New to the concept of esports? You probably have a lot of questions. To help you make sense of the world of competitive gaming, read on for answers to 8 of the most commonly asked questions about esports.
1. What are esports?
Esports basically refers to competitive gaming that’s played out before an audience. In many cases, these match-ups happen in front of a live audience, with commentary provided by industry experts. However, more esports contests are being held virtually, allowing potentially millions of fans to watch via the internet.
2. How did esports originate?
There’s some disagreement about this, but most people concur that the first esports event took place back in 1972. This humble event saw students of Stanford University get together for a competitive game of Spacewar. Although attendance was small, the idea quickly caught on. By 1980, larger competitive gaming events were being held, with developers like Atari sponsoring them. Esports events as we know them today took longer to develop, with the rise of games like Counter-Strike and live streaming providers leading to a boom in esports coverage by the turn of the century.
3. What are the viewing figures for esports?
Regular viewing figures for esports are huge. In 2021, it’s estimated that around 240 million people watched esports events occasionally. However, the overall number is much higher. In fact, viewing figures for esports dwarves the audience shares for many conventional sports.
4. How lucrative is the esports sector?
It’s hard to put an exact value on the esports sector. If you factor in everything from live game streaming to revenues from arena events, the total market is likely to be worth significantly more than a billion dollars.
5. What are the most popular esports games?
Dozens of different games are regularly played at a professional level. However, the highest-earning teams and players tend to focus on a handful of popular titles. These include Call of Duty, Overwatch, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
6. How much do the highest-paid esports professionals earn?
When it comes to esports earnings, professionals can expect to contend with a sliding scale when it comes to income potential. A fairly inexperienced esports player who has recently signed up to a junior team can pocket around 4,000 dollars per month. This doesn’t include their share of prize winnings and income generated from sponsorship. An experienced professional who has joined the roster of an established team can expect to earn six-figure sums on an annual basis.
7. Who is the most successful esports player?
This all depends on how you’re measuring success. If you’re going by earnings alone, the most successful esports player on the planet is Johan Sundstein. Better known as ‘N0tail’ on the circuit, Sundstein has amassed a fortune of more than 7 million US dollars.
8. How can I watch live esports events?
There are countless ways to view esports matches and tournaments. Live streaming platforms like Twitch allow individuals to follow gaming action from just about anywhere, while many of the biggest fixtures can be watched virtually via official platforms of organizers. You can find CSGO matches here, as well as links to live streams of other must-see events.
