I disagree that there is none of it (sweating). I believe there are loads of it due to the mental stress more than anything but still.
Anyways, thank you for putting the article together.
Cheers!
Matiss
Riaz Shah · January 15, 2019 at 5:18 am
The mental stress is real Matiss,
at one point when you’re on par with your opponent, all you need to do is to continue playing the game perfectly without slipping up and giving your opponent room to hit you and that takes a lot of patience and persistence. It’s so intense that although you are only moving your fingers, you can sweat like crazy from the focus and anxiety.
enrique vanegas · January 13, 2019 at 5:05 am
Thank you for sharing with us ¨What´s eSports About – Embracing the Rising Tide¨. At the beginning of your article you stated the ¨Electronic sports, eSports is simply a form of competitive gaming, which is very much like the other type of sports around out there today¨Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic committee (IOC) commented in April 2018 that IOC is not certain if eSports is really a sport as it lacks physical activity elements. He mentioned missing organizational structures as another obstacle for eSports to be accepted by the IOC as a sport. Organizational structures could guarantee that Olympic values and rules can be observed and controlled over eSports.I, however, feel differently. Focusing on the structure of eSports, eSports tournaments mirror traditional sports tournaments. For example, one can compare the world Cyber Games to the Olympic Games, as they are organized similarly regarding tier sponsors, and have national ranking, medals and values. Moreover, eSports can be seen as profit maxi misers, like American sport teams, similarities between eSports and the European sport system can be observed as well – examples are the trade of players, the open leagues systems, or the possibility to participate in multiple competitions. Based on these facts, do you think eSports will ever make it to the Olympics?
Riaz Shah · January 13, 2019 at 11:16 am
Esports will most definitely be in the Olympics Enrique, estimated around 2024 as discussed by Paris Olympics organiser. In fact, eSports are already in this year’s ASEAN games as well as South East Asian games.
Zayn Hiew · January 13, 2019 at 4:22 am
Hey Raiz,
Congratulations on winning a PS 4 game console. I am also a gamer but only played in my leisure time, it helps me to improve my planning strategy and reduce my stress. Basically, my favorite game is Fornite – Battle Royale Genre where l can play my friends and discuss our strategies.
I agreed that eSport has a great potential for investment especially providing sales and service, consultancy and rental of consoles.
Thank you for sharing this great article on eSport.
Best wishes
Riaz Shah · January 13, 2019 at 4:29 am
Awesome, I’m loving Fornite as well! Appreciate the feedback, hope you have a great weekend!
Dale · January 13, 2019 at 3:33 am
Wow!! I have never heard of Esports before but maybe I better think twice before telling my grandson he is on those games too much.From reading your article it is obvious that video games are a lot more than a joystick and jumping over some mushrooms.I had no idea that kind of money was involved. Are there people actually making a living through there gaming effortsThank you for providing me with information that I had no clue about.Dale
Riaz Shah · January 13, 2019 at 4:30 am
There are indeed people living solely off their eSport championship earnings Dale, some even make millions 🙂
Seun Afotanju · January 13, 2019 at 3:30 am
Thanks for explaining so much on esports and letting us know exactly how it is been done, what i notice about this sport is that it all about competition and meeting new people to boost you idea and improve in ones gaming areas as no one knows it all and also thanks for this article i really enjoyed reading it.
Riaz Shah · January 13, 2019 at 4:30 am
That’s the idea Seun!
Sujandar Mahesan · January 13, 2019 at 3:20 am
Before reading this article today I had no idea of what exactly ESports was. This article had everything I need to know about ESports. I learned what it is and what are games that can be considered ESports. This article was really easy to understand and read.
Thank you so much for sharing this article.
Riaz Shah · January 13, 2019 at 4:30 am
Good to know that bro!
Barry Bullard · January 13, 2019 at 3:20 am
I never knew that you can actually earn money from video games and that they are more like chess than the typical first person shooter games that come to mind.
I do remember DOTA a while back. “The night beckons” “For the burning blade”
Is Pudge still a character in the current version of DOTA?
Riaz Shah · January 13, 2019 at 4:37 am
Pudge is still one of the most annoying characters to go up against Barry, that hook arm! demm
zuchii · January 10, 2019 at 1:22 am
Gone are the days when video games were a waste of time and energy, in today’s digital age it is regarded as a profession with Potentials to earn huge amount of money. The atmosphere is usually not different from the real sports fans and supporters always come in their numbers to cheer and support their preferred sportsman. I love to play the FIFA 18 as I am a football fan.
Riaz Shah · January 10, 2019 at 5:59 am
True that Zuchii, you can earn full time now as an eSports player, earn by doing something you love is everyone’s dream
Tsquare · January 10, 2019 at 1:21 am
Thanks for writing about esports and about it’s revolution in our day. Yes I agree with you because electronic sports is becoming generally accepted. Between now and the last ten year sporting games have undergone a lot of phases which have turn things around. Its not only young people playing games. People now invest so much of their time to play in competition and hope they win a prize and if they don’t win the price they use the opportunity to develop more their skill.
Thats the spirit of esports.
Great and interesting piece.
Riaz Shah · January 10, 2019 at 6:00 am
Time to hop on the spirit train Tsquare!
Michele · January 10, 2019 at 1:18 am
Hi Riaz – this post was both very interesting and captivating. I can honestly say that I was not familiar with eSports, and especially was not aware of the large prize pools. My niece just got the Nintendo Switch for Christmas, she was extremely excited. Perhaps she will someday be involved with eSports tournaments. I’m curious – what’s your favorite game?
Thanks for all the information and nice job,
Michele
Riaz Shah · January 10, 2019 at 6:01 am
My favourite I would say is MMORPG and Fighting games, I try to go online a few times a week to take my mind off and get back into the game D
freddie · January 10, 2019 at 1:18 am
Hey Riaz these are cool looking games and you saythere are alot of people playing teams and there showing up everywherejust like football on tv and that a person could win some money in a tournamentif there team won there will be a lot of people just like me wanting to get into thisI am so glad I found this web site What is eSports About? and I will refer others to this web site
Riaz Shah · January 10, 2019 at 6:01 am
Awesome to hear that Freddie!
Micheal · January 10, 2019 at 1:05 am
I am a video game fan and honestly, I have never come across Esports until now.. This seems like something that I might want to join maybe this will allow me to have a bigger passion for Video games.. Seeing all the all the accomplishments that can be achieved is something that got me hooked to the Article.. Great Article keep up the good work…
Hope Many others like me get to see this post to get all this knowledge as I did…
is this something that happens on a season basis where persons win a prize ? or is it an ongoing competition thing?would love to know more about this as I have a great interest in this..
Riaz Shah · January 10, 2019 at 6:04 am
eSports competitions are everywhere Michael, in almost every country and every month someone’s creating tournaments like these. I’m handling the one in Malaysia but if you’re not from here, you just need to Google it and to find the nearest to you.
Neil Brown · January 5, 2019 at 5:27 pm
Very engaging and exciting blog, I’m not familiar with exports, but I can definitely see how it would be very exciting getting involved with. I like the images in your blog, especially the first one. The Battle Royale game looks pretty intense.
I think you have done a great job with putting the information together and the imagery really ad’s to the informative content. You have sold me, I could see myself getting into electronic gaming being that I have always been a competitive person, thanks.
Riaz Shah · January 6, 2019 at 5:11 am
Awesome to hear that Neil! I started delving into eSports the same way you did 😀
Sondra M · January 5, 2019 at 5:20 pm
How cool! And what a great business concept. As a parent, my only real concern that I had with my kids playing video games so much was that they were missing out on some social interaction if they stayed indoors all day and night playing video games. My kids turned out amazing. Over the holidays, I actually took the time to sit down with my kids as they were teaching my grandson how to play a game.
I should be ashamed to say this, because it means that I didn’t pay enough attention to what games my kids were playing. I discovered the video games certainly have some educational aspects. They also teach the players solving problem skills.
My kids were not big enough to excel real life sports. Yet, they are smart and motivated. I love the idea of these eSports tournaments. Not only do they seem fun, they give people incentive to train to compete.
The eSports also represent a potentially lucrative industry. People that are looking for ways to update their fun & entertainment industry venues should consider eSports. I will certainly be recommending your company as a consultant to some people that I know are in this business. eSports could be a great offering in place of laser tag or bowling.
Riaz Shah · January 6, 2019 at 5:16 am
Wow that would be swell Sondra,
I really appreciate that, thanks! As a mother, I believe you don’t really need to know how the game works and all that, just letting your child know that you support them is all it takes to make them smile. Playing the games with them on another hand, would be an added boost too if you want to 😀
Suzana · January 5, 2019 at 5:10 pm
Hey Riaz,I love to play games, this is a cool article. It reminds me of days when I had more time as a kid and I could play 2-3 games in one day :DI used to play fifa, pes, counter-strike, gta, race games, sims etc :)Now I only play League of Legends, but for fun. I don’t have time to be a serious player, but I’m a good support there, I only play that position.It is so great to go through this once again, it reminded me of some lovely memories from my childhood. Thank you for that!Best wishes,Susan
Riaz Shah · January 6, 2019 at 5:18 am
Wow awesome to hear that Suzana!
I’d love to game up with you on League of Legends, I used to play everyday too but now that I’m in the eSports business, I have to have a strong discipline to not spend the whole day playing anymore. Instead, I have to continue planning events so that others can have a chance to showcase their skills.
Solomon · January 5, 2019 at 5:05 pm
The gaming industry is growing faster than ever and people who hop on this train right now would make huge bucks in the future. It’s best if you start streaming or making gaming videos right now because in the future there would be way too much competition for the streaming industry.
Riaz Shah · January 6, 2019 at 5:19 am
Right you are Solomon! Do you have a stream channel?
Jose Cruz · January 5, 2019 at 5:04 pm
Hello, this post brings to mind what used to take place back in the middle 80’s when the video arcade craze was sweeping the country.
My brother, actually, used to play many games and loved it. A favorite game of his was named “Gyrus”, in which the main objective was to make it back to earth after facing many dangers throughout the solar system.
I remember crowds of people surrounding him – sometimes for hours. At that time it took one quarter to have 3 lives; my brother could make one last an hour or two.
I believe esports is a legitimate competition and there’s much value in learning the many strategies and ultimately outsmarting the best in the world. Especially with the advent of artificial intelligence, we always need the human factor.
Riaz Shah · January 6, 2019 at 5:22 am
Wow your brother is a legend Jose!
That was the good ole times and believe it or not, that’s when eSports started to rise. Atari even did an eSports tournament for Space Invaders during my parent’s era and the response was amazing. It came out in newspapers and people loved it.
Daniel · January 5, 2019 at 5:02 pm
I must say that I am a true fan of video games but I did not know that it is called esports. As for the genre, my favorite one is fighting and strategy. League of Legends is so popular in the world and I play it regularly. You are right when you say that it requires physical and mental strength because it can become hard.
Riaz Shah · January 6, 2019 at 5:25 am
Definitely Daniel,
especially when your opponent is on par with you, it can get super challenging. I remember on one tournament, I was blocking all of my opponent’s attacks for 3 mins (Super long for a fighting game) and not even getting a room for myself to breathe because I was pinned down. You need mental perseverance in order to face those kinds of opponents.
kmv · January 5, 2019 at 4:59 pm
Wow, never realized there were so many tournaments and games styles available. Seems like there really is something for everyone when it comes to eSports.
Any idea how many hours one has to play to get enough skill/experience to be competitive? I imagine it is tiered, where the local tournaments are a little easier…and then as the tournament gets bigger and bigger, the skills you need really have to increase.
Also, do most eSports “athletes” focus on a single game or single genre? It would seem that to be competitive, you’d really have to focus on one…maybe two games.
I don’t know that I could ever compete, but I bet attending a tournament would be a blast. I bet those events have a ton of energy.
Thanks for the fun and informative article!
Riaz Shah · January 6, 2019 at 6:13 am
Most eSports athlete focus on a single genre because that’s where they excel at. For example, players of Tekken 7 usually focus on other fighting games too like Street Fighter V or Soul Calibur 6.
JD · December 31, 2018 at 10:46 am
Wow this article resonates with me. I remembered back in the days I used to play loads of StarCraft, Counter Strike and Unreal Tournament. I would play from morning until afternoon. I never thought about getting into tournaments for money. I remembered making clans with friends and we ended playing mini tournaments. Yea those were the great times I remember. I never knew this type of world existed. I’ll have to follow your site. Thanks for this.
Riaz Shah · January 1, 2019 at 4:48 am
How did those tournaments go JD, hope you did win some because with that commitment, you would have gone far here 😀
Nathalie · December 31, 2018 at 10:32 am
Very interesting read, Riaz. My 11-year-old son is a lot into video games, especially Fortnite, and yes, I am worried that this is a “waste of time” as you put it. So reading this article was very informative and helpful for me to understand more about the current situation. I did not know that there were “physical” events where you can actually meet other players in person. Am I being too “old school” by thinking that real-life interpersonal relationships are more important than online relationships? I would actually be interested in going to one of these live events with him to see what it’s like… Thanks for helping me open up my mind about this a little bit more… 😉 Nathalie
Riaz Shah · January 1, 2019 at 4:49 am
It’ll be great for your son to finally step out of his room and venture out to compete on an eSport tournament Nathalie! If he knows the eSport icons, he will most definitely love that opportunity 😀
rmjia · December 30, 2018 at 5:19 am
Hi, Riaz. I have heard of people playing games to earn money and that it soon became their full time job. I didn’t know that it is termed Esports. Now that I know and reading through your article, I find it a great entertainment and fun experience that I would love to come and see for myself in these types of tournaments. Is there a limited time frame for each tournament or that each game has to be completed regardless how long it takes to complete?
Riaz Shah · December 30, 2018 at 6:19 am
Limited time frame for each game that has to be completed? I’m not sure I follow you rmjia, could you be more specific?
Peter · December 30, 2018 at 5:16 am
This is truly amazing and interesting to know how much Esports are impacting so many peoples life across the gaming community. these amount of rewards anyone can earn by winning is awesome.
I never knew Electronic Sports has so many different sponsors and support on the global market.
Is the Esports competition available for kids knowing that kids contributes to gaming more than you could ever imagine?
Riaz Shah · December 30, 2018 at 6:20 am
That’s the fact Peter, in fact not just eSports but in all other industries as well. Companies will sponsor when there are large scale events that can benefit them and gain them more exposure.
Ngonidzashe Manzwangani · December 29, 2018 at 10:56 am
Amazing! I had usually play games on my computer and laptop just for funny with my family. Usually, I would play offline, I am very impressed to learn that there are people making a living from playing eSport Games. It’s amazing how technology and internet have managed to transform the lives of many people.
I am looking forward to start playing FIFA eSport for money, I have bookmarked your website and will get in touch with you soon as I would want to confirm the prices for a standard PS4 Console rental set
Thank you so much for such a great review, really enjoyed every part of it
Riaz Shah · December 30, 2018 at 5:01 am
Glad you liked the article Ngonidzashe!
TaN · December 29, 2018 at 10:28 am
Hi,
I appreciate this article because I love gaming. Many people don’t know that there is money to be made by winning a competition or creating intellectual property inside a game. As more people become aware of this, maybe more people will respect gamers instead of turning their noses up. I do start to feel sick if I game too long, so monitoring ones health while gaming is important.
TaN
Riaz Shah · December 30, 2018 at 5:03 am
I know right, there is always a way to earn if we look at it right Tan 🙂
Lok Which · December 29, 2018 at 10:19 am
Thanks for sharing this wonderful article about e-sport. E-sport is the real deal at this age, the fact that gamers are now earning from it is the edge point. I know some guys that makes their living from fortnite and that’s what they do as a full time job now. Gaming!! Lol…. Even I want to dive into the d=gaming niche now.
Riaz Shah · December 29, 2018 at 10:52 am
d=gaming niche eh, also can 😀
Henry · November 30, 2018 at 8:15 pm
Thank you very much for this very comprehensive post about e-Sports!
I have recently been impressed how e-Sports have progressively been increasing in popularity! And it’s not difficult for me to think they’ll will continue to grow! The fact that some don’t understand how e-Sports can be so popular may be something only heard during this generation. But perhaps 10 – 20 years ahead from now, people will be so used to it as a sport, that they may never imagine that these questions were once raised.
Riaz Shah · December 9, 2018 at 7:54 am
Never mind 10 -20 years, I think people are already seeing the growth in eSports already, especially in developing countries 😀
Mary Ann · November 30, 2018 at 3:46 pm
Hello Riaz.
I had not heard the term Esports before but I can see how it would definitely challenge the mind and body and keep you on your toes. The money prizes are certainly attractive as well.
I have never been a gamer. In fact, I have absolutely no coordination at all when it comes to things like this but I can see it would have a lot of appeal to a lot of people. You certainly have provided a good variety to choose from.
As for the danger of consuming all of one’s time, I think you can say the same about computers and cellphones!. Thanks for sharing!
Riaz Shah · December 9, 2018 at 7:57 am
Definitely Mary Ann! Time management is the same for almost every aspect we focus on, it all boils down to discipline.
Chrissie Spurgeon · November 30, 2018 at 3:41 pm
Hi Riaz
I had never realised that there was such a huge amount of money to be won in Esports, nor the vast number of different games available.
I have two grandsons who are addicted to Fortnite, would they be able to enter such tournaments, they are pretty good at it? But I do worry that they spend too long staring at screens!! Although I do like that they are not playing alone, but with friends and other competitors, that is a good thing I think.
How would you go about taking part in these tournaments? Do you have to go to a special venue, or can you do it at home?
There is no doubt in my mind that the Games scene is not going to disappear any time soon.
Very many thanks for your really interesting post.
Chrissie 🙂
Riaz Shah · December 9, 2018 at 8:01 am
Hey Chrissie!
Fornite is a one of the biggest eSport games of the year and your grandsons are right to participate in tournaments. The type of tournaments depend of the organisers, some of them organiser friendly matches online while other bigger ones do it at venues but whatever the type, your grandsons are going to love it!
Fredery · November 30, 2018 at 3:39 pm
I used to be play videogames with my friends all day long when I was child. My parents told that it was a waste of time. Now that I am an adult I can think back and say… no videogames are absolutely not a waste of time, unless you stop doing other important activities, for example studying, working. When that happens videogames become a problem.
In fact some scientific studies show thay playing videogames is very healthy. Some of the banefit are:
1. Hand eye coordinating
2. Improve memory
3. Improve visual acuity
4. Learn new things (depending on the game. For example some games talk a little about history like assassin’s creed 2)
Thank you, it was a very entertaining post!
Riaz Shah · December 17, 2018 at 2:05 pm
Right on Fredery! It’s dubbed electronic sports because we need not only have mental preparation to join but also fast reflexes to conquer
Shy · November 30, 2018 at 3:38 pm
I have never played esports before but it sounds like something that would be really fun. I like the fact that you do not have to play physically.It would even be fun to be able to go out and watch the games being played if you are considering playing, it would be a great way to check it all out and make sure it’s what you really want to do before you decide to try it. Some people might not be interested in joining but might remain interested in watching other players.I like a bunch of these games on your list, Starcraft 2 is one of my favorites, though I am not an expert at it or anything. I also like Hearthstone and Tekken 7.
Riaz Shah · December 17, 2018 at 2:05 pm
Perhaps you should give it a try, Shy!
Cath Anon · November 30, 2018 at 3:37 pm
Wow this is a world I never quite understood. My nephew is heavily in it and I watched a whole tournament with him to try and understand his fascination.
I didn’t realise there was an actual name for it! eSports! And that there are actual money to be made. If that’s the case, I should encourage him to develop his skills, no? hehe
Thank you for the exposure … I appreciate having my eyes opened to yet another facet of our world.
Riaz Shah · December 17, 2018 at 2:06 pm
You should definitely encourage him to get into the game, if he’s serious you can spot the change he has in him in trying to be better.
Rich Gilbert · November 30, 2018 at 3:35 pm
I was in to video games years ago. I had no idea the online gaming tournaments had gotten so big. That is some big money being awarded to the winners. If you are good at playing these games, getting into the esports contests would be the way to go. I know there are several players that record their gaming sessions. Are there any sessions that show these big checks being earned?
Riaz Shah · December 17, 2018 at 2:08 pm
I’m not quite sure that I follow you Rich, if you’re referring to the prizes, then yes, there are prizes and they will of course show it on their posters. It’s why people join the tournaments.
Miguel · November 30, 2018 at 3:35 pm
Hi Riaz,
You’re definitely right when you say eSports are on the rise and I don’t think they are going to go away any time soon eventhough it is still regarded as a complete waste of time by the older generations.
MOBA games such as League of Legends and DOTA are especially big and will only to continue to increase in popularity as time goes by and the tournaments will only continue to be bigger and bigger with each passing year and more money will be involved. I read about some of these professional DOTA players making millions of dollars in the main tournaments. Insane!
Great article, keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Miguel
Riaz Shah · December 17, 2018 at 2:08 pm
Yes they do Miguel, if you get really good at the game you can have a go at joining and win some tournaments too starting from the local ones.
CravenATAT · November 30, 2018 at 3:26 pm
I am a huge eSports fan and am so happy since ESPN started picking up the tournaments and airing it to the masses. I knes of DoTA, Fortnite, and League of Legends, but didn’t realize that Counter Strike and Starcraft 2 were in the eSports realm. Moba is my favorite gameplay to watch for eSports, but RTS is my favorite to play. I am so happy you made a post highlighting eSports and I hope that many see this to get an understanding of the various forms of eSports out there. America doesn’t seem to win a lot of the tournaments, but they are rising!
Riaz Shah · December 17, 2018 at 2:10 pm
America do win a majority of the tournaments depending on the games though, in fact they have some of the most famous eSports teams in the world like EchoFox and Optic
Jay · November 26, 2018 at 2:57 pm
Playing games can be considered fun and relaxing and at the same time can teach you one or two things. Its amazing how far the gaming world has come that even competitions are been organized by major corporations for people to be able to win prizes.
Esports is amazing and some people just don’t get why the hype might be so much. Apart from the obvious reasons you listed, fame is another reason why these competitions are amazing. If you are really good your life can change overnight and you can instantly become a super star that can even start attracting sponsors and before you know it you would end up building a fan base for yourself.
This can be achieved by taking part in competitions and it is just amazing. It is really an amazing time we are currently living in.
Riaz Shah · November 26, 2018 at 3:03 pm
I know right, becoming a star through playing games professionally is a dream job famed by many, even me. Imagine not having to worry much about management and paperwork when everything has been handled for you by your sponsor, wow!
JB · November 26, 2018 at 2:56 pm
I never realized that you could make so much money playing video games. I have family that spends a significant time playing, and they are amazing at the game, truly taking a fun activity and taking into another art form.
I’ve tried in the past, but it’s a time commitment that I never have as work and family take more of my time. I’m going to share your post with other people.
Riaz Shah · November 26, 2018 at 3:04 pm
I guess it’s a luxury that requires commitment JB, appreciate the kind gesture!
Ty · November 26, 2018 at 2:44 pm
Personally, if I had to participate in any esports competitions it would likely be a MOBA or an FPS.
Te only mobas i play nowadays are on mobile, mostly Vainglory. I used to play Paragon on PS4 until Epic Games shut it down, I put so many hours into that game and ranking up only for them to want to focus only on Fortnite of all things. But I digress.
Riaz Shah · November 26, 2018 at 3:20 pm
I loved Paragon! I feel you, I too was super disappointed at Epic game’s shutdown of the game but at least our skill can be used for other MOBA games too right?
pmbaluka2016 · November 10, 2018 at 2:53 pm
It’s my first time I’m reading a post on eSports and it sounds very interesting the way you have explained each point including the type of games that have taken the online market.
My background however, has a negative view about these games because many students especially boys get involved with esports to an extend of getting addicted. I’ve seen the positive side of it such that it provides both a mental challenge and one can win prizes.
I wonder whether it has any physical benefit because I think the more one plays the games, gets seated for long hours, this is harmful to one’s health. Again, what measures should be put in place to ensure that eSports don’t addict people especially the young children?
Riaz Shah · November 11, 2018 at 2:08 am
Like most things, one can get addicted if he does not control his timing and priorities. Fortunately for us, eSport is just a mind game strategy battle so they are definitely a positive thing and easy to stop too. Even professional eSport athletes take breaks once in a while so no, you don’t necessarily have to play the whole entire day.
Rachael Christensen · November 10, 2018 at 2:46 pm
Hey Riaz. Wow, I didn’t know that competitions like these even existed. I have heard of people being professional gamers, but never gave much thought to how they earned a living, so this is really eye opening for me. I think it’s fantastic. I’m not really very good at electronic gaming, I used to love playing around with adventure games with Nintendo, mostly Mario stuff. I have actually sat with my boyfriend while he played for hours which I enjoyed more than playing it myself! How do you get involved with a competition like this? Do you have to be ranked online first, or can anyone participate?
Riaz Shah · November 11, 2018 at 4:13 am
Anyone can participate Rachael, even beginners but it depends on the type of tournaments. If it’s open tournaments, then you’re good to go but for pro tournaments, they will usually pick and approve you first before you are able to join.
Ann · November 10, 2018 at 2:36 pm
Wow! the possibility of winning US$600,000 by playing an online game. Who knew it had become such a competitive sport? It was also surprising to learn it has the highest number of competitors when compared to any other sport. I always imagined guys playing online games in their homes, not playing in competition arenas and actually meeting lots of new friends. Of course like any sport the end result depends on effort and skill.
Riaz Shah · November 11, 2018 at 12:50 am
It’s a huge world we live in Ann, and eSports is getting bigger and even more vast than before!
Tim Bennett · November 6, 2018 at 5:10 am
This is amazing!
I have heard of esports before, but I had no idea that you could earn from it…
I absolute did not know how much you could earn from it…
I think that this would be really worthy for groups to explore such as associations, etc
Your review of some of the games is excellent.
You have done a great job and made it look very exciting.
I will certainly take a look at some of the games and check them out.
You have done an awesome job
Tim
Riaz Shah · November 6, 2018 at 5:35 am
The sky’s the limit, Tim, thanks.
justin · October 16, 2018 at 7:15 am
Hey i really enjoyed this article, it was very informative. I am a gamer myself and i even uploaded gaming videos on my youtube channel, i know all about how gaming is going places and its kind of crazy. I mean ninja is the biggest fortnite player and he was on a sports magazine and been on talk shows and everything out. You can win a lot of money from these gaming competitions as well!
Riaz Shah · October 17, 2018 at 6:30 am
I know right, it’s crazy how Ninja got super famous off Fortnite! gives us the extra push to work harder to be like him. What’s your YouTube channel, Justin?
larry · October 16, 2018 at 7:08 am
HEY! I like to think of myself as a hardcore gamer though I have never really been into eSports but it’s totally because of poor internet in my country(I am a little embarrassed to admit this).Your article has really challenged me,I had no idea that you could actually earn so much cash by playing (Congratulations on your win by the way). and so it’s the high time I invest in a good WiFi router and explore this world of eSports. I’ll begin with FIFA 18 which am really good at.
Riaz Shah · October 17, 2018 at 8:05 am
The internet here isn’t that goo too Larry! Instability is real and the game sometimes disconnect and even worse, it hangs but we make do. FIFA 19 is out already, have a go!
Stratos K · October 16, 2018 at 7:03 am
Nice article and a great read. Esports is a relatively new type of competition and although many parents still don’t get it as they think it’s just playing videogames all day I understand it’s competitiveness. It’s similar to playing chess but in an online world. There are of course limits and as a parent of two small boys I would definitely not have a problem them to take part in esports but not in expense of their real life activities and education. Everything should be in balance and this is very important for children to understand. I see in some countries like Korea things are getting completely out of hand with these esports and people spend their whole lives in front of a computer which is very sad and scary.
Riaz Shah · October 17, 2018 at 8:06 am
Professional players balance real life activities an gaming activities because as much as we love to compete in that virtual world, we are after all still human and taking care of our needs helps improve our gameplay.
Vaughn · October 16, 2018 at 6:51 am
Having played the Playstation since it was released, I never thought E-Sports would be a thing, I have a passion for racing games and came across a live stream of the Gran Turismo NZ Champs, I watched the whole thing and it was amazing, the engagement and realism was astonishing and the skill of the players was next level, there’s so many different genres and it’s only going to become more popular. I will be tuning in to watch more for sure.
Riaz Shah · October 17, 2018 at 8:08 am
It definitely is! And it’s like that for almost all tournaments as people compete to win the prize.
Jill · October 5, 2018 at 8:53 am
You have opened my mind to such an exciting gaming world. I know that my grandsons are into gaming and they tease me about me playing “words with friends”. They have told me how exciting the e-sports are and have even promised to teach me.
It is so interesting to hear just how much one can earn when one becomes proficient at e-sports. Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think this was such a popular and entertaining sport but obviously I was wrong.
There are so many e-sports around and I must inquire which sports they are playing.
Riaz Shah · October 5, 2018 at 9:01 am
Definitely popular Jill!
It’s a billion dollar industry and prize pool for huge eSport tournament can range from thousands to millions! If your grandsons are really good at a game, they could try out some of the smaller tournaments locally to test the water.
Parmi · October 5, 2018 at 8:28 am
It’s very interesting to see that online gaming is such a big industry now and definitely has a big opportunities in terms of building a business. Now, I’m not a big gaming guy – I play FIFA once in a while and that’s about it. But, I wanted to ask you something. I used to have a roommate who was absolutely crazy about gaming. He literally used to skip classes just to play his games – he was into counter strike and other first person shooting games I think. He became so zoned into it and didn’t even talk to anyone at all. How do you respond to that? I can definitely see a big potential for businesses, but for individuals, are we hurting their life through it?
Riaz Shah · October 9, 2018 at 1:05 am
Hey Parmi,
If there’s an eSports tournament he’s gunning for, then that’s fine because it’s normal for players to practice that long to improve muscle memory for their big fight. However if he’s doing that without any motive, then he needs help because people who usually does that, wants to escape life because of many reasons.
Even professional players go out every once in a while to clear their heads and start their next part of the training fresher than ever so if your friend doesn’t even come out for days, something’s definitely wrong there.
Marita · October 1, 2018 at 12:15 pm
HI Riaz,
I can understand how you guys get so excited in esports.
I have a 13 year old boy who’s into computer games and he does them everyday after school and all weekend. I really have to push him to do his homework because he can do those games until late at night and ignore his schoolwork.
Is there a minimum age for doing this?
Marita
Riaz Shah · October 1, 2018 at 12:38 pm
No minimum age whatsoever Marita!
We’ve got parents coming in to to play some games secretly at out shop so that they can surprise their children by playing with them and beating them at their own game too, fun atmosphere! It’s a great way to connect with your kid as it can definitely get their attention.
Of course homework is important too and there’s no excuse to not do the homework but if its games that he loves, you can leverage on that to make him do his work after, like buying him a new game if he scores in exam or something like that.
R.J. · September 24, 2018 at 9:32 pm
Hey Riaz, cool post. I have to tell you though I’m not really much into egames, but I can say that your post was awesome and I did learn a lot from it.
I’ve thought about entering certain egame competitions but I don’t like the idea of having to spend a whole day trying to exercise my skill and ability; the monetary reward somewhat makes it worth it though.
How long have you been doing esports or egames? Kick ass post dude!
Riaz Shah · September 25, 2018 at 4:39 am
Hey RJ!
I’ve been in the industry for 3 years but only started the business side one year. I’m into eSports but keeping up takes a lot of your time and after a while, I just play casually just for fun so I can focus on work more and not worry about skill perfection like the others. I usually take 2 weeks to fully understand an eSports game because I’m those types of players who would spend time learning about everyone’ moves.
It’s a lot of fun playing once you know everyone else’s moves and how to counter them. Thanks for the awesome feedback man, appreciate it.
Mike Viray · August 4, 2018 at 9:39 am
Wow, I knew about esports but wasn’t wholly aware that it’s gotten this big now. I guess one thing I can say is that I wish there were more variety as to the genre of games being promoted. You mentioned that you guys did a Mario Kart competition and that’s a great move forward in making this happen. All this aside though, it’s wonderful that competitive gaming is getting more and more noticed.
Riaz Shah · August 4, 2018 at 11:50 pm
Hey Mike,
Yup we love trying out new things that aren’t mainstream like the other common eSports games because we wanted to give an opportunity for normal people to win some prizes as well. Mario cart and even Contra escalated quickly and I’m hoping to add more games to the fix. Appreciate the feedback man, have a great Sunday!
Peter · July 29, 2018 at 10:40 am
This is a good overview of esports. I love Starcraft 2 and played it myself online a few years ago. But I am too old and slow to get out of Silver League.
I have been watching SC2 for years and it is my favorite eSport. Perhaps one day, I will go to Korea and watch the GSL in person. It’s kind of fading in popularity now that MOBAs have caught on. That’s disappointing.
I have watched other eSports, such as World of Tanks, League of Legenda, and the Blizzard game with a team shooter character named Tracer. (I can’t recall the game’s name). Good times.
Riaz Shah · July 30, 2018 at 5:29 am
That would be Overwatch Peter,
great game with new updates and characters, you should definitely give it a try! LOL’s fun too but personally for me, I think that the game has too many changes to adapt to so I’m finding it hard to keep up. Some characters are way too OP too and it would take a few patches for them to get nerfed so I usually just play when I feel like it compared to other games which I usually play every day.
Jordan · July 23, 2018 at 4:57 pm
Awesome!
When I was in college everyone was obsessed with League of Legends. Then Overwatch. Now, Fortnite and PUBG seem huge.
My experience with video games has mostly been on single player games – big Legend of Zelda guy, lots of Nintendo in general, Skyrim, Batman Arkham games, some Call of Duty… but I’ve been really intrigued by these eSports competitions and massive multi-player games.
I don’t feel like I have the time at this point in my life to get into it, but I also think I would really enjoy it. I’m kind of torn!
If you had to pick your #1 favorite of any of these games, which one would it be and why? My choice will depend mostly on what my friends seem to be playing, but I’m trying to gather opinions.
Riaz Shah · July 24, 2018 at 6:16 am
Hey Jordan!
I guess for me it would be the PVP battle. I came from MMORPG games playing World of Warcraft and the Guild Wars series so I’m totally in love with the lore of the game. When I found out how you can up your game even more with PVP championships, it got even more intense and playing gets even more engaging with more players interacting and helping each other.
The community itself is not as toxic as that of fighting games and that of MOBA and guilds became part of our lives with regular meetups for raids or just plan discord chat while playing. The sense of belonging is definitely there and it got me playing until now.
All in all, I still love some good ole single player games on my free and alone time too where I play on full hd and immerse myself as if i were in that game. Appreciate the feedback man, thanks for dropping by!
yoguRJ · July 8, 2018 at 11:41 am
Really shocked on seeing the facts in this article. I play games sometimes to distract myself from stresses. That’s it. But I never thought that there are a huge and huge of business industry running over there for esports. I am an investor. I am investing in HYIP programs. But I have an interest in investing in esports. I would like to know the basic details of investing in esports. Guide me.
Riaz Shah · July 9, 2018 at 9:53 am
Hey there Yogu,
There are a few avenues in eSports investment. You could choose to either invest in eSports teams, the venues themselves such as the epicenter or battle Arena, or you could go on an invest in the eSports companies themselves such as Kitamen which oversees the whole eSport ecosystem in a certain area.
When talking about eSport teams, bear in mind that there are different teams specializing in different games for example, optic gaming specialises in shooting games like COD. However there are bigger eSport teams that venture into multiple games like EchoFox which also covers fighting games.
In eSport venues, its pretty much like investing in an event space – Only that it’s much cooler looking and suited for gamers to do eSport tournaments. Esport venues are equipped with the latest in technology to suit different games whether its PC games like Dota, console games like FIFA, or mobile phone games like Vainglory. From small rooms for eSport lessons to huge arenas equipped with huge LED screen and stadium-like stage, it serves as an attraction point for many companies to collaborate and sponsor their latest techs for gamers.
Esport companies like Kitamen are the ones who organise eSport tournaments. Events are our lifeline and every weekend, we usually have about 3 to 4 eSport events all around the nation. Corporate companies are starting to realise the importance of eSports and they pay us to bring our equipment, organise and stream tournaments at their place. We cover events so much that we needed more equipment hence the increase in our number of outlets all around Malaysia.
Even the games themselves can be a good eSport venture and you could invest in them through stocks which I would say can be pretty rewarding. There are definitely more avenues of eSports but I wouldn’t want to overwhelm you with all the info Yogu.
Hope that helps! Cheers
-Riaz