eSports News Online News from Esports in Canada

What is eSports?

eSports is the professional playing of computer and video games. The players compete against each other in different disciplines. The matches are played either as a single player or as a team. Competitions are held all over the world and are partially broadcast live. The participants come from all over the world. Anyone who practices the digital generation sport must train just as hard as athletes in classic sports. Physical and mental health is also extremely important, as it is about a quick reaction and a lot of coordination.

A digital competition is all about team spirit and the adventure we have experienced together. Most games are played on computers or game consoles. Different genres and games offer variety and can also be played on mobile devices.

How long has eSports been operating in Canada?

In many Asian regions, eSports is now referred to as a popular sport. However, the Esports Federation in Canada was only founded in 2017. Since then, the online gaming market has been booming. The center of the whole is Cologne. As the capital of the gamescom gaming fair and the German location of Electronic Arts (EA), this is not surprising. The world's largest game manufacturer EA also organizes the virtual Bundesliga FIFA. Since many events have been cancelled or postponed due to the great pandemic wave, esports continues to gain popularity. Meanwhile, there is even the Esports Management degree program in Canada. Almost everyone has heard of this sport or watched it themselves. The professional players can definitely compete in the international ranking.

Is eSports a real sport compared to traditional sports?

To this day, eSports has not yet been recognized as an official sport, although it has all the characteristics of a traditional sport. However, science and society already describe esports players as being active in sports. It is always a competition in sports when people from different regions or countries come together and play for victory according to certain rules. These competitions are often held in stadiums, broadcast live on television or the Internet and then concluded with awards. It depends on skill and physical effort. Also in eSports tournaments, the professionals, who also earn their money with it, are required to do the same. The stress is enormous and the body must be fit. In addition, there are complex rules that require tactical knowledge and excellent coordination skills. Only a sophisticated, well-planned and continuous training makes it possible to participate at the top.

The eSports players are therefore similar to the classic athletes in many ways. Most of the main elements of other sports can also be found here. There are also differences between all common sports. While football or volleyball involves a lot of running, tennis, archery or darts can be done with just a few movements. The often cited reason why eSports is not recognized as a sport is therefore questionable. This conflict has been going on for some time between the ESBD, the Esports Federation Canada e.V. and the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). An expert report states that esports is moving in another galaxy and contains too little physical activity. In 2013, the promotion of chess was also cancelled for this reason.

So far, the probably irreconcilable opposites of classic sports and esports have not been completely clarified, although the differences are minimal. However, this verdict will not detract from the growth and success of eSports - the sport of the future.

But how does eSports define itself in concrete terms and what distinguishes it from gaming?

Gaming refers to the frequent playing of computer games, which are defeated as a single player or in a team. There are also competitions, as is the case with eSports. However, those who practice esports play much more professionally. This distinction also exists in every classic sport. For example, if you like to play football and score a few goals several times a week on the football field with your friends, you cannot be compared to professional athletes. The same goes for eSports games. The players usually spend 10-15 hours a day training, keeping themselves physically and mentally fit and performing special coordination exercises for hands and eyes. Some games even require more training than some of the traditional sports. Anyone who decides to pursue a career in esports is also a gamer - but a gamer can not always call himself an esportsman.

What eSports games are there?

The most famous games in eSports:

• Dota 2
• Counter Strike - Global Offensive
• Overwatch
• FIFA
• PlayerUnknow's Battlegrounds
• League of Legends
• World of Tanks
• Call of Duty
• StarCraft2 - Legacy of the Void
• Hearthstone
• Rainbow Six - Winner
• Rocket League

What and how is played in eSports?

Usually the electronic sport is played in multiplayer mode. A video game is played in a competition. Sometimes there are also individual disciplines, but usually several teams compete against each other. The most popular eSports games are designed for several participants anyway. There are also competitions of gamers, but they are not called eSports, because this is a hobby. Those who practice e-sports properly train for it every day and earn their money with it.

Several times a year, different game manufacturers or league operators organize tournaments for esports players. The operator is responsible for the complete marketing and organizes everything related to the competition. Seats for spectators are sold and games and rules are set. The way of implementation and hosting is very similar to that of traditional team sports. Professional athletes also have to work extremely hard and train in order to be able to participate in the big competitions. Many eSports professionals play for special organizations that resemble a club. On the basis of the jersey, the affiliation is also apparent during the live broadcast. As with classic sports, changes take place.

In recent years, more and more games have been developed that are suitable for eSports. Some popular gaming games are not suitable for this because of a non-existent multiplayer mode. Also online games in which you can buy advantages are not only in the eSports industry. In electronic sports, it is particularly important that all participants receive the same conditions. Every round is a new start for everyone. During the game, only your own abilities and skills count. This is what eSports is all about.

What are the most successful eSports games?

Dota 2 - Defense of the Ancient 2 is a very complex game in which everyone chooses a hero character. Each character has different abilities. The multiplayer game includes 2 teams of 5 players each. The professional players have trained hard for many years to learn the skills and weaknesses of the heroes and to be able to put together a powerful team. The game, which was released on the market in 2013, enjoys great popularity and is a highlight in eSports tournaments. The number of spectators and players (with about 500,000-600,000 players) is not as high in this game as in others, but the prize pool is unsurpassed. In 2019, the winners received a total of about $ 34 million in prize money. For comparison: for a comparable tournament of the game League of Legends, so much has been paid in total since 2011.

But this game is also one of the most successful eSports games of all time: League of Legends. A World Cup easily attracts 100 million spectators and thus manages to fill stadiums. Even if Fortnite can keep up on the level of the number of players, the LoL World Cup is not comparable to any other eSports game. This online game has been on the market since 2009 and, despite the fast pace of the online world, still inspires millions of people. New ones are added every month. As with Dota 2, there are also two teams, each with 5 people playing. The so-called champions possess special abilities with which they must try to crack the base of the other team.

Counter Strike is also one of the most popular eSports games in the world. Two teams compete against each other. The 5 terrorists and anti-terrorists each have to perform various tasks, such as hostage rescues or bomb defusing. There are over 13,000 professionals in this online game. This puts it well ahead of LoL with over 7,000 pros and Dota with about 4,000 pros in this category - even though the age rating is 16 years, unlike the other two games.

But Fortnite is also very popular. Unlike the three previously mentioned games, there are no teams here. 100 players and players play on a virtual map with an end-time scenario. These can be surprised by zombie attacks at any time. Whoever is last alive wins. During the game, structures must be created and resources must be obtained in order to perform certain tasks. This makes the game, released in 2017, stand out strongly from the rest.

In Asian countries, the games - PlayerUnknow's Battlegrounds - and also - Arena of Valor - are very popular.

How does an eSports tournament work?

Before a tournament can start properly, the league operator or game manufacturer must determine some essential points.

• Which eSports game is being played and on which platform is it taking place?
• What are the rules?
• According to which tournament logic is played?
• On how many game days does the professional gaming take place?
• Which marketing measures are relevant?
• What prize money is provided?
• What logistical measures need to be taken?

When the most important points have been clarified and the tournament starts, it is important for the participating professionals that it is a fair competition. ESports teams want to win by their honest performance. The more fair and comprehensible the structure is, the more appreciation the organizer of the tournament receives and the higher the probability of a repeat. It is also important for the audience to understand how victories and defeats are achieved in order to continue to follow the competitions. If there is a clear process with well-timed breaks and a simple game process, the number of viewers increases, and with it the advertising budget and sales. It is played until a team wins, as many people know from classic sports.

Global eSports Games 2021 - the Olympic Games of eSports?

in 2019, the Global Esports Federation was founded. As a result, the global umbrella association of electronic sports was able to host the Global Esports Games 2021 at the end of 2021. Similar to the Olympics, there were medals and prestige, but no prize money. Different associations were able to qualify for this spectacle in the pre-selection. The countries that performed best were then allowed to travel to Singapore and participate. Three different games were played in four tournaments: DOTA 2, eFootball 2023 and Street Fighter V.

This will promote the growth of eSports and give professionals from all over the world the opportunity to compete. Further tournaments are planned until 2026. The venues include China, Istanbul, Riyadh, the United Arab Emirates and the USA in order to appeal to the broad masses and to be present in different places.

How much does an esportsman earn and what are the prize money?

The prize money depends heavily on the eSports game played. While the highest prize money at DOTA 2 in 2019 was US $ 34 million, there was the highest prize money at League of Legends in 2018 with about US $ 6.5 million. Most of the other winnings from tournament games are between these two values. Just like the winning amount, the number of professional e-athletes also differs. DOTA 2 is popular with 926 (as of 2021) professional players. Counter Strike is at the top with 3177 (as of 2021) participating professionals. League of Legends is in the midfield with 1167 (as of 2021).

With a total prize money of about 7.1 US dollars, the Dane Johan Sundstein is the esportsman with the highest earnings. This is followed by the Finn Jesse Vainikka with almost 6.5 million US dollars. Canadian Dota 2 player Kuro Takhasomi is ranked 6th in the global ranking with a total of 5.2 million US dollars. (As of: 11/2021) The list of the most successful eSports professionals is completed by the Swiss Duong Huynh with a total income of 421,022 US dollars.