Professional electronic sports players don’t lift weights or run miles, but they do practice for years, compete under pressure and require large amounts of skill to win just like any other athlete. So can we consider esports real sports?
Electronic sports, or more commonly known as esports, first began in 1972 where a small event of 20 competitors faced off in the game “Spacewar!” The tournament was held at Stanford University, and was the first time a video game competition was officially sponsored. Since that tournament 50 years ago, esports have grown to become a competitive multibillion industry with millions viewers all over the world.
Although esports have a large following rivaling many traditional sports, most people scoff at the idea of professional video games being considered sports. “A sport is a physical thing that you do, with esports … you’re not running with a ball or nothing. It’s just moving your hands,” Berkeley High School senior Theea Houtermans said.
Some argue esports require the same amount of focus, skill, and strategy that make up traditional sports. Professional video game players must make split second decisions, go under a large amount of pressure and work together with teammates. Many tournaments last for hours, if not days, testing the players’ mental endurance. “A lot of practice and skill goes into being a pro,” BHS sophomore Rogue Tarter said, “and that’s why I think they should be technically considered sports.”
Adrian Altawil, Universal Ninth Grade physics teacher and club sponsor for the BHS esports club explained the physical skills required for esports, “At the highest level, people have to have really fine control of their muscles and their hands and their arms, good hand-eye coordination,” Altawil said.
High precision and control but not much physical movement isn’t just a trait of video games. Several Olympic sports, such as competitive shooting and archery require small amounts of physical exertion but substantial amounts of mental concentration and accuracy. An archer will spend years developing muscle memory in order to master their shots, similar to how professional esports players will spend years developing precise hand movements and consistency. Many believe that esports should be viewed with the same validity.
Even though there is a strong argument to be made for esports being recognized as real sports, they will most likely be left in the shadow of more typical athletics. They could be considered lesser than sports with more vigorous activity and deemed only as a competitive game. “I think sports require some kind of physical ability,” Altawil explained, “So I think it doesn’t need to be in the same category of sports. But I wouldn’t blame somebody that does think that.”
Ultimately, esports bring community and connection between fellow game players. The definition of what one can truly consider a sport might not matter as much as the dedication and work ethic that esports foster for all who participate. The same determination and drive to win is still there, even without a conventional playing surface.