The rise of professional gaming

The world of professional gaming or esports has gone through a multitude of changes since the start of the pandemic. Some of these changes include finding new revenue streams, having new gaming consoles, and broadcasting online gaming events using Twitch, Youtube Gaming, or Facebook Gaming. With gaming events such as PAX, E3, and BlizzCon being cancelled, gamers and fans across the world have wondered if switching to online gaming would be more beneficial for the time being. 

“[I believe that] some events [will return back in person after Covid has ended], but it would probably be easier for the bigger events to remain online,” said senior Evan Myers.

With the current restrictions placed around the country, it would be challenging to find a safe way to hold an in-person event. Some people however, are optimistic and think that professional gaming will return.

“Honestly, I think it will,” said 2020 alumni Jamauri Grice. “Gaming has evolved over quarantine and Covid… I mean after all what else were we supposed to do with all that time? I think once [professional gaming] does come back, it will be a great way for gamers to share what new skills they have gathered during the time away from in person.”

Freshman Cyruss Tano agrees. 

“I definitely do think professional gaming will go back to being in-person when Covid is over,” said Tano. “With professional gaming, no matter what the game, every millisecond counts. With a LAN or [local area network] match, there is the least amount of ping possible. It is also more entertaining to see the players play in a stadium with a wild crowd, depending on the game.”

A LAN match is a party or gathering where people come together and connect a series of computers to one another to play games simultaneously. They have been around before the rise of online gaming, and allow players to take part in multiplayer games on a private connection. These matches cause a lot of buzz or talk in the gaming community, so it is not uncommon to see commentators at these events. 

“I enjoy the commentary [of] gameplay and [the] collaboration [that is involved in professional gaming],” said Myers.

It can be fascinating to hear what someone else has to say about a game or sport you have been playing your whole life. This is just one aspect of what makes professional gaming so great. 

“I enjoy pretty much everything about professional gaming,” said Grice. “From the players themselves who’ve worked hard to get where they are, to a lot of the games actually being played, especially League of Legends and Smash.”

Everyone has their own style of gaming, and prefer certain games over others. There is no shame in that, but personal choice can be important when it comes to choosing what game to watch. 

“I enjoy watching people play games that I choose,” said Tano. “Rocket League is a great esports game to watch. Especially with commentators and crowds that went wild depending on what was going on. The games themselves are fast paced and very fun to watch. I usually watch finales as opposed to in-season matches though.” 

Nowadays, watching and playing games go hand in hand. Some people enjoy watching pros playing their favorite game, while others like the feeling of holding a controller or mouse and keyboard in their hands. This love and compassion of gaming can also help people connect. 

“Considering most of my friends like to watch professional gaming, I’ll show it to anyone who’s interested,” said Myers. “I’ve played video games my whole life, and my friends and I have been interested in professional gaming for years,” said Myers. “It just kinda happened.”

This makes professional gaming easily reachable for anyone who wants to join the world of gaming and be part of a community unlike any else. 

“Most of my friends already watch at least some form of professional gaming,” said Tano. “I would say that they should watch a game that they enjoy and search for the game. For example, you could search up “Rocket League Pros” on YouTube if you wanted to watch RLCS [Rocket League Championship Series]. However, if I had to absolutely choose one game [to watch], I would probably pick Super Smash Bros.” 

Making new friends leads to more exposure to other professional gamers and games to play in general. 

“Most of my friends are gamers and believe it or not, they are the ones who got me into the world of professional gaming,” said Grice. “It started with me watching Faker playing league of legends, and now I’m watching MkLeo playing smash.”

People can now be exposed to all different types of games by a click of a button. Some, though, have their humble beginnings playing on a Wii or Nintendo Switch, depending on when you got into professional gaming. 

“I first got into professional gaming when I played Super Smash Bros Ultimate, and I noticed myself gradually playing faster,” said Tano. “I wanted to see how fast pros can react to their situations, and it was very fast compared to myself and my friends. Watching pros is also just super fun to watch.”

Professionals of their sport can make the game look less difficult which can result in a surge of exposure to a game. 

“League of Legends is always top on the charts of Twitch,” said Tano. “It was one of the first real-time strategy games that was released free to play back in 2009 and it stayed popular since then.” 

Players make the game, not the game itself. If you’re having a great time while playing, it can make any game amazing. There are, however, some people who have high hopes for certain games in just the beta stage. 

Grice thinks that “although it hasn’t been fully released” (other than the beta version that came out a while back)the game Knockout City is the next big esports game. 

“I know that it’s one of the most anticipated games coming out this month,” said Grice. “It may not be a pro game now, but with EA’s money behind it, it will be as big as games like Rocket League and League of Legends. It’s not only fun, it’s cross platform, not limited by age restrictions, and is free to everyone money wise.” 

Esports and professional gaming have come a long way since the early 1970s, but the future is bright.