Gaming has become more and more common as the past couple of decades have gone on. While it was once frowned upon and misunderstood or even blamed for many evils such as bullying and school shootings, it’s become more and more prevalent in this technology-driven 21st century. The world has changed in general and many have started asking questions that just a few decades ago would have been unthinkable. And among other previously unimaginable things, a question has arisen in recent years – can cybersports overtake physical sports and in general all other sport types? While just a decade ago the answer might have been a fast and resounding no, today it’s gotten a bit shakier since a whole new industry of cybersports has risen and no one knows for certain in which direction it will go.
Many have begun to wonder if it can compete with or maybe even overtake traditional sports. Is it just another trend, something to busy ourselves with for a while or is it going to be a lasting sport that joins the long line of respected sport types and maybe even gets enlisted in the Olympics? And there are actually quite a few reasons behind this. For one thing, online gaming has become massively popular as it is, but with the rise of the Covid-19 virus, things can change even further. For over a year, or in some countries even to this day, people practically locked themselves up at home and, in a way, many got used to that more passive lifestyle. Many people even started perceiving outdoor activities as almost dangerous. This is especially beneficial for online sports since its gameplay is much more accessible than traditional sports, mostly because it does not require much in terms of physical presence but also because it doesn’t require any physical training. All of this evens out the playing field in the esports vs sports debacle.
Another point that kind of shows the future of the field and how it’s expanding is the fact that more and more pro gamers are joining the leagues and this means that the number of people even interested in becoming a gamer is rising as well. Plus, the number of fans who follow the industry is increasing. The audience is expected to grow to 260 million viewers by the year 2022. The League of Legends tournaments alone can sometimes garner larger audiences than major leagues in the US, with 58 million viewers as opposed to the 38 million that the MLB World Series could provide. What’s especially important is that online gaming is a sport that anyone all over the world can join since it doesn’t require much. Be it the fans following a game or the pros themselves – people very rarely need to travel to other places halfway across the globe to be aware of events and can sometimes even participate in those events remotely. There are no language barriers to playing esports games or any geographical restrictions and this certainly appeals to the global audience. This, of course, could play a huge part in its future success.
Cybersports could also be a part of future Olympic Games and that would be a big deal and a huge step forward for the sport. You must be wondering why is that? Well, lately, there has been a major push to include cybersports in the Olympics and while it’s not yet confirmed, such a change would drastically impact the growth of the sport for the better. The Olympics are an internationally recognized, respected, and renowned multi-sport event. And if electronic sports are included it will immediately boost its reputation and recognition. Plus, betting on the cybersport industry is a booming business right now, especially if we’re talking about betting on top esports games. And, of course, since business is involved, the push towards expanding the field will only go further.
And all in all, you could say that the reputation of cybersports is rising and blooming by the day. Kids today have started to talk about the famous gamer Ninja (real name Tyle Blevins) with such admiration as if he is the new Lebron James or Lionel Messi. Both adults and teens follow his games with great attention and analyze every move he makes. Blevins has over 12 million followers and gets an average of 72,000 views during competitions. And when a player representing the industry reaches such massive popularity it’s basically a testament to the rise of the sport and its expansion. Currently, the only US league overshadowing esports is the NFL, which is huge considering the NFL is the biggest sport in the States right now and has been for some time. But wouldn’t you know it, cybersports is actually catching up to American Football! With things going this way, it’s not a surprise at all that the industry is seen as a booming one and a legitimate competitor of traditional physical sports that could actually replace those.
But still, the main question remains: will cybersports actually and fully overtake traditional sports? Well, it’s not all so easy. You see, while it is true that virtual gaming has been growing almost by the day, there’s no telling how constant or stable that growth is. Plus, as much as it has been expanding, it’s still vastly behind traditional sports in terms of funding and above all else, revenue. The more traditional sports organizations own and run large physical locations and so they have more opportunities of earning money from many different factors such as broadcasting rights. The difference is in billions. So, no matter how far cybersports may have come, it still has a long way to go until it can be considered a competitor to other sport types. And while many esports tournaments are held all year round and many more will come, until the sport can bring revenue of the same size as any of the traditional physical sports, it’s too soon for gamers to claim victory in this matter.
