I have never been very good at video games. The Video Game craze of the late 70’s early 80’s wasn’t my cup of tea. It kind of came after my time. Plus, I sucked at Pac-Man and Asteroid’s. I preferred to be out playing, riding my bike, skateboarding, climbing and falling out of trees or chasing and getting chased by dogs.
But when I was in University I stumbled upon a text based Mud Game (Multi User Dungeon) based on the Wheel of Time novels. That was almost 20 years ago, and I am still playing. It’s addictive, entertaining, exciting. After more than 2 decades I have made some life-long friends. The weird thing is I’ve never met any of them F2F!!! We have a space on Discord. We share our lives there. With this Covid-19 lock down it’s a place to share everything.
Previous to Covid-19, this virtual life of mine was considered strange behavior by those that know me. Snide remarks, giggles. He’s playing Wot-Mud. Snicker. Who is laughing now? The Internet and World Wide Web are life lines and for some the only way to connect with friends, family and take out!!! People are ZOOMing, DISCORDing, GOOGLE-MEETing, like there is no tomorrow (knock on wood).
And of course virtual activity has to include Electronic Sports. Even the mexican soccer league is being played virtually as a way of passing the time. As most know by now eSports is the name given to competitive pro gaming. What does that really represent? People get paid to play!!! They get sponsors, the games are broadcast to the delight of millions of viewers. If I had known that 20 years ago I would definitely hadn’t sold my Atari.
Before the pandemic, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had announced the Intel World Open (IWO) eSports competition which would be held from July 22nd to the 24th at Zepp Diver City Venue in Tokyo the week before the opening of the 2020 Summer Olympics. Some felt this was going to be a test drive for eSports inclusion, something which many had protested vehemently against in recent years, claiming eSports were far from being a physical competition.
Tell that to the competitors who during tourneys lose approximately 5 to 8 kilos during tournament weeks. Plus there are other, more serious ailments such as deteriorating eyesight, digestive problems and wrist and hand damage. Apart from physical hardship, many veteran competitors complain of mental health problems, including insomnia and anxiety. Esports has only recently begun to appreciate the need for physiotherapists to deal with the gamers physical and mental needs. Still, the winnings are insane.
Unibet, one of the top gaming/gambling platforms, reported that the highest ranked Dota 2 player, Saahil Arora, made off with 2.7 million dollars last year. I knew I shouldn’t have studied journalism. The numbers are staggering.
The World Economic Forum reported that approximately 33 billion dollars are up for grabs this year for sSports competitors. How is this possible? Where there is a demand there will always be someone who is willing to offer. Reportedly up to 380 million viewers followed the top tournaments on YouTube or Twitch last year. That my friends equals lots of revenue, lots of potential buyers and lots of work for the professionals, commentators and celebrities who take part in these events.
When compared to other professional sports like the NBA or FIFA, prize money doubles what is offered in those world wide competitions. The NBA offers 13 million where eSports total prize pool is 24.7 million. This year FIFA sponsored the eWorld Cup, where 32 players face off, and is offering 500 thousand dollars for first place winner and another 100k to the runner up. I don’t know Rick, but that’s a lot of caguamas.
