Quoth the Gamer: eSports is Here to Stay

Many do not agree with it, but it’s the next big thing.

Earlier this month, Major League Gaming held a Call of Duty Ghosts tournament at the X-Games in Austin, Texas. It was not televised like the other events. However, it was streamed in it’s entirety, and players won medals as well.That very stream reported about 152,000 viewers on day three alone. This is not counting those watching on Twitch through other streaming channels, or the live crowd that was in attendance.

First X Games Gold Medalists in MLG history.

Whether you like the game that was played or not, this was a milestone for competitive gaming. Just like when Riot games made efforts to get foreign players work visas so they could travel to play League of Legends (Which sold out the staples center in an hour for their 2013 championship finals by the way).

Then there are companies like Blizzard that create their games and content with their competitive community in mind. I mean why not cater directly to the crowd that will play your game in-depth and intensely until you make a sequel?  Look at Nintendo and what they’re doing with Super Smash Bros. now.

With the emergence of anything new comes a plethora of naysayers. Most out of jealousy, others out of misunderstanding, and a deep connection to tradition.

I mean, when I was working a 9-5 I was surely jealous of others making money playing video games. I’m a gamer too! I’ve talked with many people and they honestly do not agree with it because “no one should be paid to play video games.”

Did we forget that Magic: the Gathering was on ESPN also?

Those in disagreement will just have to learn to enjoy it, or stay mad. Unfortunately for them, there are passionate players that love to compete, and fans that love to watch them do it.

As different leagues and games cement their places in this world, it’s only going to get bigger. Everyone forgets that the NBA for instance wasn’t always large and intercontinental. I’m not saying that eSports will be as big overnight, but it’s certainly possible.

I’m extremely competitive, and this topic is very dear to me. I have followed competitive gaming since MLG started hosting Halo 2. I also list Jonathan “Fatal1ty” Wendell when asked about my favorite athlete of all time.

I’ve got into arguments and have lost friends over the topic of eSports. I have been a part of it, I’ve covered it in articles, I’ve watched it, and I love it.

This isn’t a WWE crowd.

Next time I will talk about what’s wrong  with professional gaming. I’m not a complete fanboy here. I completely understand why it’s currently in a bad light. I will try my best to explain what these things are and why they happen. I will also talk about how they can be fixed!

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