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OKAY FINE MAYBE THESE ALL DON’T SHARE THE SAME IMPORTANCE BUT IT’S AN EXCITING TIME FOR ESPORTS DAMMIT.
Regardless of whether or not my list of milestones is comprehensive or unexaggerated (it’s neither), the fact remains that something incredible just happened for eSports. It will surprise no one that the “professional validity” of video gaming as a sport is questionable to those outside of the scene. There are many who assert that video games cannot be sports because they lack the essential physicality of traditional sports. Some persist in believing that gaming is for children and is bereft of any value in “the real world.” Even fellow gamers occasionally have a hard time seeing that their (typically) frivolous pastime can also be work-intensive and require talent. In response, eSports fans such as myself seek to spread the knowledge about our hobby to help it acquire the legitimacy and attention that it deserves. This is the first huge step for eSports to become relevant to more than just its fans. The United States of America, a sovereign nation, just proclaimed “Yeah, you guys are on the level of the NFL.” That’s INSANE.
This acknowledgement of the importance of eSports in our culture also comes during a time of unrelenting growth. ESports is no longer just Quake and Doom (the first big competitive titles), but encompasses dozens of games from a handful of genres, including Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Smite, Halo 4, and even The Binding of Issac (in racing form… seriously). Whether you’re a fan of MOBAs, RTSes, FPSes, or Fighters, there’s an eSport tournament out there for you. The most popular eSports titles have professional leagues with organized teams and high-budget sponsors like Razer, Red Bull, or Pepsi. Most importantly, eSports fanbase is gargantuan and continues to grow at an incredible rate. Ten years ago, there were probably only several thousand eSports devotees outside of South Korea, but now millions of people consume eSports-related content every single day. Back in May, the League of Legends All-Star Match in Shanghai had 18 million unique viewers. That’s like all of New York City watching the same show. It’s also triple the amount of people who watched the Game of Thrones Season 3 finale. Consider that the previous record for a LoL stream was 8.6 million (just half a year beforehand) and that the game has about 32 million players total and the number becomes even more impressive. Though its numbers are comparably small, this year’s EVO tournament also had record-breaking viewership. 1.7 million people watched the competition, the most that have ever tuned in to a fighting game tournament. When you encounter a slew of record-breaking years, you know that things are going well.
All of eSports’ successes show that it is ready to be part of mainstream culture, at least in the U.S. Before this, eSports was not prepared for that leap and its past underground status indicated as much. Gaming tournaments once attempted to break into U.S. television, but neither suitable interest nor structure could be found that would properly entice viewers. Large companies in the States tried to sponsor games and gamers prior to recent years, but those sponsorships tended to disappear quickly. The high volatility of the older eSports scene demonstrated that eSports was still in its infancy and unprepared for the “big leagues” of the mainstream. However, with the advent of streaming technology and the increasing popularity of video gaming itself, eSports went from a niche idea with little potential for growth to a pastime that possessed a solid foundation upon which it could develop and flourish. When the growth began, so did the attention from sources outside of the scene, legitimizing eSports in the eyes of a wider audience in a way that fans alone could not. Now Red Bull sponsors frequent LAN events, bringing gaming professionals together for entertaining tournaments. Forbes recognized multiple leaders in the gaming scene with their “Top 30 Under 30″ articles, including Sean “Day[9]” Plott, EG coach Alex Garfield, and Twitch CEO and cofounder Emmett Shear. With the announcement from U.S. immigration, we can see that eSports cannot be ignored, even by governments. The world is echoing what we have known for years: eSports is here to stay.
In a way, there’s very little else to say about this milestone. There’s no controversy or drama, nor any particular opinions to assert regarding the choice. Yet what this announcement truly implies, and what excites me, is a promise of eSports greatness to come. Now that League of Legends players qualify for athletic visas, when will Street Fighter, DotA, or Call of Duty players get the same? Certainly that day will come, and soon, because there’s no reason one game should earn this accolade while others do not. And what will follow that landmark? Massive tournaments are already on the horizon, prepared to break records once again. The International 3, the LCS World Championships (at the Staples Center, no less), the WCS Finals will all be monumental events, ones that will have gamers and non-gamers wondering what eSports will do next.
We take this opportunity to remember our eSports scene is rising. ESports aren’t just wonderful, they’re winning. In our lifetimes, eSports will triumph.
Get excited.
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