esports is an umbrella term used to describe a variety of competitive multiplayer video games. These games are often played for prizes or acknowledgment. They can be team based or solo. While these games have different objectives, they are all driven by a strong focus on playability.
Esports is a growing industry. It is projected to reach $700 million by the end of 2017 and grow by 35.6% in the next five years. This growth is creating new revenue streams and opening up opportunities for gaming companies and clubs. However, esports faces unique challenges and is in an international gray area. These factors have impeded unionization. This article presents an overview of esports, outlines its role in society and provides an esport research agenda for scholars.
A key aspect of esports is the presence of professional players, who are signed to organizations and compete in leagues or tournaments. These organizations are privately owned, but they invest in games and teams in order to attract the best esports players. These teams typically specialize in a particular genre of video game. In esports, these players are paid a salary, a sponsorship deal or a combination of both.
One of the most successful esports in the world is League of Legends. It is a complex game that is played by multiple players. This game has drawn a global audience of 27 million online viewers, and sold out a 15,000-seat Los Angeles Staples Center in an hour.
Many other games are trying to get into the esports game. These games are competing for the same attention span as sports. The success of esports can depend on the ability of developers and publishers to create an immersive and compelling experience. If a game lacks a competitive edge, it will struggle to sell. This is because most people don’t want to watch a game that they can’t play.
Esports fans are male, skewing towards the age group of 18-34. This is likely because most of these esports consumers grew up watching free media. Nevertheless, esports is a popular phenomenon among millennials, especially in the US. Nearly 60% of these fans will travel to see their favorite esports player or tournament. They have an annual household income of $75k or more.
Most esports are played on cheap hardware, but these are not a requirement to succeed. Some games run on high-end hardware, such as the PlayStation 4. These games require dedicated regional servers in order to function as esports. These servers are also needed to minimize lag, which is the time between user input and a command being read. The lag can be caused by crowded networks or the distance between the server and the player. This lag can be as low as 100 milliseconds. This can lead to debilitating effects on the user’s experience.
These esports are supported by game publishers and game developers. These companies own the intellectual property rights to a game. They choose the game, determine how it is distributed, and determine the quality of the product. In addition, the company may decide to shutter the online version of the game if it is losing money.
