eSports is easily gaining momentum as a spectacle in the gaming community. Not only are more people getting involved in competitive gaming, a lot more people are happy to spend time watching competitive gaming at high levels (and who can blame them, what with the stuff that’s on regular TV). Even betting on esports has become more popular with sites like bigfreebet and esportsjunkie advertising these services.
The games that are usually featured in eSports tend to have wide appeal and are easy to get into. Games like League of Legends is based on a free-2-play model meaning anyone can easily try the game out and get good at it. Other games, like fighting games, also tend to be easy to get into as gamers can straight away get into competitive matches without the need to play a story section. The ease of getting into these games is a major factor as to why they have gained so much attention.
The rise of better online netcode and thus online play has also helped to boost interest in competitive gaming. Online multiplayer modes are again another easy way to get into a game, and with good netcodes, gamers are able to gain a better appreciation for the balance and competitive nature of each game. In the past, offline play would be too different than online play due to lag, thus negating any benefit someone might reap by playing online. Nowadays though, the online play has improved significantly that gamers can now train their core skills through online play. Of course, offline play is still king, but the online is a major boost to a games longevity.
It is also much easier to watch competitive gaming. From live streams on websites like twitch.tv to watching old gameplay videos on Youtube, anybody can watch the professionals and their playstyles. As is true in any sport, to be the best, you have to learn from the best. Having the ability to watch these high level gameplays will fuel others to either copy or try and overcome any playstyle that has proved successful at winning tournaments. The amount of tournaments being covered has also increased. The Evolution tournament is just one of many fighting game tournaments held throughout the year. Its history is the main reason why it has become such a huge gaming event. This year, EVO (as it is fondly known as) will feature 8 different major fighting game tournaments. As you can see, by supporting so many different games, EVO will gain an even bigger following and ultimately success.
The final reason as to eSports success comes down to the gaming community. The gaming communities are the ones who carried competitive gaming before it was profitable. They laid down money, sweat and tears to bring people together for these games. Thankfully, the community has stood the test of time. Generally, the people who host and participate in these events are welcoming to newcomers and love seeing a newcomer take down a veteran. It adds spice to the community, and they love that. A lot of communities will even help find accommodation for people who can’t afford local rates, simply to have more gamers enjoy the atmosphere of the eSports scene. A lot definitely rests on the community, and so long as they remember to put the people ahead of egos, the growth of eSports will continue for a long while.
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