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In certain countries around the world, esports is officially deemed a sport. The first nations to recognise esports as a sport were South Korea, China, Russia, Denmark, Italy and South Africa. As video games continue to become an increasingly common source of entertainment, the stigma around them as a competitive endeavour is fading.
Yes, in several countries around the world Esports is officially a sport, for example in South Korea, China, Russia, Denmark and Italy. In 2020, Ukraine officially announced esports as a sport.
Esports could well be part of the Olympics by 2028 in some form. In 2021 the IOC supported its first-ever "Olympics Virtual Series" in the run-up to the Tokyo games. There are very convincing arguments to include esports in the Olympic program, especially its ability to engage a younger audience. However, the fact the competitive esports scene is less regulated than traditional sports and that the games are IPs owned by developers make it not straightforward.
Esports players being classed as athletes depends on what is considered "physical exercise". Esports is a recognised sport and esports players considered athletes in several countries such as China, South Korea, Russia and Denmark.
Esports organizations make money through several revenue streams. These can include sponsorships, ad revenue, merchandise and through taking a percentage (typically 5-10%) of the prize winnings of their teams in competitions.
There is a common belief in the general public that given esports minimal physical exertion it should not be classed as a sport. However, archery and shooting also include minimal exertion and are classed as sports and are part of the Olympics.
Esports is a sport because it is a skill-based activity that has a set of rules which players obey in order to engage in competition. Gaming requires fast reflexes, hand to eye coordination and mental fortitude much like other traditional sports.
Esports became popular at the end of the 20th century through the popularisation of games such as real-time strategy game Starcraft and first-person shooters Doom and Quake.
Nobody owns Esports. Unlike traditional sports there is no governing body overseeing the entire esports scene. Instead the developers of each game create their own rules for their competitive scene. The level of involvement of the developers can vary drastically, from closed franchised leagues to laisser-faire.
While fans new to the scene may think esports team make the bulk of their money through prize winnings, in fact for the majority of teams it is through sponsorships and brand deals with endemic and non-endemic sponsors looking to advertise their products to a young audience.
Esports should be considered a sport because it requires fast-reflexes, mental strength and strategic thinking, much like many traditional sports we know today.
Yes, Esports can definitely be a career. Universities now offer modules and courses in esports, and there are plenty of businesses courses worldwide that delve into the growing scene. Outside of competing in the game, there are jobs as managers, commentators, hosts, graphics designers, video producers and more.
