Why Is eSports So Popular Now and Is It Bad?

If the Industrial Revolution of the early 19^th century brought about a major change to mankind, the digital revolution’s impact has been even bigger in the last few decades. Almost anything associated with our normal life has been taken digitally. Hence, it is not a surprise that sports have also entered into the digital world. No longer do you have to play a game of golf or play with your friends in a football match. There are also dedicated online games with attractive offers like the Freespins Ohne Einzahlung. Therefore, eSports’ concept is much bigger than ever before and is only likely to grow in popularity in the future.

Back in the 2010s, eSports was largely enjoyed by a few sets of hard-core supporters. Back then, many would often wonder how eSports works compared to a regular sport. Since then, it has grown to such an extent that many tournaments are held at huge arenas. Aside from the growing number of eSports audience, there is a more generous amount of money flowing through the game than ever before. Sponsors are ready to come up with funds for a large volume of events to demonstrate why eSports is essential.

What Are eSports?

For those who are new to the world of eSports games, these are essentially gaming competitions that may involve real sports like football. It is mostly about games like Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Overwatch, DOTA, and more. There are a wide variety of games with different styles, themes, and concepts. A group of individuals or teams will be up against one another in the multiplayer formats. The idea has taken off in such a colossal way that many gamers have gone professional. Just like in the world of physical sports, where professionals must devote themselves to the game by learning, playing, and developing in the game entirely, a professional eSports gamer has to do the same. A measure of how far the concept has come is coaches’ presence for teams, just like a team playing physical sports.

The tournaments on eSports used to be conducted in college and school environments. Today, the eSports industry has become one of the top competitive events, with players even allowed to participate in World Championships, where they compete against players from around the globe.

Rise In Popularity of eSports

Few would have imagined that eSports trends would leave a lasting impression of virtual sports. Apart from making players turned professional, it has also generated a fan base. There are several hundred streaming sites that are dedicated to covering the various tournaments across the globe. These sites tend to have their base that runs into several million. For example, the 2019 World Championship for the League of Legends title witnessed a peak viewership of almost 4 million by taking into account the global players. The fans are interested in eSports results, but they want to watch the action as well.

A major advantage of this type of sport is the ability to play from almost anywhere – provided that an Internet connection and an excellent gaming PC is available. The magnitude of free platforms currently streaming the various tournaments and matches has skyrocketed in recent months, as the coronavirus pandemic has brought about a halt to any physical sporting events. The process of setting up an account on one of the streaming platforms and being able to watch an event is relatively easy.

One might think that the eSports organizations do not suffer from any drama incidence, but this is simply not the case since match-fixing allegations and scandals have occurred in the past. It is often regarded that gaming is a single-player sport, but eSports has changed this perception. The eSports social factors are now issued a reason behind its popularity, as many other players can be brought into the game. Rather than just playing with friends, one can use their skills to compete with professional players regularly. This would simply not be possible in the case of a physical sport.

There has been a steady growth in eSports influencers who have brought about players’ opportunities to learn to schools. For example, Seoul has an Ahyeon polytechnic high school where students can participate in gaming activities to practice their League of Legends skills.

Positive Impacts of eSports

There is often a common misconception that video games are not suitable for health, but this can be the wrong judgment. Researches by neuroscientists have proven that video games could have a positive impact on the brain. This is particularly true of players who are involved in video games for almost 10 hours per week. It is found to have a positive impact on memory, motor, attention, strategic planning, and necessary skills. Video games are fun to be of enormous assistance in bringing about multitasking and focusing capabilities.

Virtual sports are also finding their way into the physical sports segment to improve the professional players. For example, football teams in the German league are resorting to video games for tactical, mental, and decision-making preparation. This preparation would then help train better for upcoming matches. As long as eSports players are spending sufficient time dealing with the sport’s stress, there will be plenty of positive effects. For starters, people should have a good sleep if they are playing these games for a long period.

Is It Good For Health?

While the eSports facts will reveal that the sport has undergone a tremendous amount of popularity and change in the last decade, many questions have been raised about the detrimental impact it has on an individual’s health. The sports revenues are expected to hit more than $1.5 billion in 2021, but it is essential to look at the price that players – and even fans to a certain extent – are paying for this growth.

Excessive Sitting

The most apparent impact of eSports can be felt because of sitting excessively to play the games. One of the common eSports information shows that a player tends to spend around 25 hours per week gaming. This is quite a serious amount of time being idle, and it can have a lasting impact on the body. For someone who has been sitting continuously for 24 hours, there is a substantial reduction in the body’s ability to absorb glucose. 

The reduction is by almost 40%, and it can leave the player with a serious risk of picking up type II diabetes. There is a strong need to take breaks in between and look away from the screen. Some of the recent surveys have also shown that some gamers tend to spend around 100 hours per week, which is a dangerous level on many factors.

Risk To Amateur Players

The professional names in virtual sports are currently picking up massive money in the form of sponsorships and tournament prize money. However, many amateur players are risking their lives and careers in the hope of becoming a professional. The professional player spends around three hours per day when they are not competing in a tournament. This leaves them with plenty of time to work out and to have a life outside the arena.

However, amateurs can spend several hours together in the name of training to become professionals. This can end up having a significant impact on their sleeping habits and health. Since there are no proper guidelines available on training for the prospect of becoming a professional, it can lead to some expensive mistakes – from which it is difficult to recover. The eSports history has shown that many players are failing to make the grade due to rising competition levels.

Mental and Physical Exertion

Research by the German Sports University in Cologne reveals that despite making a lot of money, the professionals in the eSports are under a lot of pressure and stress. From the outside, it may appear that the pros are sitting and playing games – compared to the physical sport, a lot of training and exertion occurs. However, one of the forgotten elements about this sport would be the physical demands and mental effort. The players will be moving their eyes at a rapid rate of 400 movements each minute. This is the eSports meaning of being able to achieve excellent hand-eye coordination.

Depending on the level of competition they are up against, a player’s heartbeat can even reach 180 beats each minute. This level is almost similar to what a racing driver goes through in the seat of a fast car. A player part of a physical sport will go through a considerable increase in cortisol hormone level related to stress. This level spikes during critical moments, like when put in a spot to score a final penalty. Therefore, physical exertions will also be one of the eSports questions put forward to a player when deciding to go down to being a pro in this segment.

Verdict

There is no doubt that eSports has gained a lot of traction in recent years. Even though there are plenty of positives to this sport, one should always keep the numbers in check – even if they are in a professional environment. The impact on health is something that cannot be put in numbers. One should enjoy eSports in the best health possible.

What’s your take on this? Leave a comment below!

Author’s Bio

Ellen Royce is a video game blogger. She loves helping beginner gamers develop their skills and build a career in professional gaming. Ellen started participating in tournaments four years ago and now runs a small eSports team of her own. 

Photo credit: by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels