MYTH BUSTED: “eSports Isn’t a Real Sport”

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Since emerging, eSports has seen a huge explosion in popularity. The gaming industry has been breaking its stereotypes and broadening its audience. As video games have become increasingly popular, recognition of eSports has grown steadily. But some people say that eSports aren’t real sports. And though each individual is entitled to their own opinion, let’s shine some light on this.

To start, we’ll take a look at the definition of a sport. According to Dictionary.com, a sport is defined as, “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature.” Since eSports have physical skill, knowledge, and competition, eSports are very much considered a sport. MYTH BUSTED. 

People may be quick to judge eSports and not consider this “a real sport” but in today’s day and age, there are many changes happening to society’s definition of a sport.

Although eSports may not require the same physical attributes as football or hockey, it still requires skill and knowledge. It may seem easy to have the stamina and ability to play video games for hours on end in front of a screen, but it’s not always an easy feat. Some gamers are dedicated enough to keep playing even after they fail at a game.

The ability to maintain focus and determination over an extended period of time while playing a video game is a skill in and of itself. Then add in complicated and changing rules depending on the type of game being played, and eSports becomes even more difficult.

Along with attention to detail, professional eSports players are able to develop social skills. As more people become interested in eSports, competitions become more available. But winning competitions is more than just knowing how to play a video game. Teams collaborate and practice together to grow resilience in competition, which allows for players to not only expand on their skills but also to develop a fan base (like any other sport).

With energy levels needing to stay constant, professional eSports gamers must train as well. This article on Esports.net states that, “many pro players have similar training schedules with more than ten hours per day of training, scheduled meals, and more.”

Staying fit and keeping a healthy diet can help prevent injuries – not just for other athletes, but for eSports athletes as well. And playing fast-paced games for hours at a time can take a toll on the body. This article from the Washington Post writes about this, saying that eSports players typically sit at a desk for long periods of time, which can lead to a variety of ailments such as muscle weakness, tendinopathy, nerve compression, and lower back pain. These problems aren’t common injuries (like ACL tears or contact injuries in football), but rather they are long-term overuse injuries.

It’s clear that a career in eSports doesn’t come light-heartedly. Skill, practice, and the ability to work as a team are all aspects that can describe a sport. Next time, don’t be so quick to question whether or not eSports is considered a sport. It takes a lot of genuine hard work and determination to be successful in eSports, so there’s no question that eSports should be considered a sport.

Do you want to know more about the fatigue testing? Follow this link

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References

Is Esports a Sport? Countries where Esports is considered a sport. (n.d.). Esports.Net. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.esports.net/wiki/guides/is-esports-a-sport/

Leporati, G. (2022, March 14). Esports injuries: The surprising physical toll of pro gaming – The Washington Post. Washington Post; The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/esports/2022/03/14/professional-esports-athlete-injuries/

MYTH-BUSTING | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary. (n.d.). Cambridge Dictionary | English Dictionary, Translations & Thesaurus. Retrieved June 9, 2022, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/myth-busting

Sport Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Www.Dictionary.Com. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sport