(Originally posted on Medium.)
I’m thrilled to announce my first book, “Good Luck Have Fun: The Rise of eSports,” will be released on June 7 from Skyhorse Publishing. This is the most comprehensive history of the growth of competitive gaming from a bedroom hobby into a multi-million dollar industry that fills the biggest stadiums in the world.
It’s been an incredibly challenging and rewarding experience. Over the past year and a half, I interviewed over fifty players, team owners, tournament organizers and commentators. I saw $18 million history made in Seattle, and it seemed almost every week that someone new was entering the space, or a huge drama was unfolding.
I hope the book captures the history and the growth of Counter-Strike, StarCraft I and II, League of Legends, DOTA 2 and Twitch. But more importantly, I hope it captures the passion, pain and joy of the people that made the industry what it is.
I grew up with these games, and it’s still mind-boggling that something that I played in my childhood bedroom is now one of the fastest-growing entertainment sectors in the world. A few years ago, I wrote that “2011 may very well be seen as the turning point, when the eSports floodgates opened.” The growth has exceeded my optimism.
You can preorder the book below and follow along for updates. A full site will be up soon.
Amazon
Newsletter
Twitch
I can’t wait to share this with you.
Roland
roland@rolandli.me