36 THE EMERGENCE OF PROFESSIONAL E-SPORTS G one are the days when the only sports kids want to play are outside, on the court or at the rink. Now, sports are contained within the electronic devices we all have access to, in many forms. eSports are simply video games. Most commonly, eSports are organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players. If you are not a current eSports player, there’s a good chance you have been one in the past or know someone who is. The video game industry is huge; in 2015, it was reported that the international video game industry made more than $91 billion in revenue, and that figure keeps growing. A genre of gameplay ridiculed for keeping lonely adolescents locked in their rooms for hours has become one of the most profitable means of entertainment in the world. Things have changed since Pong was released on the Atari game system in 1972. Now, there are more than a dozen options of gaming systems (including computers and smartphones) with millions of games to choose from, ranging from real-time strategy (RTS), first-person shooter (FPS), fighting, and multiplayer online battle arena(MOBA)games.Gamemanufacturershave alsomadegaminganenjoyableexperience.Game controllers react to what is happening on screen and virtual reality headsets are fully immersive for a 360-degree experience. There are entire communities online dedicated to supporting players through their games, discussing methods for success, the best and newest games to try and arranging meetups and teams to play together. Gaming is no longer anything to be embarrassed about. eSports have revolutionized the video game industry by making it a group activity – if you’re not playing a game or competing in a tournament, you may be watching someone else play on YouTube or Twitch, a streaming platform specifically designed to record the gameplay of the user. Players log hundreds or thousands of hours playing and observing their favorite gameplay to excel in the game. Much like traditional sports like football and basketball, practice makes perfect for eSport players. 58