tag:theconversation.com,2011:/es/topics/esports-38416/articleseSports – The Conversation2024-01-07T12:37:16Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2196812024-01-07T12:37:16Z2024-01-07T12:37:16ZWhy we should take competitive video games more seriously<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564974/original/file-20231115-25-zcd5l2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=10%2C0%2C980%2C666&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Today, the esports industry is worth several billion dollars globally.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Is playing competitive video games a serious business? </p>
<p>There’s no question about it for the thousands of <a href="https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/">League of Legends</a> fans who flocked to South Korea last October to attend the <a href="https://youtu.be/tHMcncCS-XE?si=KFfNbrcjaTSCaCB6">Worlds 2023</a> championships of this ultra-popular game. The grand prize? <a href="https://lol.fandom.com/wiki/2023_Season_World_Championship">US$2,225,000</a>. </p>
<p>The Worlds 2023 event, which is still largely unknown to the general public, provides an opportunity for video game law specialists such as ourselves to explain just why competitive video games should be taken more seriously. </p>
<h2>Esports: a global social, cultural and economic phenomenon</h2>
<p>While North American sports leagues such as the NHL and NFL are well known — as are major traditional sporting competitions such as the Football World Cup or the Olympic Games — the same cannot be said for video game competitions. And yet, there is a whole world of professional competitions in the video game universe. Like traditional sports, the competitive video games world has its own leagues, well-established international competitions, its share of famous athletes and <a href="https://mashable.com/video/esports-events-are-filling-stadiums">hordes of fans</a>. These are known as esports.</p>
<p>Esports can be described simply as video games played in a competitive environment.</p>
<p>Although esports do not always enjoy the same level of recognition as traditional sports, they represent a sector that has grown significantly <a href="https://youtu.be/B_59wZ27ROE?si=4OWyy6Klh40POwwJ">over the last 10 years</a> and regularly attracts <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/490480/global-esports-audience-size-viewer-type/">millions of simultaneous viewers</a>. </p>
<p>A huge variety of esports games are now played competitively. In games such as <a href="https://lolesports.com/">League of Legends</a> or <a href="https://www.dota2.com/home">Dota</a>, two teams of players compete in multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs). These action-strategy games are something like supercharged chess games in which the aim is to destroy the opposing base. </p>
<p>There are also a number of very popular first-person shooting games such as <a href="https://valorantesports.com/">Valorant</a>, <a href="https://pro.eslgaming.com/csgo/proleague/">CSGO</a>, <a href="https://overwatchworldcup.com/en-us/">Overwatch</a> and <a href="https://www.fortnite.com/competitive">Fortnite</a>. </p>
<p>In short, when it comes to esports, there’s something for everyone, including those who prefer to (virtually!) play <a href="https://www.ea.com/en-ca/sports">traditional sports</a>.</p>
<h2>A booming sector</h2>
<p>In terms of viewership and popularity, the esports industry has <a href="https://www.insiderintelligence.com/insights/esports-ecosystem-market-report/">started to overtake traditional sports</a> in the past 10 years. The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to this phenomenon.</p>
<p>Esports has also seen the emergence of internationally renowned superstars such as <a href="https://youtu.be/wU-1ZaT0hIg?si=vLKp_Krn37NSmKFV">Faker</a>, an athlete often considered the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3236384/asian-games-2023-south-koreas-league-legends-esports-gold-without-goat-faker-earns-military-service">greatest League of Legends player of all time</a> thanks to his huge victories and consistent success over the past decade.</p>
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<p>Today, the esports industry is worth <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/490522/global-esports-market-revenue/#:%7E:text=The%20term%20%22eSports%22%20is%20characterized,over%201.38%20billion%20U.S.%20dollars.">several billion dollars globally.</a></p>
<p>So it’s worth asking if esports will come to be recognized alongside traditional sports, or even have organized events as part of the Olympic Games?</p>
<p>It’s certainly possible. Esports are becoming more popular and have recently been added to the programs of major regional and international competitions. Several esports games have been included as demonstration events at the <a href="https://olympics.com/en/news/esports-historic-medal-debut-19th-asian-games-hangzhou-schedule-live">Asian Games since 2018</a> and were on the official program of the <a href="https://olympics.com/en/news/asian-games-2023-overall-medal-table-complete-list">2023 Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China</a>. <a href="https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/10/600_360240.html">South Korea won the gold medal</a> in the League of Legends competition at these games, which led to Faker getting a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sports/korean-gamers-cusp-gold-avoiding-military-service-2023-09-28/">rare exemption from South Korea’s compulsory military service</a>. This exemption demonstrates how much recognition esports athletes are getting today in certain countries.</p>
<p>Regarding the inclusion of esports in the Olympics, video games were included as part of the <a href="https://olympics.com/en/esports/">Olympic Esports Series</a> in 2023. The event is organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).</p>
<p>This committee, which explores ways to rejuvenate the image of the Olympic Games and attract new audiences, has also initiated discussions about the <a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-president-announces-plans-to-create-olympic-esports-games-at-opening-of-141st-ioc-session-in-mumbai">creation of an esports Olympic Games</a>.</p>
<h2>Career opportunities, but little support infrastructure</h2>
<p>Much like traditional sports, the opportunity to get involved in esports isn’t reserved exclusively for professional gamers who compete in official events.</p>
<p>As with any competitive event, professional management and support teams are essential for achieving a high performance level.</p>
<p>That means the development of electronic sports has opened up a <a href="https://esportslane.com/esports-job-profiles-non-gaming/">vast field of career possibilities</a> for game enthusiasts: as event organizers and managers, specialized journalists, nutritionists, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/winter/beijing-winter-olympics-athlete-mental-health-1.6348932">consultants in mental preparation</a>, physiotherapists and even lawyers to organize the relationships between all these actors.</p>
<p>However, despite the popularity and immense potential of electronic sports, Canada lacks infrastructure and programs. This is especially obvious within educational institutions, places which nevertheless have many young fans of this booming industry.</p>
<p>Ideally, infrastructure suitable for esports should include high-performance computers, a dedicated esports room, a support team, intercollegiate competitions and, above all, an atmosphere that promotes the inclusion and participation of all in esports.</p>
<p>Some post-secondary institutions have created spaces on their campuses dedicated to esports. These spaces contribute to student recruitment. This is the case, for example, of <a href="https://www.stclaircollege.ca/news/2022/nexus-esports-arena-unveiled-opening-don-france-student-commons">St. Clair College in Ontario</a> which in 2022 created a brand new space at the cutting edge of technology — with a $23 million budget.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the University of British Columbia (UBC) invested $100,000 in equipment to create a <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/3001912/ubc-esports-club-%20opens-online-gaming-lounge/">lounge dedicated to electronic sports</a>.</p>
<p>Other organizations, such as the <a href="https://www.osea.gg">Ontario School Esports Associations (OSEA)</a>, are actively promoting the integration of an esports program into the school curriculum.</p>
<p>In the near future, if these efforts expand, we can imagine young esports fans will have the chance to turn their passion for video games into a professional career — whether they would compete at high-level competitions or whether they would pursue another career in the video game field.</p>
<h2>Players’ health</h2>
<p>Even with the growth and dazzling popularity the sector has gained in recent years, the picture of esports today is not entirely rosy.</p>
<p>The daily life of professional esports athletes is not easy. Their <a href="https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/8845/skt-fakers-24-hour-schedule-infographic-with-mobalyticsgg">schedules</a> are particularly busy and they spend a large part of their day <a href="https://youtu.be/uyF6ZwtLonM?si=IcG1dt7zjtHxtKZR">training</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@T1_Faker">producing online content</a>.</p>
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<p>The competitive seasons are particularly demanding and, with some exceptions, most players’ careers are very short. In recent years, more and more players have opened up about their <a href="https://www.esports.net/news/industry/hidden-struggles-of-esports-athletes-mental-health-crisis/">mental health struggles</a>. Others have simply <a href="https://dotesports.com/league-of-legends/news/depression-burnout-insomnia-lec-pros-reveal-the-mental-toll-of-a-lol-esports-career">disappeared from the radar</a> after having made a thunderous breakthrough on the professional scene.</p>
<p>Research and support related to athletes’ working conditions will be necessary to ensure that they <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00494755221122493?icid=int.sj-abstract.citing-articles.5">do not endanger their health</a> and that they are not exploited by professional teams and leagues.</p>
<h2>Prevention and treatment of addiction phenomena</h2>
<p>The practice of esports can also have harmful effects on professional players, aspiring athletes or the general public due to excessive play time and/or expenses.</p>
<p>These phenomena are encouraged and exacerbated by the presence of mechanisms or strategies called <a href="https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/301007767.pdf">“Dark Patterns,”</a> widely used in <a href="https://www.darkpattern.games">certain video games</a>.</p>
<p>Dark Patterns can be temporal, encouraging players to invest an extended period of time in playing the game. For example, rewards for progressing in the game can be offered to players who play regularly every day.</p>
<p>Dark Patterns can also be monetary, by maximizing how much players will spend on a game. These expenses include mechanisms allowing players to pay to unlock aesthetic content or additional parts of a game.</p>
<p>Because of these mechanisms, it is essential to monitor and regulate the practices of the video game companies that use them.</p>
<h2>Esports are growing</h2>
<p>Electronic sports is a relatively recent practice that has grown incredibly over the last 10 years. However, this development has gone largely unnoticed by a large part of the general public.</p>
<p>Esports is nevertheless in a position to offer <a href="https://youtu.be/mP3fGkpmVM0?si=x6d7Pk9xr7BPOPTz">major events</a> which can easily rival the biggest traditional sporting events in popularity. It would be a mistake to underestimate esports, as it attracts both large crowds and talent.</p>
<p>On the contrary, it is important to support those who aspire to work in this field.</p>
<p>And above all, it is important to take a serious interest in the challenges and problems that esports face today, both in its professional and amateur practice.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219681/count.gif" alt="La Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Les auteurs ne travaillent pas, ne conseillent pas, ne possèdent pas de parts, ne reçoivent pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'ont déclaré aucune autre affiliation que leur organisme de recherche.</span></em></p>Electronic sports, or esports, is a practice that is often looked down upon. But it is a growing global phenomenon played on an incredible scale.Thomas Burelli, Professeur en droit, Section de droit civil, Université d’Ottawa (Canada), membre du Conseil scientifique de la Fondation France Libertés, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of OttawaHaoran Liu, Reaserch Assistant, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of OttawaMarie Dykukha, Research Assistant, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of OttawaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2115582023-08-22T12:25:41Z2023-08-22T12:25:41ZOnline gaming communities could provide a lifeline for isolated young men − new research<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543047/original/file-20230816-15-gx4a3y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C0%2C5104%2C2858&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Many gamers discuss deeply personal and sensitive topics with each other.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/back-of-the-head-shot-of-an-african-american-gamer-royalty-free-image/1448557185">gorodenkoff/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Online gaming communities could be a vital lifeline for young men struggling silently with mental health issues, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00380237.2023.2199171">according to new research</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=dn6NJr4AAAAJ">My</a> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Rj7Jpt8AAAAJ">colleagues</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=TOKNbGcAAAAJ">I</a> analyzed an all-male online football gaming community over the course of a year. We discovered that members who reported more depressive symptoms and less real-life support were roughly <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00380237.2023.2199171">40% more likely</a> to form and maintain social ties with fellow gamers compared with those reporting more real-life support.</p>
<p>This finding suggests the chat and community features of online games might provide isolated young men an anonymous “<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/04/third-places-meet-new-people-pandemic/629468/">third place</a>” – or space where people can congregate other than work or home – to open up, find empathy and build crucial social connections they may lack in real life. </p>
<h2>Why it matters</h2>
<p>Mental health issues like depression and suicide are on the rise <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291717002781">among young men</a> in the U.S., yet social stigmas and traditional masculinity often inhibit them <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2016.09.002">from seeking professional assistance</a>. Up to <a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt29393/2019NSDUHFFRPDFWHTML/2019NSDUHFFR1PDFW090120.pdf">75% of people</a> with mental illnesses go without treatment, with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017224">men especially unlikely to pursue counseling or therapy</a>. </p>
<p>Online social spaces, like gaming communities, may offer an alternative avenue to find connection and discuss serious personal problems without the barriers of formal mental health services. The social features of online games allow players to privately chat and build friendships, potentially creating vital informal support networks. While not a substitute for professional care, these virtual forums could encourage discussion of mental health challenges among young men facing social isolation and untreated depression. </p>
<p>More comprehensive research is still needed, but the social features of online games may literally provide young men a lifeline when they have nowhere else to turn.</p>
<h2>How we do our work</h2>
<p>We asked members of a small online gaming community to tell us specifically who in the community they talked to about important life matters. Using an open-ended survey, we then asked about these conversations. We also asked them to report how often they felt certain depressive symptoms, as well as their feelings on in-person and online social support.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542863/original/file-20230815-21-1h8pry.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Man with gaming headphones looks distressed while staring at his screen." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542863/original/file-20230815-21-1h8pry.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542863/original/file-20230815-21-1h8pry.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542863/original/file-20230815-21-1h8pry.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542863/original/file-20230815-21-1h8pry.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542863/original/file-20230815-21-1h8pry.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542863/original/file-20230815-21-1h8pry.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542863/original/file-20230815-21-1h8pry.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Virtual friendships can have real-life impacts.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/asian-gamer-is-upset-royalty-free-image/1395300802">PonyWang/E+ via Getty Images</a></span>
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<p>We found some members discussed deeply personal and sensitive topics with each other. Many mentioned talking about struggles like stress, anxiety and depression. Some brought up relationship problems they were facing with romantic partners or family members. Others sought advice on major life decisions related to jobs, moving or going back to school. </p>
<p>Several participants specifically said they confided about topics they felt unable to discuss with people in their real lives, suggesting these online friendships provided an outlet they were otherwise lacking. The depth of sharing indicates these online friendships had moved beyond superficial topics into deeper emotional support and bonding.</p>
<h2>What still isn’t known</h2>
<p>Our research was limited to 40 male participants interested in college football video games. Further investigations using larger, more diverse samples across various gaming genres are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.</p>
<p>A key question is whether online social support directly improves depression – or are depressed individuals simply more inclined to seek connections virtually? Despite a massive industry and audience for online gaming, its mental health impacts remain murky. </p>
<h2>What’s next</h2>
<p>My colleagues and I are launching studies that analyze the impact of multiplayer games on teamwork, leadership and social skills in high school and college students compared with traditional extracurricular activities. We are also investigating how involvement in esports can cultivate lasting social relationships and foster a sense of community. </p>
<p>Through multiyear studies, we hope to understand online gaming’s risks – alongside its promise for improving mental health, social integration and life skills.</p>
<p><em>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/research-brief-83231">Research Brief</a> is a short take on interesting academic work.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211558/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tyler Prochnow does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>For young men who struggle with mental health or lack connections in real life, chat and community features of online games can be a source of support.Tyler Prochnow, Assistant Professor of Health Behavior; School of Public Health, Texas A&M UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1807392022-04-14T13:19:57Z2022-04-14T13:19:57ZEsports: how the struggling hospitality industry could capitalise on this massive business<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458153/original/file-20220414-26-u14lyb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=6%2C2%2C1461%2C955&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The League of Legends world championship at the Staples Center Los Angeles in 2016.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esports#/media/File:LOL2016WorldsFinalsArena.jpg">Patrick Knight/Wikipedia</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>During the pandemic, the sporting world ground to a halt. Global events such as the Olympics, Formula 1 racing, the UEFA Champions League and American basketball were all postponed.</p>
<p>As an alternative, Formula 1 launched a <a href="https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula-1-launches-virtual-grand-prix-series-to-replace-postponed-races.1znLAbPzBbCQPj1IDMeiOi.html">virtual grand prix series</a> featuring professional F1 drivers. Similarly, Leyton Orient football club organised an <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-51950136">online FIFA tournament</a>.</p>
<p>This competitive online video gaming is known collectively as <a href="https://britishesports.org/general-esports-info/what-are-esports-an-overview-for-non-fans/">esports</a> and brings excitement and competition at a time when traditional sporting events are unable to. The explosion in popularity during COVID-19 meant the global virtual audience of esports exceeded <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/viewership-engagement-continues-to-skyrocket-across-games-and-esports-the-global-live-streaming-audience-will-pass-700-million-this-year/">700m fans in 2021</a>.</p>
<p>At the same time, hospitality and tourism sectors experienced the opposite fate. Continual lockdowns led to a <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/tourismindustry/articles/coronavirusandtheimpactontheuktravelandtourismindustry/2021-02-15">sharp decline</a> and the almost complete shutdown of tourism activity for many months.</p>
<p>When professional sport resumed once again, the majority of matches and events were played <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-gives-green-light-to-resumption-of-compeitive-sport-behind-closed-doors">behind closed doors</a>. With no fans or tourists attending games, mass global events including the Tokyo 2020 Olympics received <a href="https://theconversation.com/tokyo-olympics-no-spectators-is-bad-for-business-but-hosting-could-still-bring-long-term-benefits-164249">little income</a>.</p>
<p>Mega sporting events normally lead to a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1441352303700564">spike in spending</a> on food, drink, hotels, parking, concessions and merchandise. However, online viewership only meant cancelled travel plans and bookings to host cities.</p>
<p>So, with a fast-growing esport industry and a tourism sector just beginning to recover from lockdown, shouldn’t the hospitality industry be actively attracting esport fans? In our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517722000449">research</a>, we wanted to look at how the industry can capture the esport fanbase and convert them into active tourists. We surveyed 549 fans of competitive esport video game <a href="https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-gb/">League of Legends</a> alongside a 12-month observational study of active <a href="https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-gb/">World of Warcraft</a> players.</p>
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<h2>Esports, fans and live events</h2>
<p>At its peak, the League of Legends’ 2021 world championship had over <a href="https://escharts.com/tournaments/lol/worlds-2021">4m online viewers</a>. Yet, despite substantial online audiences, even pre-pandemic, only a <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/newzoo-global-esports-market-report-2020-light-version/">small fraction of esport revenue</a> came from ticket sales, meaning few fans are willing to travel to live events.</p>
<p>There are some arenas that have generated large crowds, such as Korea’s <a href="https://senet.cloud/en/blog/top-esports-arenas-in-the-world">Sangam Stadium</a>. The <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/11/the-odd-appeal-of-watching-esports-live-and-in-person/">experience</a> for these spectators can be truly captivating. Huge immersive screens are set up to show the competitive game play between teams, amplifying the excitement and tension in the crowd.</p>
<p>However, by not actively seeking esport viewers, the tourism and hospitality industry risk alienating a growing global fanbase. This means the opportunities offered by the attractive and potentially lucrative market may be lost.</p>
<p>Esport teams such as <a href="https://navi.gg/en/">Na'Vi</a>; <a href="https://thealliance.gg/about/">Alliance</a>; <a href="https://t1.gg/">T1</a>; <a href="https://m.corp.kt.com/eng/html/promote/sports/game.html">KT Rolster</a>; <a href="https://opticgaming.tv/">OpTic</a> and <a href="https://fazeclan.com">FaZe</a> enjoy fierce rivalries playing Dota 2, League of Legends, and Call of Duty. Loyal fans and spectators are passionate about their favourite teams and <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/newzoo-global-esports-market-report-2020-light-version/">branded merchandise</a> is becoming big business for esports.</p>
<p>There is an opportunity here for host cities to offer activities and events specifically for those attending competitive esport events. It is worth considering, for example, special <a href="https://rapidretail.co.uk/fan-zone-many-sports-clubs-investing/">team-specific</a> fan zones and social spaces to capitalise on the loyalty of passionate followers. They bring passion and excitement to a sporting event, making them unmissable events for those who consider themselves diehard fans.</p>
<h2>Building enthusiasm for events</h2>
<p>Esport is experienced online as a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16184742.2019.1630464">social community</a>. Yet, for the most part, it is consumed without any actual proximity to other spectators.</p>
<p>This means a potential spectator is more likely to be travelling alone or hoping to meet up with online friends in person for the first time. This makes buying tickets and travelling to an event a daunting prospect for many.</p>
<p>However, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517722000449">local event providers</a> could do more by offering forums and discussion channels that could build enthusiasm and anticipation in the run-up to the event. These online spaces would also give fans a chance to seek advice and support on where to stay and what to do, making the transition from online to offline much less daunting.</p>
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<img alt="A young woman playing a video game, smiling and enjoying herself." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458160/original/file-20220414-26-wjdgid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458160/original/file-20220414-26-wjdgid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458160/original/file-20220414-26-wjdgid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458160/original/file-20220414-26-wjdgid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458160/original/file-20220414-26-wjdgid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458160/original/file-20220414-26-wjdgid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458160/original/file-20220414-26-wjdgid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">The tourism sector needs to encourage the online video game audience to attend big live events and capitalise on the potential spending.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/pretty-excited-black-gamer-girl-headphones-1430140211">Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>The esport calendar is dominated by prestigious <a href="https://www.lineups.com/esports/biggest-esports-live-events-in-history/">world championship competitions</a> such as League of Legends, <a href="https://starcraft2.com/en-gb/">StarCraft II</a> and <a href="https://crossfire.z8games.com/">Crossfire</a>. Much less enthusiasm is generated for smaller qualifying or regional competitions. In fact, they usually take place exclusively online.</p>
<p>Travelling internationally to competitions can be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517722000449">less appealing</a> to many fans. The <a href="http://www.fortitudemagazine.co.uk/entertainment/sports/going-sporting-events-uk-becoming-expensive/34360/">cost of attending</a> large sporting events is high, particularly for esport’s predominantly younger audience.</p>
<p>Local events could offer an entry point to first time live event spectators – building a passion for experiencing esport competition in-person.</p>
<h2>The draw of star players</h2>
<p>Esport prize money and salaries are growing substantially. The winners of the biggest DOTA 2 esport tournaments have taken home over $5 million (£3.8 million) in <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/518010/leading-esports-players-worldwide-by-earnings/">prize money</a>.</p>
<p>This makes them <a href="https://readyesports.com/who-are-the-most-popular-esports-players/">big-time celebrities</a> by any metric, and their attendance at events can be a big draw for fans. Meeting and interacting with star players is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and needs to be part of the esport promotional strategy.</p>
<p>Event organisers could offer some additional fan viewing opportunities to see players practise and warm up. This would give greater value to the live event experience versus watching online.</p>
<p>The growth in esports shows no sign of slowing down, but live events are yet to take off to the same extent as online viewership. If tourism and hospitality can attract even a small fraction of esport’s 700m online viewership, then this could be a significant new revenue stream for cities hosting these events.</p>
<p>Mega esport competitions could become mass flagship events in the sporting calendar. These events have the potential to book out whole stadiums, which benefits hotels, bars, shops and local tourism. In the wake of the pandemic, tourism everywhere is suffering. The hospitality industry needs to get creative and seek out new opportunities like esport, and tempt massive online audiences to experience their passions in the real world.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/180739/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>There are huge potential revenues for tourism in online video gaming’s massive fanbase – if they can be encouraged to attend live events in host cities.Jamie Thompson, Lecturer in Marketing, Edinburgh Napier UniversityBabak Taheri, Professor of Marketing, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1752022022-01-18T19:28:53Z2022-01-18T19:28:53ZMicrosoft purchase of Activision Blizzard won’t clean up gamer culture overnight: 5 essential reads about sexual harassment and discrimination in gaming and tech<p>Microsoft announced on Jan. 18, 2022, its <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/2022/01/18/microsoft-to-acquire-activision-blizzard-to-bring-the-joy-and-community-of-gaming-to-everyone-across-every-device/">intention to purchase</a> video game giant Activision Blizzard. The company, publisher of top-selling video games Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush, has been the subject of a series of sexual discrimination and harassment complaints. A day before Microsoft’s announcement, Activision Blizzard announced that it has <a href="https://www.ibtimes.com/activision-says-it-fired-dozens-over-harassment-allegations-3377285">fired “nearly 40 employees”</a> since July following an investigation into hundreds of reports from employees of misconduct.</p>
<p>California <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/22/1019293032/activision-blizzard-lawsuit-unequal-pay-sexual-harassment-video-games">sued Activision Blizzard</a> in July 2021, alleging a “pervasive ‘frat boy’ culture” at the company and discrimination against women in pay and promotion. The suit prompted a <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/activision-blizzard-workers-walk-sexual-harassment-lawsuit-rcna1525">walkout by company employees</a> who demanded that the company address the problem.</p>
<p>The turmoil is an echo of the infamous <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/15/opinion/what-is-gamergate.html">Gamergate</a> episode of 2014 that featured an organized online campaign of harassment against female gamers, game developers and gaming journalists. The allegations are also of a piece with a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/02/19/women-built-tech-industry-then-they-were-pushed-out/">decadeslong history of gender discrimination</a> in the technology field.</p>
<p>It’s unclear whether or how quickly Microsoft will address Activision Blizzard’s discriminatory culture. Regardless of what happens within the company, the problem of sexual harassment in gamer culture involves the industry as a whole, as well as players and fans.</p>
<p>We’ve been covering sexual harassment and gender discrimination in gaming – and technology generally – and picked five articles from our archive to help you understand the news.</p>
<h2>1. Gaming culture is toxic – but community norms can change it</h2>
<p>Things have not been getting steadily better. The shift to online activities caused by the pandemic was accompanied by an increase in online harassment and a decrease in the number of women and girls playing video games.</p>
<p>More than a third of female gamers have experienced harassment, and female players have <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-what-itll-take-to-clean-up-esports-toxic-culture-143520">developed coping strategies</a> like hiding their gender, playing only with friends and shutting down harassers by outplaying them, according to University of Oregon professor <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7IEXEiwAAAAJ&hl=en">Amanda Cote</a>. These strategies take time and energy, and they avoid rather than challenge the harassment. Challenging harassment is also fraught, because it typically sparks a backlash and puts the burden on the victim.</p>
<p>Shutting down harassment comes down to creating and supporting community norms that reject rather than allow or encourage harassment. Gaming companies can adopt practices beyond banning harassers that discourage the behavior before it happens, including reducing opportunities for conflict outside of gameplay, adding in-game recognition of good behavior, and responding quickly to complaints.</p>
<p>“If esports continue to expand without game companies addressing the toxic environments in their games, abusive and exclusionary behaviors are likely to become entrenched,” she writes. “To avoid this, players, coaches, teams, leagues, game companies and live-streaming services should invest in better community management efforts.” </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-what-itll-take-to-clean-up-esports-toxic-culture-143520">Here's what it'll take to clean up esports' toxic culture</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<h2>2. It’s not just players – fans are part of the problem</h2>
<p>Go to any sports stadium and you’ll see that the atmosphere that energizes players and fans alike comes from the fans. For esports the venues are streaming services, where fan reaction comes not from cheers and chants but in the form of online chat.</p>
<p>University of South Florida professor <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ay9uGpcAAAAJ&hl=en">Giovanni Luca Ciampaglia</a> and colleagues analyzed chats on Twitch, one of the largest streaming services that carries live esports. They found <a href="https://ojs.aaai.org/index.php/ICWSM/article/view/14885">a sharp distinction</a> in the language fans use when commenting on players, called streamers, depending on gender.</p>
<p>“When watching a man stream, viewers typically talk about the game and try to engage with the streamer; game jargon (words like ‘points,’ ‘winner’ and ‘star’) and user nicknames are among the most important terms,” he writes. “But when watching a woman stream, <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-online-gaming-ditch-its-sexist-ways-74493">the tone changes</a>: Game jargon drops, and objectification language increases (words like ‘cute,’ ‘fat’ and ‘boobs’). The difference is particularly striking when the streamer is popular, and less so when looking at comments on less-popular streamers’ activity.”</p>
<p>As with the games themselves, combating harassment and discrimination on streaming services comes down to community standards, he writes. The streaming services “need to examine their cultural norms to drive out toxic standards that effectively silence entire groups.”</p>
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<p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/can-online-gaming-ditch-its-sexist-ways-74493">Can online gaming ditch its sexist ways?</a>
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<h2>3. Collegiate esports leagues don’t reflect the population of video game players</h2>
<p>Esports is becoming a big business, with <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-business-esports-growth-idUSFLM4K2cJ7">over $1 billion in revenues</a>, and collegiate leagues are an important component of the field. Just over 8% of college esports players and 4% of coaches are female. The low rates of participation are not a reflection of interest: <a href="https://www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/gaming-gender-how-inclusive-are-esports/">57% of women ages 18-29</a> play video games that are in the esports category.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A young woman wearing a face mask stares intently at a large computer screen while a man wearing a face mask stands behind her looking over her shoulder" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Boise State esports coach Doc Haskell watches scholarship graduate student Artie ‘N3rdybird’ Rainn compete in a match.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/EsportsScholarshipInequality/226671c6c6fb412a985dbad4cfe71eed/photo">AP Photo/Otto Kitsinger</a></span>
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<p>Female players <a href="https://theconversation.com/at-colleges-nationwide-esports-teams-dominated-by-men-154793">face overt hostility and harassment</a>, which discourages participation, according to SUNY Cortland professor <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dYfhb9sAAAAJ&hl=en">Lindsey Darvin</a>. College teams often engage in tokenism by bringing on a single female player, and the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/esports-gender-inequality-scholarships-men-1823321276db40fea37dc8d9e5410643">vast majority of scholarships go to male players</a>. </p>
<p>Professional esports organizations are <a href="https://www.teamliquid.com/news/2021/01/13/aerial-powers-joins-team-liquid-as-streamer-and-diversity-ambassador">beginning to address the gender gap</a>. Colleges and universities need to follow suit.</p>
<p>“Colleges and universities that receive U.S. federal aid have an obligation to improve opportunity and access to participation based on Title IX policy, which prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance,” she writes.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/at-colleges-nationwide-esports-teams-dominated-by-men-154793">At colleges nationwide, esports teams dominated by men</a>
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</em>
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<h2>4. Lessons from the tech field: Diversity and equity require women with power</h2>
<p>The roots of esports’ toxic culture lie in <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-tech-field-failed-a-25-year-challenge-to-achieve-gender-equality-by-2020-culture-change-is-key-to-getting-on-track-144779">decades of gender discrimination</a> in the technology field as a whole. That discrimination has proved stubborn.</p>
<p>“In 1995, pioneering computer scientist Anita Borg challenged the tech community to a moonshot: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nImg8vPUe4">equal representation of women in tech by 2020</a>,” writes Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute professor <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HzqQ2wYAAAAJ&hl=en">Francine Berman</a>. “Twenty-five years later, we’re still far from that goal. In 2018, fewer than 30% of the <a href="https://www.vox.com/2018/4/11/17225574/facebook-tech-diversity-women">employees in tech’s biggest companies</a> and 20% of <a href="https://research.swe.org/2016/08/tenure-tenure-track-faculty-levels/">faculty in university computer science departments</a> were women.”</p>
<p>Reversing discrimination is a matter of changing cultures within organizations. “Diverse leadership is a critical part of creating diverse cultures,” she writes. “Women are more likely to thrive in environments where they have not only stature, but responsibility, resources, influence, opportunity and power.”</p>
<p>“Culture change is a marathon, not a sprint, requiring constant vigilance, many small decisions, and often changes in who holds power,” she writes. “My experience as supercomputer center head, and with the Research Data Alliance, the Sloan Foundation and other groups has shown me that organizations can create positive and more diverse environments.”</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-tech-field-failed-a-25-year-challenge-to-achieve-gender-equality-by-2020-culture-change-is-key-to-getting-on-track-144779">The tech field failed a 25-year challenge to achieve gender equality by 2020 – culture change is key to getting on track</a>
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<h2>5. The myth of meritocracy is an impediment to equality</h2>
<p>The myth of meritocracy is a large part of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/women-in-tech-suffer-because-of-american-myth-of-meritocracy-94269">longevity of gender discrimination</a> in the tech field. That myth says that success is a result of skill and effort, and that women’s representation is a reflection of their abilities.</p>
<p>In the U.S., <a href="https://www.nawbo.org/resources/women-business-owner-statistics">women own 39%</a> of all privately owned businesses but receive only around 4% of venture capital funding, according to Brown University professor <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Vj4crUIAAAAJ&hl=en">Banu Ozkazanc-Pan</a>. </p>
<p>“Yet the meritocracy myth, which <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2982414">my research shows</a> has a stronghold in the world of entrepreneurship, means that women are constantly told that all they have to do to get more of that <a href="https://nvca.org/pressreleases/total-venture-capital-dollars-invested-2017-track-reach-decade-high/">$22 billion or so in venture capital funding</a> is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1042258717728028">make better pitches</a> or be more assertive,” she writes.</p>
<p>What the tech field calls meritocracy is in fact gender-biased and results in mostly white men gaining access to resources and funding. “By continuing to believe in meritocracy and maintaining practices associated with it, gender equality will remain a distant goal,” she writes. </p>
<p>Adopting <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/metoo-sexual-harassment-what-experts-say/">gender-aware approaches</a>, including setting concrete goals for gender balance, is key to correcting the imbalances caused by the meritocracy myth.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/women-in-tech-suffer-because-of-american-myth-of-meritocracy-94269">Women in tech suffer because of American myth of meritocracy</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<p><em>Editor’s note: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives. This is an updated version of an <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-activision-blizzard-lawsuit-shows-gamer-culture-still-has-a-long-way-to-go-5-essential-reads-about-sexual-harassment-and-discrimination-in-gaming-and-tech-165293">article</a> originally published on July 30, 2021. It has been updated to include Microsoft’s intention to purchase Activision Blizzard.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/175202/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
Sexual harassment and discrimination in gaming and tech are not inevitable or permanent, write experts in the field. The solutions are positive community standards and women in power.Eric Smalley, Science + Technology EditorLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1648872021-09-17T11:23:52Z2021-09-17T11:23:52ZInvesting in sport is still good business for big companies (and vital for fans too)<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420230/original/file-20210909-19-k0g7os.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C17%2C6000%2C3341&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/stadium-lights-flashes-3d-763077928">Shutterstock/winui</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The pandemic has placed enormous pressure on sport. Major competitions and events have taken place without supporters and fans, and vital sponsorship budgets have been drastically cut. </p>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/marketing/how-sports-sponsorship-is-upping-its-game-for-a-post-covid-world/655182.article">one report</a> the value of sponsorship across all sports went down from US$22 billion (£16 billion) in 2019 to US$12.9 billion (£9.4 billion) in 2020. </p>
<p>As one of the most important sources of income for sports organisations, such cuts could have severe consequences for the industry. Fans (and athletes) may well worry about the damage this could inflict on the future of their cherished teams and events. </p>
<p>But the game is not over for sport sponsorship. In fact, <a href="https://cdn.whu.edu/fileadmin/Faculty/Centers/Center_for_Sports_and_Management/20210712_WHU_Research_Report_Sportsponsoring_im_Wandel.pdf">our study</a> indicates it could have a bright and lucrative future. </p>
<p>We found that this is partly down to technology, which has already transformed the way sports are performed (changing the design and performance of running shoes or bikes for example) and the observance of rules (as with Hawk-Eye in tennis, or the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in football). </p>
<p>Technology has also provided new channels and formats which have significantly changed the way fans get involved with live sports. Through social media, for example, brands have been able to drastically increase their reach and boost their global image. </p>
<p>And the trend is not over yet. <a href="https://burkhartmarketing.com/sports-marketing-changed-by-virtual-and-augmented-reality/">New developments</a> for sports fans include virtual reality goggles, augmented reality apps and digital advertising boards. All present opportunities for potential income streams for major sports organisations. There are entirely new markets emerging too. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/esports-is-the-future-of-all-sports-heres-why-121335">eSports market</a>, for instance, is still growing and provides huge potential to reach both new customers and sponsors. </p>
<h2>Emotional involvement</h2>
<p>Businesses also need to remember that even when stadiums are empty, emotions are still being generated through sport – just somewhere else. And the appetite of fans to be entertained by athletic endeavour is undiminished.</p>
<p>The pandemic has been a test for all kinds of business activity. Yet at a time of huge economic uncertainty, some companies decided to increase their sponsorship activity. For example, Just Eat Takeaway became an official partner for Euro 2020 and has <a href="https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/06/09/how-the-euro-2020-delay-helped-just-eat-takeawaycom-cook-up-better-sponsorship">since signed up</a> with Uefa’s football competitions. And PepsiCo’s crisp brand Lay’s launched a <a href="https://www.sportspromedia.com/opinion/sponsorship-marketing-newsletter-18-02-lays-champions-league-campaign">major campaign</a> at the restart of the Champions’ League in February 2021. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Bottle of beer and pizza on table in front of TV showing football game." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420231/original/file-20210909-27-c28qnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420231/original/file-20210909-27-c28qnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=332&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420231/original/file-20210909-27-c28qnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=332&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420231/original/file-20210909-27-c28qnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=332&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420231/original/file-20210909-27-c28qnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420231/original/file-20210909-27-c28qnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420231/original/file-20210909-27-c28qnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A commercial combo?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/tv-football-game-home-3d-cgi-1790242802">Shutterstock/TheVisualsYouNeed</a></span>
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<p>A key element of this kind of successful sponsorship is the ability to adapt swiftly to changes and to be close to the consumer and their emotions – wherever that may be.</p>
<p>Businesses can also benefit from the important role of sport in society that goes beyond winning or losing on the pitch. </p>
<p>Fairness and equality are values that the world of sport is expected to reflect. So backing a team or an event is a powerful way for a firm to represent its own approach to social responsibility, as McDonald’s have shown in its <a href="https://www.thefa.com/news/2018/aug/06/mcdonalds-sponsorship-renewal-020818">support for grassroots football</a> in partnership with the English Football Association. </p>
<p>This kind of approach can connect businesses to fans, and fans to sport. After all, without the money sponsorship provides, who pays for expensive events like Wimbledon or the Olympics?</p>
<p>The pandemic has also <a href="https://johancruyffinstitute.com/en/blog-en/sport-marketing/covid-19s-impact-on-the-sport-sponsorship-industry/">shown</a> the important social role that sport and funding sport can play in difficult times. Even with marketing budgets under pressure, the gradual return of sport was surely one of the most celebrated returns to normality – an outlet and focus for emotion and passion.</p>
<p>According to our study, at its best, the financial backing of sports sponsorship leads to stability, communication and entertainment, and the continued turning of the wheels of sports which are loved around the world. New players, markets and partnerships may change over the coming years – but it will stay relevant and vital, both to companies who invest in it, and the fans who appreciate the results.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/164887/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The publicy available study has been commissioned by the industry association 'Vereinigung Sportsponsoring-Anbieter (VSA)'.
Lorenzo Kurras does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sascha L. Schmidt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Sponsorship is key to holding some of the most popular events in the world.Lorenzo Kurras, PhD Candidate, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of ManagementSascha L. Schmidt, Professor and Director, Center for Sports and Management, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of ManagementLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1652932021-07-30T12:20:53Z2021-07-30T12:20:53ZThe Activision Blizzard lawsuit shows gamer culture still has a long way to go: 5 essential reads about sexual harassment and discrimination in gaming and tech<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413846/original/file-20210729-17-16buhii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C7%2C5184%2C3437&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">There's nothing inherently male about playing video games. Videogame culture, on the other hand, is decidedly anti-female.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/gamers-play-the-video-game-call-of-duty-wwii-developed-by-news-photo/868750534">Chesnot/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>An updated version of this article was published on Jan. 18, 2022. <a href="https://theconversation.com/microsoft-purchase-of-activision-blizzard-wont-clean-up-gamer-culture-overnight-5-essential-reads-about-sexual-harassment-and-discrimination-in-gaming-and-tech-175202">Read it here</a>.</em></p>
<p>Sexual harassment in gamer culture burst back into the spotlight on July 21, 2021, with news of California’s <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/22/1019293032/activision-blizzard-lawsuit-unequal-pay-sexual-harassment-video-games">lawsuit against Activision Blizzard</a>, publisher of top-selling video games Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush, and a <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/activision-blizzard-workers-walk-sexual-harassment-lawsuit-rcna1525">walkout by company employees</a>. The lawsuit alleges a “pervasive ‘frat boy’ culture” at the company and discrimination against women in pay and promotion.</p>
<p>The turmoil is an echo of the infamous <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/15/opinion/what-is-gamergate.html">Gamergate</a> episode of 2014 that featured an organized online campaign of harassment against female gamers, game developers and gaming journalists. The allegations are also of a piece with a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/02/19/women-built-tech-industry-then-they-were-pushed-out/">decadeslong history of gender discrimination</a> in the technology field.</p>
<p>We’ve been covering sexual harassment and gender discrimination in gaming – and technology generally – and picked five articles from our archive to help you understand the news.</p>
<h2>1. Gaming culture is toxic – but community norms can change it</h2>
<p>Things have not been getting steadily better. The shift to online activities caused by the pandemic was accompanied by an increase in online harassment and a decrease in the number of women and girls playing video games.</p>
<p>More than a third of female gamers have experienced harassment, and female players have developed coping strategies like hiding their gender, playing only with friends and shutting down harassers by outplaying them, according to University of Oregon professor <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7IEXEiwAAAAJ&hl=en">Amanda Cote</a>. These strategies take time and energy, and they avoid rather than challenge the harassment. Challenging harassment is also fraught, because it typically sparks a backlash and puts the burden on the victim.</p>
<p>Shutting down harassment comes down to creating and supporting community norms that reject rather than allow or encourage harassment. Gaming companies can adopt practices beyond banning harassers that discourage the behavior before it happens, including reducing opportunities for conflict outside of gameplay, adding in-game recognition of good behavior, and responding quickly to complaints.</p>
<p>“If esports continue to expand without game companies addressing the toxic environments in their games, abusive and exclusionary behaviors are likely to become entrenched,” she writes. “To avoid this, players, coaches, teams, leagues, game companies and live-streaming services should invest in better community management efforts.” </p>
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<p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-what-itll-take-to-clean-up-esports-toxic-culture-143520">Here's what it'll take to clean up esports' toxic culture</a>
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</em>
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<h2>2. It’s not just players – fans are part of the problem</h2>
<p>Go to any sports stadium and you’ll see that the atmosphere that energizes players and fans alike comes from the fans. For esports the venues are streaming services, where fan reaction comes not from cheers and chants but in the form of online chat.</p>
<p>University of South Florida professor <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ay9uGpcAAAAJ&hl=en">Giovanni Luca Ciampaglia</a> and colleagues analyzed chats on Twitch, one of the largest streaming services that carries live esports. They found <a href="https://ojs.aaai.org/index.php/ICWSM/article/view/14885">a sharp distinction</a> in the language fans use when commenting on players, called streamers, depending on gender.</p>
<p>“When watching a man stream, viewers typically talk about the game and try to engage with the streamer; game jargon (words like ‘points,’ ‘winner’ and ‘star’) and user nicknames are among the most important terms,” he writes. “But when watching a woman stream, the tone changes: Game jargon drops, and objectification language increases (words like ‘cute,’ ‘fat’ and ‘boobs’). The difference is particularly striking when the streamer is popular, and less so when looking at comments on less-popular streamers’ activity.”</p>
<p>As with the games themselves, combating harassment and discrimination on streaming services comes down to community standards, he writes. The streaming services “need to examine their cultural norms to drive out toxic standards that effectively silence entire groups.”</p>
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<p>
<em>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/can-online-gaming-ditch-its-sexist-ways-74493">Can online gaming ditch its sexist ways?</a>
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<h2>3. Collegiate esports leagues don’t reflect the population of videogame players</h2>
<p>Esports is becoming a big business, with <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-business-esports-growth-idUSFLM4K2cJ7">over $1 billion in revenues</a>, and collegiate leagues are an important component of the field. Just over 8% of college esports players and 4% of coaches are female. The low rates of participation are not a reflection of interest: <a href="https://www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/gaming-gender-how-inclusive-are-esports/">57% of women ages 18-29</a> play video games that are in the esports category.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A young woman wearing a face mask stares intently at a large computer screen while a man wearing a face mask stands behind her looking over her shoulder" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413860/original/file-20210729-25-1kf5al0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Boise State esports coach Doc Haskell watches scholarship graduate student Artie ‘N3rdybird’ Rainn compete in a match.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/EsportsScholarshipInequality/226671c6c6fb412a985dbad4cfe71eed/photo">AP Photo/Otto Kitsinger</a></span>
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<p>Female players face overt hostility and harassment, which discourages participation, according to SUNY Cortland professor <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dYfhb9sAAAAJ&hl=en">Lindsey Darvin</a>. College teams often engage in tokenism by bringing on a single female player, and the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/esports-gender-inequality-scholarships-men-1823321276db40fea37dc8d9e5410643">vast majority of scholarships go to male players</a>. </p>
<p>Professional esports organizations are <a href="https://www.teamliquid.com/news/2021/01/13/aerial-powers-joins-team-liquid-as-streamer-and-diversity-ambassador">beginning to address the gender gap</a>. Colleges and universities need to follow suit.</p>
<p>“Colleges and universities that receive U.S. federal aid have an obligation to improve opportunity and access to participation based on Title IX policy, which prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance,” she writes.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/at-colleges-nationwide-esports-teams-dominated-by-men-154793">At colleges nationwide, esports teams dominated by men</a>
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<h2>4. Lessons from the tech field: Diversity and equity require women with power</h2>
<p>The roots of esports’ toxic culture lie in decades of gender discrimination in the technology field as a whole. That discrimination has proved stubborn.</p>
<p>“In 1995, pioneering computer scientist Anita Borg challenged the tech community to a moonshot: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nImg8vPUe4">equal representation of women in tech by 2020</a>,” writes Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute professor <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HzqQ2wYAAAAJ&hl=en">Francine Berman</a>. “Twenty-five years later, we’re still far from that goal. In 2018, fewer than 30% of the <a href="https://www.vox.com/2018/4/11/17225574/facebook-tech-diversity-women">employees in tech’s biggest companies</a> and 20% of <a href="https://research.swe.org/2016/08/tenure-tenure-track-faculty-levels/">faculty in university computer science departments</a> were women.”</p>
<p>Reversing discrimination is a matter of changing cultures within organizations. “Diverse leadership is a critical part of creating diverse cultures,” she writes. “Women are more likely to thrive in environments where they have not only stature, but responsibility, resources, influence, opportunity and power.”</p>
<p>“Culture change is a marathon, not a sprint, requiring constant vigilance, many small decisions, and often changes in who holds power,” she writes. “My experience as supercomputer center head, and with the Research Data Alliance, the Sloan Foundation and other groups has shown me that organizations can create positive and more diverse environments.”</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-tech-field-failed-a-25-year-challenge-to-achieve-gender-equality-by-2020-culture-change-is-key-to-getting-on-track-144779">The tech field failed a 25-year challenge to achieve gender equality by 2020 – culture change is key to getting on track</a>
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<h2>5. The myth of meritocracy is an impediment to equality</h2>
<p>The myth of meritocracy is a large part of the longevity of gender discrimination in the tech field. That myth says that success is a result of skill and effort, and that women’s representation is a reflection of their abilities.</p>
<p>In the U.S., <a href="https://www.nawbo.org/resources/women-business-owner-statistics">women own 39%</a> of all privately owned businesses but receive only around 4% of venture capital funding, according to Brown University professor <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Vj4crUIAAAAJ&hl=en">Banu Ozkazanc-Pan</a>. </p>
<p>“Yet the meritocracy myth, which <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2982414">my research shows</a> has a stronghold in the world of entrepreneurship, means that women are constantly told that all they have to do to get more of that <a href="https://nvca.org/pressreleases/total-venture-capital-dollars-invested-2017-track-reach-decade-high/">$22 billion or so in venture capital funding</a> is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1042258717728028">make better pitches</a> or be more assertive,” she writes.</p>
<p>[<em>Over 100,000 readers rely on The Conversation’s newsletter to understand the world.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=100Ksignup">Sign up today</a>.]</p>
<p>What the tech field calls meritocracy is in fact gender-biased and results in mostly white men gaining access to resources and funding. “By continuing to believe in meritocracy and maintaining practices associated with it, gender equality will remain a distant goal,” she writes. </p>
<p>Adopting <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/metoo-sexual-harassment-what-experts-say/">gender-aware approaches</a>, including setting concrete goals for gender balance, is key to correcting the imbalances caused by the meritocracy myth.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/women-in-tech-suffer-because-of-american-myth-of-meritocracy-94269">Women in tech suffer because of American myth of meritocracy</a>
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<p><em>Editor’s note: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/165293/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
Sexual harassment and discrimination in gaming and tech is not inevitable or permanent, write experts in the field. The solutions are positive community standards and women in power.Eric Smalley, Science + Technology EditorLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1547932021-03-12T13:44:50Z2021-03-12T13:44:50ZAt colleges nationwide, esports teams dominated by men<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384591/original/file-20210216-15-1cuncvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=51%2C0%2C5734%2C3759&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Women players are often targets of to gender-based verbal attacks.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/in-this-photo-taken-on-february-13-a-woman-plays-a-video-news-photo/1135427215?adppopup=true">Matthew Knight/AFP via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Graphic: 8.2% of college esports players are women" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389262/original/file-20210312-21-yopusv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389262/original/file-20210312-21-yopusv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389262/original/file-20210312-21-yopusv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389262/original/file-20210312-21-yopusv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389262/original/file-20210312-21-yopusv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389262/original/file-20210312-21-yopusv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389262/original/file-20210312-21-yopusv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><em>Although esports – competitive, organized video gaming – has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/27/us/esports-what-is-video-game-professional-league-madden-trnd">exploded into a billion-dollar industry</a>, women players are hard to find on esports teams at America’s colleges and universities. In the following Q&A, Lindsey Darvin, an assistant professor of sport management, shines light on the reasons.</em></p>
<h2>1. Why are college esports dominated by men?</h2>
<p>Women and girls experience many <a href="https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/jade/vol2/iss1/3/">obstacles</a> throughout esports environments – both in terms of participation and employment. These include the way they are subjected to gender-based harassmment from male esport players, toxic masculinity, stereotyping and prejudices, as I and colleagues wrote in a forthcoming article for the <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/sport-management-review">Sport Management Review</a>.</p>
<p>These circumstances have resulted in lower numbers of women and girls in varsity collegiate esports. </p>
<p><iframe id="zL9rF" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/zL9rF/5/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Prior research has established that there are <a href="https://doi.org/10.25035/jade.02.01.03">disparities in how women players are treated</a>.</p>
<p>Male opponents and spectators contribute to these hostile esports environments <a href="https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/jade/vol2/iss1/3/">more often</a> than women by insulting, swearing at and belittling fellow gamers, male and female alike. Men have stated that they are significantly more likely – 20%, based on my analysis – to engage in hostile actions.</p>
<p>To overcome the hostility, women gamers will often not use their real names or the voice chat features to avoid being identified as women. A woman professional gamer stated in the forthcoming Sport Management Review article, “Toxicity 100% exists. You have women gamers who don’t identify themselves as being female because of the fact that they don’t want to deal with the backlash in chat. You are seeing chat that is very negative for women, and that’s not fair.”</p>
<p>These acts reinforce an unwelcoming environment for women and girls. Women and girls commonly receive <a href="http://www.wsanz.org.nz/journal/docs/WSJNZ291Todd64-67.pdf">death threats and threats of sexual assault</a>. A professional woman gamer explained in my forthcoming article, “Girls are scared, women are scared to even try to compete or get better because … men are telling them they don’t know how to play the game, and they’ll never be at their skill level. They’re so terrified to even get started.” </p>
<p>When women do reach competitive esports levels and win tournaments, they are often <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-016-0678-y">marginalized</a>. An esports player development professional told me, “If a woman is not good at a game, it’s okay, because they’re a ‘girl.’ Not a woman. It’s okay because they’re a ‘girl.’ Like small, meek, young. These are the predatory, belittling language and thought processes that women encounter.”</p>
<p>At the college varsity level of play, a current professional woman gamer explained, “In college I was the token female playing. It was very clear that you can really only have one girl on your team and it was used as a tool.”</p>
<h2>2. Why does it matter?</h2>
<p>Increasingly colleges are giving out scholarships for gamers. However, women and girls are missing out on these scholarship opportunities and the educational benefits that they entail.</p>
<p>Through the National Association of Collegiate Esports, <a href="https://nacesports.org/nace-and-skillshot-strategic-partnership/">$16 million in esports scholarships</a> are awarded annually. About <a href="https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-02-27-esports-scholarships-are-growing-do-they-leave-some-students-behind">115 colleges and universities offer these scholarships</a>.</p>
<p>Beyond the participation and monetary losses for women and girls, the detrimental outcome of fewer female role models in esports generates a somewhat cyclical phenomenon. It is <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4132808?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">difficult to be what you cannot see</a>. The top-earning man in professional esports – Jordan “N0tail” Sundstein – has brought in roughly <a href="https://www.esportsearnings.com/players">$7 million in career earnings</a>, while the top-earning woman, Sasha “Scarlett” Hostyn, has brought in just over <a href="https://www.lineups.com/esports/top-10-women-esports-players-in-the-world/">$300,000</a>. </p>
<p>Additional benefits are associated with competitive esports participation. Studies have linked it to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/04/16/esports-and-stem-education-a-2020-perspective/?sh=1711d6c84eae">improved self-esteem, technological proficiency, graduation rates and visual-spatial reasoning</a>, as well as more meaningful social interaction. </p>
<p>Competitive esports participation also aligns well with science, technology, engineering and mathematics – or STEM – both in terms of <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2018-06-12/commentary-game-to-grow-esports-as-a-learning-platform">education</a> and careers. </p>
<h2>3. Can women compete with men?</h2>
<p>Women and girls have proved their ability to compete with and consistently beat male competitors at top-level events. For instance, in 2019, Li “Liooon” Xiaomeng was the first woman to win the Hearthstone Grandmasters Global Finals. <a href="https://www.dexerto.com/fortnite/twitchcon-2019-fortnite-rivals-tournament-final-placements-1075665/">Tina “TINARAES” Perez</a> placed first at 2019 Twitch Rivals: TwitchCon Fortnite Showdown. <a href="https://www.dailyesports.gg/twitch-rivals-won-ez-clap-league/">Janet “xChocoBars” Rose</a> placed first in the 2019 Twitch Rivals: League of Legends tournament as part of team EZ Clap. <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/05/16/overwatch-leagues-geguri-named-as-one-of-times-2019-next-generation-leaders">Kim “Geguri” Se-Yeon</a> was named one of Time Magazine’s Next Generation Leaders in 2019 for being one of the most successful esports players in an otherwise male-dominated sport.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384586/original/file-20210216-19-198svnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A young woman uses a VR headset an a console while playing a video game." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384586/original/file-20210216-19-198svnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384586/original/file-20210216-19-198svnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384586/original/file-20210216-19-198svnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384586/original/file-20210216-19-198svnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384586/original/file-20210216-19-198svnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384586/original/file-20210216-19-198svnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384586/original/file-20210216-19-198svnn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A woman plays a virtual-reality game during the E-Sports & Music Festival in 2019.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/woman-plays-a-virtual-reality-game-during-the-e-sports-and-news-photo/1164337694?adppopup=true">Ivan Abreu/Getty Images for Hong Kong Tourism Board</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>4. Do colleges need to do something?</h2>
<p>There is high interest in esports among women and girls. Approximately <a href="https://cheddar.com/media/the-study-of-female-gamers-sentiment-towards-esports">48% of women participate in video games that are considered to belong in the esports category</a>. This percentage of women participants jumps to <a href="https://www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/gaming-gender-how-inclusive-are-esports/">57%</a> for women ages 18-29. Women are engaged in gaming, viewing livestreams and competing on average <a href="https://cheddar.com/media/the-study-of-female-gamers-sentiment-towards-esports">15 hours per week</a>. During 2019, <a href="https://cheddar.com/media/the-study-of-female-gamers-sentiment-towards-esports">11 million women</a> viewed a Twitch livestream.</p>
<p>Colleges and universities that receive U.S. federal aid have an obligation to improve opportunity and access to participation based on <a href="http://www2.edc.org/WomensEquity/resource/title9/t9faq.htm#fact">Title IX policy</a>, which prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Conferences-Events/2017/IAF/Speakers/AJ-Dimick.aspx">A.J. Dimick</a>, the director of esports operations at the University of Utah, told me that “the formative stages of collegiate esports aren’t sufficiently addressing representation and diversity and could benefit from Title IX oversight and scrutiny.”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.equityinesports.com/">Initiatives</a> geared toward generating inclusive esports environments for women and girls have already begun. <a href="https://www.teamliquid.com/">Team Liquid</a>, a professional esports organization founded in 2000 with teams across the globe, announced in January the creation of a <a href="https://www.teamliquid.com/news/2021/01/13/aerial-powers-joins-team-liquid-as-streamer-and-diversity-ambassador">diversity task force</a> and hired Women’s National Basketball Association star and esports gamer Aerial Powers as their first diversity ambassador. In September 2020, PNC Bank and the Pittsburgh Knights created a <a href="https://knights.gg/article/pnc-bank-pittsburgh-knights-launch-women-in-esports-initiative/">Women in Esports Steering Committee</a> to develop solutions for gender equity disparities in the esports industry. </p>
<p>These initiatives provide evidence of a changing esports landscape and an effort to bring women and girls into this space. As collegiate varsity esports continue to grow, institutions must consider their own role in generating opportunities for all.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/154793/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lindsey Darvin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Women are a rarity in college esports. A scholar explores the reasons.Lindsey Darvin, Assistant Professor of Sport Management, State University of New York CortlandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1468722020-10-22T14:19:53Z2020-10-22T14:19:53ZNot every football club is going under – here’s how some are improving financial results<p>COVID-19 has proven itself a devastating opponent for professional sport around the world. Major events have been cancelled or postponed, and the financial security of many athletes and teams remains bleak.</p>
<p>In football, for example, there are fears that even the top flight clubs in Europe could <a href="https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-europe-clubs/europes-top-flight-clubs-face-4-billion-euros-in-lost-revenue-due-to-covid-19-idUKKBN2482JD">lose €4 billion</a> over the next two years. Meanwhile, lower league clubs are said to be <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12083809/coronavirus-football-clubs-at-risk-of-going-bust-without-government-aid-open-letter-warns">facing an existential threat</a>.</p>
<p>The outlook remains worryingly uncertain. When will paying spectators return to the terraces and fill the stadiums again? To what extent will the vital investment of media companies and corporate sponsors – themselves facing pandemic related losses – be reduced? </p>
<p>To begin with, clubs will be concerned with managing short-term financial worries, perhaps by aiming to reduce spending on player transfers and wages. But there is also an urgent need to think about the longer-term implications for economic survival. Our <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340889378_Financial_performance_and_corporate_diversification_strategies_in_professional_football_-_evidence_from_the_English_Premier_League">research</a> indicates that one strategy football clubs should consider is diversification.</p>
<p>The idea behind diversification is simple. Instead of putting all of your financial eggs in one basket, you spread your risk among different economic sectors. </p>
<p>Currently, the fate of most football clubs depends almost entirely on their <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303752242_Europe's_Elite_Football_Financial_Growth_Sporting_Success_Transfer_Investment_and_Private_Majority_Investors">sporting performance</a>. If the team mostly wins, the financial situation improves, and if it mostly loses, the situation gets worse. Individual games can be economically devastating if they mean missing out on qualification for a lucrative tournament or relegation to a lower division. </p>
<p>Risk diversification can at least mitigate these sometimes dramatic effects by expanding either into new products – beyond replica kits and merchandise – or geographic regions.</p>
<p>Some clubs have already begun to explore this strategy. <a href="https://arsenalinnovationlab.com/">Arsenal</a> in the UK, and <a href="https://barcainnovationhub.com/">Barcelona</a> in Spain have set up “innovation hubs”, which collaborate with technology startups, for example, to explore new <a href="https://arsenalinnovationlab.com/startups-unveil-new-fan-experiences-at-arsenal-innovation-lab-demo-day/">digital fan experiences</a> using artificial intelligence and augmented reality. </p>
<p>Others have diversified by building a portfolio across different sports. The <a href="http://www.fenwaysportsmanagement.com/portfolio/">Fenway Sports Group</a> for instance, owners of Liverpool FC and the Boston Red Sox baseball team, is also involved in golf, motor sports and hurling. Recent rumours suggest that Fenway may increase its diversification activities <a href="https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/billy-beane-fsg-liverpool-investment-19093943">even further</a>.</p>
<p>There has also been <a href="https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/17637299/76ers-acquire-esports-teams-dignitas-apex">widespread investment</a> in eSports teams – professional video-game players – which is expected to turn into a <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/esports-market-revenues-2020-2021-impact-of-covid-19-media-rights-sponsorships-tickets/">US$1.5 billion market by 2023</a>. On a more traditional front, some clubs, including <a href="https://www.boltonwhiteshotel.co.uk/">Bolton Wanderers</a> and <a href="https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/london/millennium-and-copthorne-hotels-at-chelsea-football-club/">Chelsea</a>, have invested in physical assets such as hotel ownership.</p>
<h2>The international game</h2>
<p>Geographic diversification has been popular too, with an increasingly international outlook in a variety of sports, which has seen the NFL hosting <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-unveils-dates-times-for-2019-international-games-0ap3000001026723">games in Europe</a> and the Spanish Football Federation planning to stage the <a href="https://en.as.com/en/2019/11/11/football/1573484765_968013.html">Supercup in Saudi Arabia</a>. Many larger clubs have also established office locations overseas, with Juventus <a href="https://www.juventus.com/en/club/hong-kong-branch">setting up in Hong Kong</a> and European champions <a href="https://fcbayern.com/us/news/2016/08/fc-bayern-moves-into-new-madison-avenue-office">Bayern Munich</a> opting for New York. The underlying idea is to reach a broader international fan base, especially in markets where football has not exploited its growth potential yet. </p>
<p>One company, the <a href="https://www.cityfootballgroup.com/our-teams/">City Football Group</a> has taken this international approach even further by building a global portfolio of football clubs, including Manchester City, New York City and Melbourne City. This also opens up new opportunities to transfer players among clubs of the same owners.</p>
<h2>Getting results</h2>
<p>So how do all those diversification activities contribute to the financial performance of a club? To find out, we analysed a 15-year dataset of the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340889378_Financial_performance_and_corporate_diversification_strategies_in_professional_football_-_evidence_from_the_English_Premier_League">English Premier League</a> and found that moving into related business areas improves revenues and profitability. </p>
<p>A prime example is Manchester United. From 2007 to 2013, the club was at its sporting peak, winning five out of seven possible Premier League championships and one UEFA Champions League title. With success on the pitch came an increase in revenue of around <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/271665/revenue-of-manchester-united/">€110 million</a> over the same period. </p>
<p>After Alex Ferguson stepped down as manager in 2013, the team’s performance <a href="https://sportsgazette.co.uk/manchester-uniteds-decline-since-2013-what-do-the-stats-say/">deteriorated significantly</a>. Yet revenues continued to increase and are almost <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/271665/revenue-of-manchester-united/">70% higher</a> today than when Ferguson left. Interest in the club and its products – including a museum, stadium tours, business conferences, a TV channel and an eSports unit – has not declined despite disappointing results on the pitch.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A football balanced on a pile of coins against a financial report backdrop." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364737/original/file-20201021-23-16aa23n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364737/original/file-20201021-23-16aa23n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364737/original/file-20201021-23-16aa23n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364737/original/file-20201021-23-16aa23n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364737/original/file-20201021-23-16aa23n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364737/original/file-20201021-23-16aa23n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364737/original/file-20201021-23-16aa23n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Moneyball?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/soccer-ball-on-financial-report-background-143046496">Shutterstock/pogonici</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It is important to stress though, that diversification into new business areas works best when it is related to the core business of football. In simple terms, sports clubs are more likely to see success in operating eSports teams than they are in manufacturing, say, high-spec industrial products. The greater the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341959325_Dynamic_managerial_capabilities_firm_resources_and_related_business_diversification_-_Evidence_from_the_English_Premier_League">relatedness of an investment to the core business</a>, the easier it is for sports clubs to fully exploit new income streams.</p>
<p>When it comes to international diversification, the effects are less pronounced. While a moderate degree of internationalisation increases financial performance, extremely high levels of geographical diversification can be detrimental. The Italian club AS Roma, for instance, has been reporting <a href="https://www.reuters.com/companies/ASR.MI/financials">negative net incomes</a> over the past years despite heavily investing abroad. This may be because of the large costs of coordinating international business activities in a range of diverse cultures and economic situations.</p>
<p>Since our data set ends before the outbreak of COVID-19, we should note that the pandemic may have changed the effects of diversification. A club investing in travel services may have suffered, while one investing in eSports may have done well.</p>
<p>Overall, though, our evidence shows that well-planned and well-executed diversification can be an effective insurance mechanism, and could help to ensure the survival of clubs in future economic crises. Unfortunately, there is no golden rule that will work for every team. But sports executives would be well advised to develop a suitable diversification strategy – it’s a tactic that could help ensure the financial survival of their club.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/146872/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Diversification into related businesses can provide a firmer financial footing.Sascha L. Schmidt, Professor and Director, Center for Sports and Management, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of ManagementFlorian Holzmayer, Researcher, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of ManagementJohannes Fühner, PhD Candidate, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of ManagementLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1471242020-10-01T15:37:58Z2020-10-01T15:37:58ZEsports could be quietly spawning a whole new generation of problem gamblers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360542/original/file-20200929-20-8q3fjz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The new problem gambling?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/team-professional-gamer-playing-winning-tournaments-1584735865">Parilov</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most large sports events came to an abrupt halt during the pandemic, but one category was not only unaffected but enjoyed <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2020/06/27/the-pandemic-has-accelerated-the-growth-of-e-sports">accelerated growth</a>: esports. Esports is the competitive playing of video games such as League of Legends, Fortnite and Fifa Football. </p>
<p>The audiences for the biggest titles <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/esports-ecosystem-market-report?r=US&IR=T">are now enormous</a>. Fortnite alone has around 78 million monthly players and professional tournaments draw in many millions of online spectators. League of Legends World Championship attracted over 100 million viewers in 2019 with a peak of 44 million. In comparison, the Wimbledon men’s final 2019 peaked at around <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/48989639">9 million viewers</a>. </p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AXfkqXamJU0?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
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<p>It’s not just the size of the audience that’s different, it’s also their age. The average tennis spectator is 61, whereas esports spectators are on <a href="https://www.pmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/eSports-Marketing-PMG-Whitepaper.pdf">average 26</a>. </p>
<p>Major bookmakers such as PaddyPower, Bet365 and Betway, along with many niche operators, are now offering bets on esports tournaments. Monthly esports betting revenues for UK operators <a href="https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news-action-and-statistics/Statistics-and-research/Covid-19-research/Covid-19-updated-August-2020/Gambling-business-data-on-gambling-during-Covid-19-updated-August-2020.aspx">rose 30-fold</a> between March 2019 and March 2020, and by June they had more than doubled again. </p>
<p>The global esports betting market is <a href="https://sbcnews.co.uk/esports-fantasy/2020/05/06/everymatrix-sports-titles-esports-betting-volume-growth/#:%7E:text=The%20report%20estimated%20that%20total,from%202%25%20to%2027%25.">expected to be</a> worth up to $15 billion (£12 billion) this year, compared with less than US$6 billion in 2016. This explosive growth has been fuelled by online advertising, which almost <a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/online-gambling-ad-impressions-almost-triple-during-lockdown/1682440">tripled during lockdown</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360546/original/file-20200929-14-16c94y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Fan standing up in mass audience for esports event in Moscow" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360546/original/file-20200929-14-16c94y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360546/original/file-20200929-14-16c94y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360546/original/file-20200929-14-16c94y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360546/original/file-20200929-14-16c94y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360546/original/file-20200929-14-16c94y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360546/original/file-20200929-14-16c94y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360546/original/file-20200929-14-16c94y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Esports Counter Strike global event in Moscow, September 2019.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/moscow-russia-14th-september-2019-esports-1520640266">Roman Kosolapov</a></span>
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<p>The danger is that younger people are being drawn to gamble on esports. In 2019, <a href="https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/survey-data/Gambling-participation-in-2019-behaviour-awareness-and-attitudes.pdf">17% of esports gamblers</a> were aged 18-24. In general, <a href="https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/survey-data/Gambling-participation-in-2019-behaviour-awareness-and-attitudes.pdf">more and more</a> UK 16-34-year-olds are gambling, and the average age of gamblers <a href="https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/survey-data/Gambling-participation-in-2019-behaviour-awareness-and-attitudes.pdf">is decreasing</a>. The number of problem gamblers aged 11-16 <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46286945">has also quadrupled</a> to more than 50,000 in just two years. This comes at a time when
<a href="https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/report/gaming-the-system/">93% of UK children</a> play video games, averaging three hours a day and a growing number also follow professional esports teams. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/virtual-tour-de-france-shows-how-esports-has-come-of-age-during-lockdown-143547">Virtual Tour de France shows how esports has come of age during lockdown</a>
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<p>There is scant research into whether esports gaming leads to gambling, but <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/news/2019/aug/D1261_Horne_DEMOS_Management%20report_2019_web.pdf">our study</a> in 2019 found children heavily engaged with tweets from esports bookmakers and their affiliates. And regulators can’t keep up. During the recent <a href="https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/44cb93e3-bd4c-48a7-8762-9bafa7a60de9">House of Lords inquiry</a> into gambling, Guy Parker, chief executive of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), admitted he finds it almost impossible to track and regulate online gambling advertising.</p>
<h2>Esports betting adverts and children</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/news/2019/aug/D1261_Horne_DEMOS_Management%20report_2019_web.pdf">Our research</a>, sponsored by GambleAware and in collaboration with Ipsos MORI, the thinktank Demos and the University of Sussex, analysed 880,000 tweets from 417 UK-based accounts related to gambling operators. We looked at data from their 621,000 UK-based followers, and the 166,969 UK-based individuals who engaged with these tweets by commenting, liking or sharing them. We analysed tweets related to both traditional sports and esports betting, with the latter making up about a tenth of the accounts studied. </p>
<p>We identified three particular concerns. First, people following esport gambling accounts are very young. We found that 17% of followers were under 16, and another 69% were aged 16-23. In other words, 85% of esports betting-account followers are under 24. The same is true for those commenting on, liking or sharing these tweets: 28% were under 16, and 66% were aged 16-23.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1035898324707172353"}"></div></p>
<p>Second, the advertising techniques used by gambling operators are somewhat different from those used for traditional sports (with an older audience). Rather than getting people to sign up or make impulsive gambles by offering “free bets”, “matched bets” or “sign-up bonuses”, esports betting appears to concentrate much more on tweets that are funny, using gifs, memes and esports insider-knowledge. </p>
<p>This content doesn’t look like a hard sell or an incitement to gamble. Children <a href="https://www.ama.org/discussions/mppc20proceedings-digitalmarketing-poster2/">might not even realise</a> it is commercial content designed to make them part with their money, and might do little to resist. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"979797184194469888"}"></div></p>
<p>Funny stuff is also highly shareable. As these posts are circulated on social media, more children – who may have previously had no interest in gambling - are inadvertently looped in. So while gambling is illegal for many engaging with these adverts, with a minimum age of 18 in the UK, a positive image is slowly and implicitly building in the back of their minds.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"982664475814846464"}"></div></p>
<p>Third, when our researchers analysed a sample of all the tweets in depth, many appeared to contravene the UK’s <a href="https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/16.html">CAP gambling advertising code</a>. We found esports gambling tweets that used cartoons and animated characters, associated themselves with youth culture or featured esports stars under 25 years old. All of this activity breaches the code. </p>
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<p><a href="https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1336&context=gaming_institute">Other research</a> has highlighted issues with gambling advertising potentially appealing to children, but our focus on esports highlights a worrying trend that has been under the radar of researchers and policymakers.</p>
<h2>Next steps</h2>
<p>With the pandemic unlikely to disappear soon, esports playing, following and betting will continue to grow. We need to act now to stop social-media advertising turning children’s gaming into gambling. </p>
<p>After reading our research, the Gambling Commission and ASA sent all UK esports betting operators <a href="https://www.asa.org.uk/uploads/assets/f08a1429-1e0b-45ab-857bfd085549f0fb/Advice-Notice-The-marketing-of-Gambling-on-eSports-on-Social-Media.pdf">a reminder</a> of the advertising rules, and <a href="https://www.asa.org.uk/resource/cap-s-response-to-gambleaware-s-research-on-social-media-marketing-for-esports-gambling.html">published a response</a> to the findings pointing out that many tweets were from non-UK operators and therefore beyond the remit of the CAP code. </p>
<p>However, we found that it is possible in many cases for children to click through to non-UK sites and open accounts by saying they are 18, highlighting a major effectiveness issue with a UK-focused code in a world of international social media. We also believe that the ASA needs to call more UK transgressors to account with sanctions for those who fail to comply. </p>
<p>In our view, the rules do not adequately address the peculiarities of social-media marketing, where funny content can quickly and effectively make esports betting more appealing to children and normalise the link between popular games and gambling. An awareness campaign for parents is also needed. Many parents might know that their children are playing esports in their bedrooms or following professional tournaments, but most are probably unaware of the strong link with betting. Last but not least, we also need a lot more research.</p>
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<p><strong>Asked to comment, a spokesperson for the Betting and Gaming Council, which <a href="https://bettingandgamingcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/BGC-Membership-List.pdf">represents most operators</a> in the UK betting industry, said:</strong> </p>
<blockquote>
<p>We are committed to driving up standards in the betting and gaming industry. It is illegal for anyone under 18 to bet with any of our members and we operate strict age and identification measures to prevent anyone underage accessing these products. </p>
<p>We have also taken further steps to prevent young people from seeing betting adverts. From October 1, the updated industry code for socially responsible advertising means that all sponsored or paid-for adverts on search engines must make clear the products are only for those aged over 18, while YouTube users will need to have age-verified accounts before they can view betting adverts. BGC members will also have to frequently post responsible betting messages on their Twitter accounts.</p>
<p>We look forward to the government’s forthcoming gambling review, which we hope will lead to a crackdown on black market operators who have no interest in safer gambling or protecting their customers and do not work to the same responsible standards as BGC members.</p>
</blockquote><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/147124/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The study on which this article is based was funded by GambleAware, a national charity instructed by government to commission research into gambling in Great Britain. GambleAware is funded through contributions from the gambling industry, but decisions about what research to fund are made by the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (renamed in 2019 to The Advisory Board for Safer Gambling), an independent group that provides advice on gambling policy and research to government. In September 2016, the RGSB and GambleAware published a Research Commissioning and Governance Procedure, which describes how research priorities are set and commissioned, in isolation from the gambling industry.</span></em></p>Esports is becoming a goldmine for betting companies. New research shows how their online ads are reeling in children.Raffaello Rossi, Doctoral Researcher in Marketing, University of BristolAgnes Nairn, Professor of Marketing, University of BristolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1435202020-08-21T12:38:10Z2020-08-21T12:38:10ZHere’s what it’ll take to clean up esports’ toxic culture<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353939/original/file-20200820-18-1i1cwq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C29%2C4985%2C3787&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">College videogame team members practice League of Legends.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/LeagueofLegendsEsports101/82e5316f00e046da906c96a16d9f07d7/photo?Query=League%20of%20legends&mediaType=photo&sortBy=&dateRange=Anytime&totalCount=225&currentItemNo=13">AP Photo/M. Spencer Green</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>In day-to-day life, you probably haven’t had someone yell at you, “Get back in the kitchen and make me a sandwich!” If you’re a woman who plays online video games, though, statements like this, and worse, are all too common. </p>
<p>As COVID-19 has driven much of life online and fueled a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/05/12/video-game-industry-coronavirus/">boom in online gaming</a>, harassment in these and other internet spaces <a href="https://webfoundation.org/2020/07/theres-a-pandemic-of-online-violence-against-women-and-girls/">has increased</a>. <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/232383/gender-split-of-us-computer-and-video-gamers/">Forty-one percent</a> of computer and videogame players are female, down from 46% in 2019.</p>
<p>Despite its digital nature, online harassment can have <a href="https://repository.law.umich.edu/mlr/vol108/iss3/3/">real-world consequences for victims</a>, including emotional and physical distress. This has left online gaming companies and players scrambling for better community management techniques to prevent harassment. As a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7IEXEiwAAAAJ&hl=en">researcher who studies gaming</a>, I’ve found that the right cultural norms can result in healthy online communities, even in the highly competitive world of esports.</p>
<p>The stakes are high. Competitive video gaming, or esports, now exceeds <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesayles/2019/12/03/global-esports-revenue-reaches-more-than-1-billion-as-audience-figures-exceed-433-million/#7c218d871329">US$1 billion</a> in yearly revenue. Professional, collegiate and high school leagues are expanding, especially as COVID-19 has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/apr/11/esports-ride-crest-of-a-wave-as-figures-rocket-during-covid-19-crisis">decreased opportunities for traditional sports</a>. </p>
<h2>History of harassment</h2>
<p>Recent stories from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/style/women-gaming-streaming-harassment-sexism-twitch.html">The New York Times</a>, <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/twitch-streaming-metoo-reckoning-sexual-misconduct-allegations/">Wired</a>, <a href="https://www.insider.com/twitch-sexual-assault-misconduct-allegations-video-gaming-community-streamers-harassment-2020-7">Insider</a> and others have highlighted how pervasive sexism, racism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination are in online spaces. However, these issues are hardly new. Similar problems arose in 2014’s <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/10/14/the-only-guide-to-gamergate-you-will-ever-need-to-read/">GamerGate</a> Twitter-based campaign of harassment of female gamers, designers and journalists. </p>
<p>Sexism was also common before GamerGate. For example, professional gamer Miranda Pakozdi quit her team following <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/02/us/sexual-harassment-in-online-gaming-stirs-anger.html?_r=1">sexual harassment</a> from her coach in 2012; the coach, Aris Bakhtanians, famously stated that <a href="https://kotaku.com/competitive-gamers-inflammatory-comments-spark-sexual-h-5889066">“sexual harassment is part of [the fighting game] culture”</a> and that it could not be removed. </p>
<p>Others have suggested that the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2006.09.001">anonymity</a> of online game spaces, combined with gamers’ <a href="https://syslab.cs.washington.edu/papers/lol-chi15.pdf">competitive natures</a>, increases the likelihood of toxic behavior. Survey data from the <a href="https://www.adl.org/media/14643/download">American Defamation League</a> suggests that at least 37% of female gamers have faced gender-based harassment.</p>
<p>However, positive online communities exist, and a study by lawyer and former Microsoft user experience designer <a href="https://www.osborneclarke.com/lawyers/rebecca-chui/">Rebecca Chui</a> found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.4101/jvwr.v7i2.7073">anonymous online communities are not inherently toxic</a>. Rather, a culture of harassment requires community norms that allow for it. This suggests that online bad behavior can be addressed effectively. The question is how.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353945/original/file-20200820-20-1f601qz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="An arena full of people watching an international videogame tournament" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353945/original/file-20200820-20-1f601qz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353945/original/file-20200820-20-1f601qz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353945/original/file-20200820-20-1f601qz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353945/original/file-20200820-20-1f601qz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353945/original/file-20200820-20-1f601qz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353945/original/file-20200820-20-1f601qz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353945/original/file-20200820-20-1f601qz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Online video gaming, or esports, has grown to have professional, collegiate and scholastic leagues, and international tournaments like this one in Paris in 2019.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/FranceLeagueofLegendsFinals/6bf32ff641ad4aa1985d33b0b5eddec9/photo?Query=League%20of%20legends&mediaType=photo&sortBy=&dateRange=Anytime&totalCount=225&currentItemNo=7">AP Photo/Thibault Camus</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Players’ coping strategies</h2>
<p>In my interview-based research with female gamers, I’ve found that players have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1555412015587603">many strategies for avoiding or managing online harassment</a>. For instance, some play only with friends or avoid using voice chat to hide their gender. Other gamers get really good at their favorite games, to shut down harassment through skill. Research by other media scholars, such as <a href="https://adanewmedia.org/2013/06/issue2-gray/">Kishonna Gray</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0731121419837588">Stephanie Ortiz</a>, has found similar results across race and sexuality.</p>
<p>These strategies have significant downsides, however. For example, ignoring toxicity or brushing it off allows it to persist. Pushing back against harassers often results in further harassment. </p>
<p>They can also put the burden of challenging harassment on the victim, rather than on the perpetrator or community. This can drive victims out of online spaces. As my interviewees gained responsibilities in their jobs or families, for instance, they no longer had the time or energy to manage harassment and stopped gaming. My research suggests that game companies need to intervene in their communities to keep players from having to go it alone.</p>
<h2>How companies can intervene</h2>
<p>Game companies are becoming increasingly invested in community management strategies. Large publisher Electronic Arts held a <a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/gaming-can-be-toxic-toward-women-and-minorities-electronic-arts-wants-to-help-fix-that/">community management summit</a> in 2019, and companies like <a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/microsofts-xbox-team-has-a-plan-to-fight-toxic-gamers/">Microsoft</a> and <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/intel-levels-up-ai-to-battle-toxicity-in-online-games">Intel</a> are developing new tools for managing online spaces. A group of game development companies even recently formed the <a href="https://fairplayalliance.org/about/">Fair Play Alliance</a>, a coalition working to address harassment and discrimination in gaming.</p>
<p>It’s important that interventions be rooted in the experiences of players, however. Right now, many companies intervene though practices like banning or blocking harassers. For instance, the live-streaming platform Twitch recently banned several prominent streamers following allegations that they had committed sexual harassment. </p>
<p>This is a start, but harassers who are blocked or banned often create new accounts and return to their previous behaviors. Blocking also manages harassment after it occurs, rather than stopping it at the source. Thus blocking should be combined with other potential approaches.</p>
<p>First, companies should expand the tools they provide players to manage their online identities. Many participants avoided voice chat to limit gender harassment. This at times made it difficult to compete. Games like Fortnite, League of Legends and Apex Legends, however, have instituted <a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/apex-legends-ping-system-is-a-tiny-miracle-for-fps-teamwork-and-communication/">“ping” systems</a>, where players can communicate essential game information rapidly, without requiring voice. Similar tools could be built into many other online games. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1110949804526452741"}"></div></p>
<p>Another option my interviewees suggested is to make it easy for players to group with friends, so they have someone on their side to guard against harassment. Grouping mechanisms work particularly well when matched to the needs of their specific game. For instance, in games like Overwatch and League of Legends, players need to take on different roles to balance their team. Abuse can occur when randomly assigned teammates all want to play the same character. </p>
<p>Overwatch recently introduced a <a href="https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/overwatch/t/guide-how-to-use-the-looking-for-group-system/127114">new grouping system</a> that allows players to choose their characters, then be matched with players who have chosen different roles. This appears to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/aug/17/tackling-toxicity-abuse-in-online-video-games-overwatch-rainbow-seige">reduce abusive in-game chat</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351423/original/file-20200805-477-13giwws.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Screenshot of videogame League of Legends showing clasped hands" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351423/original/file-20200805-477-13giwws.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/351423/original/file-20200805-477-13giwws.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351423/original/file-20200805-477-13giwws.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351423/original/file-20200805-477-13giwws.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351423/original/file-20200805-477-13giwws.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351423/original/file-20200805-477-13giwws.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/351423/original/file-20200805-477-13giwws.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An example of in-game commendations for positive behavior in League of Legends.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/15838163@N00/9375189766">Daniel Garrido/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<p>Finally, companies should work to change their basic cultural norms. For example, League of Legends publisher Riot Games once instituted a “<a href="https://www.vox.com/2015/7/7/11564110/doing-something-about-the-impossible-problem-of-abuse-in-online-games">Tribunal</a>” system where players could view incident reports and vote on whether the behavior was acceptable in the League community. </p>
<p>[<em>Deep knowledge, daily.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=deepknowledge">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p>Although Riot Games unfortunately closed the Tribunal shortly after its release, including community members in any solution is a good idea. Companies should also develop clear community guidelines, encourage positive behavior through tools like in-game accolades, and respond to ongoing issues rapidly and decisively.</p>
<p>If esports continue to expand without game companies addressing the toxic environments in their games, abusive and exclusionary behaviors are likely to become entrenched. To avoid this, players, coaches, teams, leagues, game companies and live-streaming services should invest in better community management efforts.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143520/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amanda Cote does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Combating sexism and other forms of harassment in online videogames comes down to community standards.Amanda Cote, Assistant Professor of Media Studies/Game Studies, University of OregonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1435472020-07-28T13:42:00Z2020-07-28T13:42:00ZVirtual Tour de France shows how esports has come of age during lockdown<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/349895/original/file-20200728-27-1ffmh4k.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C1%2C1194%2C658&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Australian Will Clarke winning the 2020 Virtual Tour de France.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Zwift</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Elite sports events are still largely closed to the world – but July 2020 has still been an unprecedented month for the global sporting calendar thanks to the world’s first Virtual Tour de France, which – despite the name – was based nowhere in particular, as riders took part from their homes in all parts of the world.</p>
<p>It’s historic, not just because the event brought together the world of esports cycling and the iconic and gruelling race – this was also the first time that women competed in a multistage Tour.</p>
<p>There were some key differences. Rather than being an individual race, it was run in teams, it was a lot shorter than the actual Tour and, most importantly, it involved cyclists sitting on their bikes indoors plugged into the Zwift virtual cycling system. Yet, for the audiences tuning in via YouTube, it’s easy to mistake it for an actual broadcast of a road race, as the graphics emulate the physical map and terrain of the route. Even the broadcast commentary was similar.</p>
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<p>The Tour is the latest in a whole range of digital innovations that have brought sports into the homes of millions of people during the COVID-19 lockdown, when they all had to press pause on their physical events programmes. </p>
<p>Yet, the foundation for these experiments were laid in January, when the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, told all International Sports Federations to <a href="https://youtu.be/rihy7JLpTwo?t=3328">figure out their esports strategy</a>. The urgency is all the more apparent when observing that all those sports sponsors – and broadcasters – are already aligning their brands with esports.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/esports-is-the-future-of-all-sports-heres-why-121335">Esports is the future of all sports – here's why</a>
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<p>Coca-Cola, Intel and Samsung, among many others, are <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ef8539b6-be2a-11e7-9836-b25f8adaa111">already highly invested</a> in esports. David Beckham’s newly formed Guild Esports company <a href="https://www.guildesports.com/rocketleague">announced it will establish</a> a professional esports team for the 21st-century version of football, Rocket League, a videogame in which players race cars around an arena driving a ball towards a goal using the online platform Battlefy.</p>
<h2>Virtually the same</h2>
<p>COVID-19 has accelerated the alignment of elite sports industries with esports – and even those who previously dismissed esports as not being like real sport now have the IOC president to contend with. Bach noted that platforms like Zwift were absolutely the same as sports, suggesting a future in which virtual sport may be a bigger part of the elite sports scene. It may be no coincidence that the IOC’s Esports Liaison Group is chaired by the president of the International Cyclists Union, <a href="https://www.cyclist.co.uk/news/2997/who-is-new-uci-president-david-lappartient">David Lappartient</a>.</p>
<p>Soon after lockdown began, sports were racing to get in on the virtual action. Among the first was Formula One, which was nudged into producing “<a href="https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/norris-drives-on-at-not-the-australian-grand-prix-to-help-break-records">Not the Australian Grand Prix</a>”, when its Melbourne race was cancelled. Teaming up with Veloce Esports, F1’s first digital event used its official computer game to produce a unique experience, where gamers, F1 drivers and celebrities came together to race the Australian track.</p>
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<p>In the end, esports racer <a href="https://the-race.com/esports/f1-stars-charge-bereznay-wins-in-veloces-not-the-aus-gp/">Daniel Bereznay took the chequered flag</a> with former Dutch racing driver-turned-sim racer <a href="https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/jarno-opmeer/">Jarno Opmeer</a> coming in second.</p>
<p>In April, the ATP and WTA organised an esports tennis competition instead of the Mutua Madrid Open, using Nacon’s Tennis World Tour video game. Again, some of the world’s biggest names came together to compete. Great Britain’s <a href="https://www.lta.org.uk/about-us/tennis-news/news-and-opinion/general-news/2020/april/mutua-madrid-quarter-finals/">Andy Murray took the title</a>.</p>
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<p>Also in April, we saw the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2020/apr/04/virtual-grand-national-2020-live-horse-racing-aintree">virtual Grand National</a> take place for the fourth time. This year was special, as – thanks to COVID-19 there was no accompanying physical race. Instead, racing fans – and gamblers – could tune into YouTube and watch a race of computer-generated horses, all of which had been expected starters for the actual race. The winner was decided in advance of the start gun being fired, based on the rider’s previous form, day conditions, among <a href="https://www.racingpost.com/news/2020-virtual-grand-national-runners-odds-how-it-works-and-all-the-key-details/430661">other factors</a>.</p>
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<p>This algorithm-driven sport may not feel much like sport for many – but it worked. We can expect to see a significant amount of business generated from gambling opportunities around virtual sports. </p>
<p>Football was slow to get back on to the pitch, and many clubs began experimenting with in-stadia innovations. By the time players were back on the field – without spectators – some clubs had set up <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t2Han5IXAM">giant screens</a> inside the stadium giving the impression of thousands of fans. Clubs also experimented with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevemccaskill/2020/03/31/sports-tech-comes-of-age-with-vr-training-coaching-apps-and-smart-gear/#54e4387d19c9">virtual reality to train players</a> and real-time canned audience sounds became part of a new language of broadcast production.</p>
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<p>The international basketball federation was next, producing the world’s first international <a href="http://www.fiba.basketball/news/stage-set-for-inaugural-fiba-esports-open-2020">esports version of its sport</a> in May using the game <a href="https://www.nba2k.com/">NBA 2K</a>. While the game has not previously impressed gamers, it did well to bring new audiences to basketball at a time when no live events were taking place.</p>
<p>Finally, there has also been a whole lot of esports happening during lockdown, occupying the space where many of these aspiring sports brands seek to locate themselves. Gaming has had a very good lockdown indeed – data shows that game sales and use have <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1109977/video-game-sales-covid/">grown significantly over 2020</a>.</p>
<h2>New ways to play</h2>
<p>Lockdown brought esports further into the mainstream – even the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/l002gjk1/esports-northern-league-of-legends-championship-league-stage-day-12">BBC broadcast</a> events on its digital platform. We also saw how the creative and cultural industries are coming together around esports titles. Of note were the virtual concerts that took place in Fortnite, particularly the American rapper Travis Scott’s spectacular performance, which could only be seen live if you were logged in as a player within Fortnite, prompting fans to download the title just to see the concert.</p>
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<p>In the same way that social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram are establishing new markets and audiences, esports and the virtualisation of sport are showing how new economies are emerging around novel, digital sports experiences through gaming platforms.</p>
<p>While many of the COVID-19 esports events from international sports federations have been more showcase events than elite competition, they have paved the way for a new normal to emerge, not just for participants, but for the many industries that produce media events.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143547/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andy Miah is Board Member of the British Esports Association and Commission Member of the Global Esports Federation. Each of these roles is advisory and voluntary.</span></em></p>The success of the virtual road race shows how quickly esports are moving into the mainstream.Andy Miah, Chair in Science Communication & Future Media, University of SalfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1355592020-04-09T20:02:58Z2020-04-09T20:02:58ZWith everyone stuck indoors, esports is poised for its time in the sun<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/326739/original/file-20200409-111123-1x45s4a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=5%2C1%2C992%2C664&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Against a global backdrop of cancelled sports leagues, and as part of their season opening, National Rugby League (NRL) fans recently <a href="https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/coronavirus-shuts-down-major-sport-gatherings/news-story/2d54e299217659e6131ab60ed7b7bc62">packed the stands</a> of Townsville’s new Queensland Country Bank Stadium.</p>
<p>Fortunately, professional sporting bodies <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-13/afl-nrl-cricket-to-go-ahead-without-crowds-coronavirus/12052492">have now realised</a> social distancing measures can’t be ignored. To maintain fan engagement, sports leagues must rethink their mode of delivery. </p>
<p>Esports is one promising option. This fast-growing, professional video game competition medium is played between individuals or teams. While it encompasses non-sport games, in the context of sports-based games, esports offers an alternate reality where athletes are digitally represented. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00948705.2005.9714682">Esports is now drawing mass appeal</a>, fitting easily into the online lives many of us lead. </p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/stadiums-are-emptying-out-globally-so-why-have-australian-sports-been-so-slow-to-act-133354">Stadiums are emptying out globally. So why have Australian sports been so slow to act?</a>
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<h2>Response in uncertain times</h2>
<p>Sports administrators are now faced with unprecedented disruption. Avid sports fans are self-isolating at home, cabin fever is setting in and they are craving their usual sports fix. </p>
<p>Initially, NRL and AFL administrators <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/mar/16/football-to-continue-in-australia-amid-coronavirus-crisis-but-behind-closed-doors">tried to maintain their season fixtures</a> with no fans, but this quickly became untenable.</p>
<p>As we hunker down for the long haul, extending the AFL season suspension <a href="https://www.afl.com.au/news/390007/state-of-play-everything-you-need-to-know-about-season-2020">beyond May</a> looks increasingly likely, making the prospect of esports all the more appealing. </p>
<h2>Future proofing with esports</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-16/coronavirus-pandemic-leaves-sport-bracing-for-financial-hit/12059402">financial cracks</a> in Australia’s leading professional sports leagues are not confined to COVID-19. </p>
<p>Falling free-to-air television views and decreased numbers of match spectators pose a significant commercial threat. Generating revenue primarily from television broadcast rights is no longer sustainable. Thus, esports represents <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-26/coronavirus-delays-sports-esports-can-fill-the-void/12085318">more than a season filler</a> – it’s an opportunity sports administrators have largely ignored, but may need to quickly school themselves on. </p>
<p>Even before this pandemic hit, Australian sports fan engagement was changing. <a href="https://www.nielsen.com/nz/en/insights/article/2017/connecting-with-the-australian-sports-fan/">Data released in 2017</a> showed 11.4 million Australians consumed sports on a smartphone, desktop or tablet during July that year – a 6% increase from June. Growth was 10% among women, compared to 3% among men. </p>
<p>For Australian sports fans, the jump to esports would require little change in consumer behaviour. Other countries are already seeing this shift. The US Major League Soccer (MLS) administrators <a href="https://www.sporttechie.com/fifa-mls-soccer-fans-video-games/">found</a> 65% of their most devoted fans highlighted FIFA gaming as driving their interest in soccer. </p>
<p>“Gaming is actually more important to us than people playing soccer itself,” said MLS senior director of properties James Ruth.</p>
<p>Last year, a record breaking number (109,000) of <a href="https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.record-breaking-numbers-tried-to-qualify-for-f1-new-balance-esports-series.5IRYP3WhFEWsxPXUkWf3qv.html?fbclid=IwAR36UB1ysNQ7CW11-1TdE7dlHQQdqVBJ0lEAIzXbuYriYhDfAqWhuY4gtCg">worldwide participants competed</a> in Formula 1’s Pro Draft, one stage of the 2019 Formula 1 New Balance Esports Series.</p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/are-esports-the-next-major-league-sport-74008">Are esports the next major league sport?</a>
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<h2>Esports and COVID-19</h2>
<p>Formula 1 has led the rollout of esport contingencies during COVID-19, showing commitment by <a href="https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula-1-launches-virtual-grand-prix-series-to-replace-postponed-races.1znLAbPzBbCQPj1IDMeiOi.html">launching their Virtual Grand Prix series</a>. Running in place of races planned for the postponed season, and featuring several virtual F1 drivers, fans at home can still get their F1 fix. </p>
<p>The National Basketball League (NBA) are more hesitant, but have dipped their toes in the water by promoting an <a href="https://www.espn.com.au/esports/story/_/id/28988299/nba-2k20-tournament-predictions-nba-esports-experts">esport competition</a> featuring 16 of the NBA’s top basketball players. It’s likely we’ll see more sporting codes act and experiment with new modes of delivery in the near future. </p>
<p>In Australia, not all clubs were slow to recognise the potential of esports. More than four years ago, <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-and-esports-the-story-behind-a-seemingly-unusual-partnership-20180607-p4zk4z.html">Adelaide Crows officials</a> realised their traditional revenue streams were “maxed out” and identified esports as an avenue for growth. </p>
<p>However, the AFL’s commitment has been <a href="https://www.afl.com.au/news/127730/understanding-esports-how-the-afl-is-involved">tentative</a> at best. The NRL have also yet to make any real inroads, but did <a href="https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/09/16/nrl-partners-with-letsplay.live-for-grand-final-activation-featuring-fortnite/">partner</a> with an Australasian esports media company for a Fortnite event last year. </p>
<h2>Not a gendered activity</h2>
<p>Esports, like real sports, is not just for men. Research suggests women and men play video games in about <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-016-0678-y">equal numbers</a>. According to Venture Bear, in the US alone <a href="https://venturebeat.com/2019/12/10/women-are-big-and-underserved-esports-fans-heres-how-to-market-to-them/">11 million women</a> watched a live stream on Twitch last year. </p>
<p>In the Australian market, commercial growth through esports investment could be an influential strategy to seed youth leagues. As marketers seek to <a href="https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJSMM.2012.051251">attract new fans</a> and strengthen existing fan affiliations, esports’ effects could be twofold. </p>
<p>Esports could attract a new wave of younger sports fans, and bring ancillary opportunities to deepen existing fan engagement.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/time-well-spent-not-wasted-video-games-are-boosting-well-being-during-the-coronavirus-lockdown-135642">Time well spent, not wasted: video games are boosting well-being during the coronavirus lockdown</a>
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<h2>Keeping traditions going</h2>
<p>As we all settle into the pandemic way of life, Australian sports administrators may need to shift from dabbling in esports to developing a more sophisticated and comprehensive esports strategy. </p>
<p>Reliance on traditional income streams and “bums on stadium seats” have left our sports vulnerable and in some cases, looking for a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/pay-cuts-on-ice-government-agrees-to-consider-nrl-in-stimulus-package-20200319-p54by0.html">bailout</a>. </p>
<p>Perhaps administrators missed the opportunity to pivot quickly, keeping their fans engaged, their staff employed and their future secure. Either way, during these troubled times, esports may help breathe new life into one of the country’s favourite pastimes.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/135559/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>With current social distancing measures, Australia’s sporting bodies can’t rely on physical attendance for revenue. Not turning to esports at such a time would be a missed opportunity.Michelle O'Shea, Senior Lecturer Sport Management, Western Sydney UniversitySarah Duffy, Lecturer, School of Business, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1328452020-03-12T19:20:01Z2020-03-12T19:20:01ZCritics who say online gaming is ‘just a game’ completely miss the point<p>Now more than ever before, the stakes are getting higher in professional gaming. E-sports should be taken seriously as both an occupation and a form of leisure. Riot Games, the developers of desktop juggernaut <em>League of Legends</em>, is even taking the game into <em>Monday Night Football</em> territory with its <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/9/21171439/league-of-legends-lcs-monday-night-league-mnl-esports-twitch-youtube">own weekday broadcast of the game’s major tournament</a>.</p>
<p>Sixteen years ago, National Hockey League goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov provided the sports world with one of its greatest sound bites while being interviewed by reporters: “It’s only a game. Why (do) you have to be mad?”</p>
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<p>Since that day, the phrase has exploded in popularity. Game developer Blizzard Entertainment has even used it as a voice line for the character Zarya in the popular online game, <a href="https://www.bardown.com/one-of-ilya-bryzgalov-s-most-legendary-soundbites-is-now-a-voice-line-in-the-game-overwatch-1.825792">Overwatch</a>. While it’s become a famous meme for sports fans and gamers alike, the phrase “it’s just a game” has recently sparked controversy in the online gaming community. </p>
<p>Celebrity video game streamer Tyler Blevins — popularly known as Ninja — sparked debate on Twitter. He believes the phrase shows a weak mindset consistent with laziness, imperfection and being OK with losing. Ninja suggests that you would not tell athletes like LeBron James or Tom Brady that “it’s just a game”.</p>
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<p>Regardless of whether it’s a sport or a video game, he believes in the importance of competitiveness, respect and pride when it comes to taking a game seriously. </p>
<p>Blevins poses a good question: Why is it that sports are taken more seriously than online video games? </p>
<h2>Gaming and chill?</h2>
<p>I am a part-time gamer but, more importantly, I’m a full-time doctoral student who studies online video games and their place in society. Sports and video games share some similarities. The revenue generated by the activity, along with the possibility for employment and scholarship opportunities, are found in both arenas. </p>
<p>It has been reported that <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/22/video-game-revenue-tops-43-billion-in-2018-an-18-jump-from-2017/">video game revenue has surpassed the global box office and streaming services worldwide</a>. In a 2019 shareholder letter, Netflix stated that Fortnite, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/16/21068938/fortnite-ninja-skin-icon-series-metaverse-tyler-blevins-ultimate-virtual-world-star-wars">the video game popularized by Ninja,</a> is more of a competitor to its service than HBO. </p>
<p>Researchers at the <a href="https://onlinegrad.syracuse.edu/blog/esports-to-with-traditional-sports/">University of Syracuse</a> are estimating that e-sports viewership will surpass every professional sports league in the United States aside from the National Football League by 2021. The rising popularity of online gaming in terms of revenue and viewership should only begin to highlight the seriousness of this form of leisure.</p>
<p>The concept of “serious leisure” has been popularized by University of Calgary sociology professor Robert Stebbins. The concept has been used <a href="https://www.seriousleisure.net/sports--games.html">frequently in discussions surrounding sports or physical activity</a>, but rarely discussed through video games. In Stebbins’ definition, serious leisure refers to the “<a href="https://books.google.ca/books/about/Amateurs_Professionals_and_Serious_Leisu.html?id=J6iXpF7O0_MC&redir_esc=y">systematic pursuit of an amateur, hobbyist or volunteer core activity</a> that is highly substantial, interesting and fulfilling and where, in the typical case, participants find a career in acquiring and expressing a combination of its special skills, knowledge and experience.” </p>
<p>The benefits of serious leisure include <a href="https://books.google.ca/books/about/The_Serious_Leisure_Perspective.html?id=cnYKBAAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y">self-enrichment, self-actualization and a sense of identity, community and accomplishment</a>. When a person seriously commits to online gaming, they are hoping to acquire the skills, knowledge and experience to become a professional “gamer,” or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgRVDRpLbbc">in the case of Ninja, a professional “streamer”</a> (one who livestreams themselves playing video games on platforms such as Twitch, Mixer or YouTube).</p>
<h2>Practice makes perfect</h2>
<p>In <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/1388726">Stebbins’ idea of amateurism</a>, amateurs in sports and entertainment are those who no longer wish to be novices at an activity. They are motivated by seriousness and commitment, whether through consistent practices or organized schedules. </p>
<p>Amateurs exist within a system of relationships between professionals and the public known as the PAP, or professionals-amateurs-publics. Ninja would be a professional. Those that strive to be the next great video gamer would be known as amateurs. While those suggesting that “it’s just a game” would be considered the public. </p>
<p>Most professionals would start out as amateurs and climb the ranks to become professional. In online gaming, perhaps one starts to stream on Twitch where they build a following. Or one might win a big tournament, like 16-year-old Kyle (Bugha) Giersdorf, who won <a href="https://www.geek.com/games/fortnite-world-champion-teen-made-more-money-than-all-of-us-1797918/">$3 million in a Fortnite tournament</a>. While Ninja and Bugha both started as amateurs, through practice and dedication, they have now made <a href="https://www.esportspedia.com/streamers/Ninja">millions of dollars gaming professionally</a>.</p>
<h2>Online gaming no longer a waste of time</h2>
<p>Gaming is clearly serious business. Professional tournaments now have prize pools of over <a href="https://www.esportsearnings.com/tournaments">$34 million</a>. Colleges and universities offer scholarships to e-sports players. There are 200 schools with an e-sports program, and $15 million in scholarship funding is available in North America. </p>
<p>Some school teams have earned <a href="https://doi.org/10.7202/1065896ar">more than $300,000 in tournament winnings</a>. Gamers known as speed-runners have even raised more than <a href="https://gamesdonequick.com/">$22.3 million</a> over nine years to charities such as Doctors without Borders and the Prevent Cancer Foundation. </p>
<p>So if you ever think that your child, sibling, cousin or loved one is wasting their time on pointless video games, you may want to identify their level of interest. If they are dedicated and continue to progress, your loved one has a chance at making a career out of their serious leisure pursuit. </p>
<p>Of course, it’s possible to enjoy video games in a casual sense. I certainly do. However, Ninja has every right to get angry when someone says to him that “it’s just a game.” He should be considered the LeBron James or Tom Brady of e-sports. He should be considered an inspiration to amateur gamers and serious leisure enthusiasts everywhere.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132845/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joe Todd does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Video games are becoming just as popular as professional sports, so why do people think it’s only a game?Joe Todd, PhD Student in Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of WaterlooLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1213352019-10-22T15:45:01Z2019-10-22T15:45:01ZEsports is the future of all sports – here’s why<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291962/original/file-20190911-190050-12dxg2m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The Counter Strike Global Offensive cyber sport event in St Petersburg, Russia, in October, 2017. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/saint-petersburg-russia-october-2017-counter-746290396?src=haddvtC2-Q5ZRKSyOoG-pg-1-0">Shutterstock/RomanKosolapov</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The future of all sports is esports. That may sound like a bold statement but there is growing evidence to support it. Today’s spectators and participants expect to be digitally engaged while they watch. And the most effective way to deliver digital engagement is through “gamification” – the transformation of watching into playing.</p>
<p>While the “real” sports world is still far bigger than the competitive esports community, esports is showing supporters a new kind of future. A future where experiences make the most of fans’ desire for interactivity within their leisure experiences. Today’s consumer does not just want to watch or listen, they also want to participate – and esports integrates these principles into people’s leisure time.</p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/will-super-mario-ever-be-an-olympic-sport-64274">Will Super Mario ever be an Olympic sport?</a>
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<p>The latest transformation that is bringing these two worlds even closer together is the creation of new, virtual reality gaming experiences, which are turning esports into physically active experiences. Virtual reality may just be the technology that unites the two worlds of sports and esports which are, otherwise, struggling to find common ground.</p>
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<p>While it may take some years to fully realise the impact of esports, the rise of mobile and virtual reality gaming combine to make a tantalising prospect on which to imagine its future. Consider HADO, a new, two versus two, sports arena-based game consisting of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw4tTF5u0l4">virtual reality battles</a>. </p>
<p>Players each wear VR headsets and strap mobile devices to their arms, through which they can see each others’ actions and fling virtual fireballs at each other – a sort of digital version of dodgeball. One of the reasons that HADO is so important is that it brings a three-dimensional experience to an esports arena, where otherwise they are played out on flat screens for spectators to watch. Sony is even working on a spectator VR system <a href="https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2019168637A1">to watch esports</a> in virtual reality. </p>
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<p>The rise of affordable virtual reality headsets, are also kick-starting a <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/17/health/virtual-reality-fitness-staying-well/index.html">new fitness revolution</a>, with pimped-up gymnasia fast becoming virtual reality exercise spaces. This convergence of high-end gaming technology with physical fitness may be the most compelling way to bring these two worlds together. </p>
<h2>The VR Olympics?</h2>
<p>Rumours are that the <a href="https://7news.com.au/the-morning-show/esports-could-be-heading-to-the-olympics-says-ioc-president-thomas-bach-c-95961">International Olympic Committee</a> is interested in virtual reality as a possible route for esports inclusion within the Olympic programme. But rather than just being virtual versions of today’s sports, new kinds of sports such as HADO are likely to emerge. Alternatively, the stadia and fields of play of conventional sports may be re-imagined in virtual arenas, designed to maximise excitement. For example, tomorrow’s tennis stars could be playing on VR courts where they are able to move in three dimensions, rather than two. This could be made possible with three dimensional, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk-3kZ7ytZs">full-body virtual reality systems</a> where you can feel and truly experience the world around you by wearing a exo-suit to simulate the virtual environment.</p>
<p>In less than one year, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will take place, amid <a href="https://dotesports.com/business/news/konami-building-esports-arena-tokyo-2020-olympics">widespread speculation</a> that esports will find a place on – or at least near – the podium. For example, recently in Tokyo an <a href="https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/japan%E2%80%99s-first-dedicated-esports-hotel-to-open-next-spring-with-three-full-floors-of-gaming-gear">esports hotel</a> has just been launched and is expected to be ready for Games time. As well, Olympic partner Intel recently announced an <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/11/intel-is-hosting-an-olympics-sanctioned-esports-tournament-in-20/">Olympic-sanctioned esports tournament</a> taking place days before the Games open.</p>
<p>And while esports won’t be a medal sport in Tokyo next year, 2019 is the first year in which a major sports event has included esports medals. In this respect, the <a href="https://esportsobserver.com/five-esports-titles-2019-sea-games/">South-East Asian Games</a> is pioneering the association with esports and further indicating that this emerging technology is gradually finding its way into sports mega-events. </p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/fortnite-world-cup-and-the-rise-of-the-esports-industry-121199">Fortnite World Cup and the rise of the esports industry</a>
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<p>Meanwhile, talks continue to take place in relation to the programme for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which is likely to follow its two predecessors and have <a href="https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1075990/liam-morgan-esports-is-coming-to-the-olympics-after-all-as-paris-2024-reveal-ideas-to-improve-fan-engagement">some kind of esports event</a>. And in 2019, the <a href="https://minsk2019.by/en/news/1312">European Games</a> included esports within its cultural programme, rather than the sports programme. </p>
<p>It is worth remembering that, in the early decades of the modern Olympic Games, medals were given for cultural achievements. The original vision was to celebrate sport blended with culture and education, values still enshrined in the <a href="https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/General/EN-Olympic-Charter.pdf#_ga=2.212536083.624550268.1568113353-1458597438.1568113353">Olympic Charter</a>.</p>
<p>So, before we conclude the conversation about the relationship between esports and traditional sports, we should remember that today’s esports may be analogised to the silent film era from 100 years ago. There’s a great deal of technological evolution still to come and esports are still in the process of being established.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121335/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andy Miah is an Academic Adviser to the International Esports Federation</span></em></p>Could the Olympics and other major sports be on the brink of bringing gamers into the ‘real’ sporting arena?Andy Miah, Chair in Science Communication & Future Media, University of SalfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1211992019-08-08T12:13:03Z2019-08-08T12:13:03ZFortnite World Cup and the rise of the esports industry<p>Kyle Giersdorf, or Bugha to give him his game name, is US$3m better off after <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/28/business/fortnite-solo-winner-bugha-world-cup/index.html">winning the 2019 Fortnite world cup</a>. The American teenager took home the largest-ever payout for a single player in an esports tournament. His win reflects the growing popularity of the game and the power of the esports market. British teenager Jaden Ashman <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/technology-49143447/fortnite-world-cup-15-year-old-brit-jaden-ashman-wins-million-dollar-prize">shared US$2.25m with his teammate</a> as the runners-up in the doubles competition. </p>
<p>The finals, at the end of July, followed ten weeks of competition involving <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/games/2019/jul/26/fortnite-world-cup-kicks-off-with-30-million-at-stake-professional-games-tournament">more than 40m competitors and a total prize pot of over US$30m</a>. The tournament packed out the 23,771-seat Arthur Ashe stadium at Flushing Meadows, New York’s largest tennis arena.</p>
<p>Fortnite Battle Royale is emerging as one of the most popular computer games with an estimated 250m players around the world. Essentially, it is a First-Person Shooter game (FPS) where players fight to survive in a battle against other human players. Unlike some other games in this genre, such as <a href="https://www.pubg.com/">PUBG</a> or <a href="https://blog.counter-strike.net/">Counter-Strike</a>, its graphics are cartoonish, which means parents of teenage players are less likely to object to the content – it doesn’t look violent of feature excessive blood, bullets and bombs.</p>
<p>Fortnite is rising to prominence in an increasingly lucrative market. Out of 7.6 billion people on the planet, there are approximately <a href="https://gaimin.io/how-many-gamers-are-there/">2.2 billion gamers</a>. This includes social gaming, mobile gaming, as well as free-to-play and pay-to-play multiplayer gaming. Of these players, there are about 380m esports viewer fans – 165m of them regular viewers and 215m occasionals.</p>
<p>Epic Games, publisher of Fortnite, attracts players by making the game itself free to play. But they also sell “<a href="https://www.pcgamesn.com/fortnite/fortnite-free-v-bucks-win-prices-buy">V-Bucks</a>” to the players, which cost <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/should-you-buy-v-bucks-fortnite-and-whats-best-way-spend-them-if-you-do">US$9.99 per 1,000</a> and can be spent on a variety of customisation and enhancements for players’ characters.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/286617/original/file-20190801-169718-82tucp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/286617/original/file-20190801-169718-82tucp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/286617/original/file-20190801-169718-82tucp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=285&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/286617/original/file-20190801-169718-82tucp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=285&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/286617/original/file-20190801-169718-82tucp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=285&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/286617/original/file-20190801-169718-82tucp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/286617/original/file-20190801-169718-82tucp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/286617/original/file-20190801-169718-82tucp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Evolution of esports titles’ popularity, breakdown by searches in Google, 2004-present.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Google Trends, 2019b</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>None of these influence the actual performance of the character in the battle – accuracy and pace still depend on the skill of the individual competitor. This is similar to most esports titles. But <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/tech/how-does-fortnite-make-money/">according to research firm Superdata</a>, between its release in July 2017 and May 2018 Fortnite netted US$1.2 billion in revenue.</p>
<h2>Competitive edge</h2>
<p>So what exactly are esports? They are defined as competitive tournaments involving electronic games – especially among professionals. Players compete in leagues or play for an audience on a live-streaming service in exchange for payment, which can range to several million dollars for the most successful players. </p>
<p>Top players and teams are well remunerated. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/darrenheitner/2018/05/02/a-look-inside-riot-games-from-320000-player-salaries-to-using-esports-as-a-catalyst-for-sales/#71dd14362c6a">Forbes</a> reported that the “average starting North America League of Legends Championship Series (NA LCS) player salary is now over US$320,000, with over 70% of the players performing on multi-year contracts”. An <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-esports-teams-players-salaries-2018-1?r=US&IR=T">article in Business Insider</a> in 2018 reveals that top teams such as Evil Geniuses earn more than US$10m a year in revenue. This is almost the same budget as a <a href="https://es.statista.com/estadisticas/920778/presupuesto-equipos-de-futbol-de-la-liga-de-segunda-division-en-espana/">top second division team</a> from La Liga, in Spain.</p>
<p>The recent Fortnite world cup had a <a href="https://www.esportsearnings.com/tournaments/36422-fortnite-world-cup-finals-2019-solo">total prize pool of US$33m</a> and, as we have heard, the top winners took away several million each. Even players who ranked as lowly as 65-108 took away US$50,000 for their pains.</p>
<p>When it comes to training for competition, you could be forgiven for thinking that esports players are not like traditional athletes, building strength and endurance over long hours in the gym or pounding the streets. But, as the growth in prize money means the potential rewards for success grow ever larger, a new generation of esports professionals is finding that fitness aids concentration. Some of the more successful teams are even <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/esports-players-training-fitness-athletes-perform-league-video-games-a8863051.html">drafting in coaches from other sports</a>. </p>
<p>I have connected with several teams and, even in those with low budgets, they are aware of the importance of their physical and mental well-being through nutrition and exercise to perform better in games. </p>
<h2>What’s next?</h2>
<p>Esports look to be here to stay, but the degree of success will depend on a variety of factors, including general entertainment trends, industry governance and the possibility of government censorship in certain regions. To help the various players in the market understand consumers better and react proactively to changes in the business environment, it is essential to highlight the critical value of esports data – something that I have been researching for some time. </p>
<p>The huge and rapid growth of esports – and the massive revenues this promises – are thought by many industry insiders to be indicative of a bubble. Commenting on headlines which implied that gaming tournaments were “bigger than the Superbowl”, Sebastian Park, vice-president of esports with the Houston Rockets (which owns a majority stake in professional League of Legends team Clutch Gaming) said recently: “<a href="https://kotaku.com/as-esports-grows-experts-fear-its-a-bubble-ready-to-po-1834982843">When I read a lot of these papers, I don’t know where they derive 50% of those numbers</a>”.</p>
<p>For the health of the industry, it’s critical to be able to establish how different esports industry stakeholders are collecting data and information from the fans to understand their behaviour and consumer trends. There has been speculation that Nielsen, which has been collecting data on TV viewing since the 1950s, <a href="https://www.nielsen.com/sa/en/insights/article/2019/perspectives-what-data-tells-us-about-the-future-of-esports/">is working on a solution</a>. This could be the next big step in establishing esports credibility.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121199/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Federico Winer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Esports is huge business, attracting millions of players and huge tournament prizes. But investors are worried about the level of hype in the industry.Federico Winer, PhD researcher, Loughborough UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1180282019-05-30T18:10:36Z2019-05-30T18:10:36ZAn AI taught itself to play a video game – for the first time, it’s beating humans<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/277225/original/file-20190530-69059-81bj46.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=53%2C0%2C4500%2C3785&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/colored-realistic-artificial-intelligence-isometric-composition-717513073?src=Lmdl0JzQ9xxMk-TjlPxrOA-1-57">Macrovector/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Since the earliest days of virtual chess and solitaire, video games have been a playing field for developing artificial intelligence (AI). Each victory of machine against human has helped make algorithms smarter and more efficient. But in order to tackle real world problems – such as automating complex tasks including driving and negotiation – these algorithms must navigate more complex environments than board games, and learn teamwork. Teaching AI how to work and interact with other players to succeed had been an insurmountable task – until now.</p>
<p><a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi/10.1126/science.aau6249">In a new study</a>, researchers detailed a way to train AI algorithms to reach human levels of performance in a popular 3D multiplayer game – a modified version of Quake III Arena in Capture the Flag mode.</p>
<p>Even though the task of this game is straightforward – two opposing teams compete to capture each other’s flags by navigating a map – winning demands complex decision-making and an ability to predict and respond to the actions of other players.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-5KQw7PiVFI?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
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<p>This is the first time an AI has attained human-like skills in a first-person video game. So how did the researchers do it?</p>
<h2>The robot learning curve</h2>
<p>In 2019, several milestones in AI research have been reached in other multiplayer strategy games. Five “bots” – players controlled by an AI – <a href="https://openai.com/blog/openai-five/">defeated a professional e-sports team in a game of DOTA 2</a>. Professional human players were <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/24/18196135/google-deepmind-ai-starcraft-2-victory">also beaten by an AI</a> in a game of StarCraft II. In all cases, a form of <a href="https://medium.com/@jonathan_hui/rl-introduction-to-deep-reinforcement-learning-35c25e04c199">reinforcement learning</a> was applied, whereby the algorithm learns by trial and error and by interacting with its environment.</p>
<p>The five bots that beat humans at DOTA 2 didn’t learn from humans playing – they were trained exclusively by <a href="https://openai.com/blog/competitive-self-play/">playing matches against clones of themselves</a>. The improvement that allowed them to defeat professional players came from <a href="https://openai.com/blog/how-to-train-your-openai-five/">scaling existing algorithms</a>. Due to the computer’s speed, the AI could play in a few seconds a game that takes minutes or even hours for humans to play. This allowed the researchers to train their AI with 45,000 years of gameplay within ten months of real-time.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/277227/original/file-20190530-69091-148dim3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/277227/original/file-20190530-69091-148dim3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277227/original/file-20190530-69091-148dim3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277227/original/file-20190530-69091-148dim3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277227/original/file-20190530-69091-148dim3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277227/original/file-20190530-69091-148dim3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/277227/original/file-20190530-69091-148dim3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A Dota 2 eSports tournament in Moscow, May 2016.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/moscow-russia-may-2016-dota-2-420304147">Roman Kosolapov/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Capture the Flag bot from the recent study also began learning from scratch. But instead of playing against its identical clone, a cohort of 30 bots was <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/1711.09846.pdf">created and trained in parallel</a> with their own internal reward signal. Each bot within this population would then play together and learn from each other. As David Silver – one of the research scientists involved – notes, AI is beginning to “remove the constraints of human knowledge… and create knowledge itself”.</p>
<p>The learning speed for humans is still much <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/1604.00289.pdf">faster than the most advanced deep reinforcement learning algorithms</a>. Both OpenAI’s bots and DeepMind’s AlphaStar (the bot playing StarCraft II) devoured thousands of years’ worth of gameplay before being able to reach a human level of performance. Such training is <a href="https://towardsdatascience.com/takeaways-from-openai-five-2019-f90a612fe5d">estimated to cost several millions of dollars</a>. Nevertheless, a self-taught AI capable of beating humans at their own game is an exciting breakthrough that could change how we see machines.</p>
<h2>The future of humans and machines</h2>
<p>AI is often portrayed replacing or <a href="https://hbr.org/2018/07/collaborative-intelligence-humans-and-ai-are-joining-forces">complementing human capabilities</a>, but rarely as a fully-fledged team member, performing the same task as human beings. As these video game experiments involve machine-human collaboration, they offer a glimpse of the future. </p>
<p>Human players of Capture the Flag rated the bots as more collaborative than other humans, but players of DOTA 2 had a mixed reaction to their AI teammates. Some were quite enthusiastic, saying they felt supported and that they learned from playing alongside them. <a href="http://sheevergaming.com/">Sheever</a>, a professional DOTA 2 player, spoke about her experience teaming up with bots:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It actually felt nice; [the AI teammate] gave his life for me at some point. He tried to help me, thinking ‘I’m sure she knows what she’s doing’ and then obviously I didn’t. But, you know, he believed in me. I don’t get that a lot with [human] teammates.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/DotA2/comments/bf0f71/open_ai_cooperative_mode_ai_bias/">Others were less enthusiastic</a>, but as communication is a pillar of any relationship, improving human-machine communication will be crucial in the future. Researchers have already adapted some features to make the bots more “human friendly”, such as making bots <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/videos/410533063?t=01h09m01s">artificially wait before choosing their character during the team draft</a> before the game, to avoid pressuring the humans.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1117178288605204480"}"></div></p>
<p>But should AI learn from us or continue to teach themselves? Self-learning without imitating humans could teach AI more efficiency and creativity, but this could create algorithms more appropriate to tasks that don’t involve human collaboration, such as warehousing robots.</p>
<p>On the other hand, one might argue that having a machine trained from humans would be more intuitive – humans using such AI could understand why a machine did what it did. As AI gets smarter, we’re all in for more surprises.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/118028/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A self-taught AI beat humans at their own game – here’s how they did it.Maude Lavanchy, Research Fellow in Behavioural Economics, International Institute for Management Development (IMD)Amit Joshi, Professor of Artificial Intelligence, International Institute for Management Development (IMD)Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1169122019-05-21T08:32:22Z2019-05-21T08:32:22ZCooking, cleaning and personal hygiene – why video games make you feel right at home<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275442/original/file-20190520-69189-1nlh5vp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=231%2C35%2C2255%2C1461&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Out for a stroll in Fallout 76. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/appalachia-west-virginia-usa-050419-girl-1387913435?src=N7sVqgazLceo5e0MBzu7Ow-1-2">Jeshta/Shutterstock.</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Video games are often seen as immersive fantasies, which offer a means of escape from the humdrum chores and duties of everyday life. Games studies scholars speak of players entering a “<a href="http://todigra.org/index.php/todigra/article/view/10/27">magic circle</a>”, forged by programmers – “<a href="https://www.jesperjuul.net/text/magiccirclepuzzlepiece.pdf">an act apart</a>”, with its own unique rules and rituals. But this way of thinking about games – as simple escapes, stress releases and magic circle worlds – has started to lose its validity.</p>
<p>As much as video games offer escape and emotional release, they also <a href="http://www.eludamos.org/index.php/eludamos/article/view/vol4no2-8/180">replicate real-world practices</a>. This includes mundane human behaviours and activities, such as hobbies, sports and work, as well as the little details of everyday life. In my new book <a href="https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/title/gamer-nation">Gamer Nation</a>, I argue that video games – far from being a frivolous distraction from reality – actually hold a mirror to society and offer a subtle form of social commentary. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/red-dead-redemption-2-virtual-ecology-is-making-game-worlds-eerily-like-our-own-107068">Red Dead Redemption 2: Virtual ecology is making game worlds eerily like our own</a>
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<p>The first commercial arcade game – Atari’s Pong (1972) – succeeded by emulating the simple sport of table tennis, putting two bats and a ball on screen. Its predecessor, Computer Space (1971), failed precisely because of its complexity and unfamiliar setting. Thereafter, early video games regularly took their cues from simple human behaviours. </p>
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<p>Atari’s Breakout (1976) – an action title based around dismantling a brick wall – replicated simple demolition practices. The idea for the game came to Atari’s Nolan Bushnell while he was on a beach in Hawaii, where <a href="https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/title/gamer-nation">he realised</a> that “a game theme that tended to be successful was cleaning things up”. The domestic chore of vacuuming itself became a game in Clean Sweep (1982), created for the MB Vectrex games console.</p>
<h2>Scaling up</h2>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275461/original/file-20190520-69174-sk8pij.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275461/original/file-20190520-69174-sk8pij.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275461/original/file-20190520-69174-sk8pij.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275461/original/file-20190520-69174-sk8pij.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275461/original/file-20190520-69174-sk8pij.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275461/original/file-20190520-69174-sk8pij.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275461/original/file-20190520-69174-sk8pij.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275461/original/file-20190520-69174-sk8pij.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Forklifts in Shenmue.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">John Wills</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>As technology progressed, so did the scale and detail of real life simulations within video games. In Yu Suzuki’s Shenmue (1999) players explored a detailed recreation of the Japanese city of Yokosuka, roaming city streets and whiling away hours playing darts, shopping and earning money driving a forklift. The “everyday” concept reached its peak with Will Wright’s The Sims (2000), where players assumed responsibility for managing family households, getting human-like sims to attend to their personal hygiene and tidy home furniture.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275464/original/file-20190520-69199-19ux7r4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275464/original/file-20190520-69199-19ux7r4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275464/original/file-20190520-69199-19ux7r4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275464/original/file-20190520-69199-19ux7r4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275464/original/file-20190520-69199-19ux7r4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275464/original/file-20190520-69199-19ux7r4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275464/original/file-20190520-69199-19ux7r4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/275464/original/file-20190520-69199-19ux7r4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Doing the rounds, in Atari’s Paperboy.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">John Wills</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>Video games have even recreated the realm of work. In the early 1980s, digitised jobs included delivering newspapers to suburbia in Atari’s Paperboy and collecting airport baggage in Apollo’s Lost Luggage. Gottlieb’s Reactor combined game physics with nuclear physics, as the player took charge of an atomic reactor, attempting to cool a chain reaction. Nothing about working as a baggage officer or operating a nuclear plant screams “fun”, but video games have successfully transformed the mundane into entertainment. </p>
<p>Limited by technology, 1980s game graphics relied heavily on symbolic representation rather than offering realism. But in recent years, simulations of everyday work have become more sophisticated, including detailed recreations of agriculture (Farming Simulator, 2008 onwards), cooking (Cooking Mama, 2006 onwards) and running prisons (Prison Architect, 2015). There are even titles that mimic Windows 95 and work desktops, to simulate office environments.</p>
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<p>Mainstream blockbuster video games also feature far more of the everyday than people might assume. Released in late 2018, Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 – an epic frontier adventure game – was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/23/opinion/sunday/red-dead-redemption-2-fallout-76-video-games.html">praised</a> for how it encouraged the player to carry out a range of daily chores, including cleaning guns, brushing horses, shaving and bathing. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/red-dead-redemption-2-can-a-video-game-be-too-realistic-106404">Red Dead Redemption 2: can a video game be too realistic?</a>
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<p>Even more fantastical titles, such as Bethesda’s apocalyptic adventure Fallout 76 (2018), remain grounded in everyday activities: a shelter, a clean bed and a cooked meal are as crucial to survival as shooting radioactive mutants. </p>
<h2>Familiarity and flow</h2>
<p>On the surface, the idea of operating a forklift truck for a dockyard company in Shenmue seems to disappoint the core expectations people have of gaming; it doesn’t provide instant stress relief, offers little freedom or fantasy and fails to create any opportunities for social connectedness. But featuring everyday work and other mundane activities in games does encourage a sense of intimacy and association with the digital game world. </p>
<p>Everyday tasks appeal to players because they are familiar and predictable. Just as people appreciate the <a href="https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/the-mcdonaldization-of-society/book262106">“sameness” of fast food chains</a> such as McDonald’s, gamers like to find familiar actions, signposts and settings in their games. Experiencing the everyday in the digital realm gives players a sense of rootedness and grounding. </p>
<p>Taking part in mundane chores also provides a clear sense of achievement, competency and self-validation; players can perfect the knowable and the perfectible. The repetitive quality of such tasks underlines a sense of structure, focus and follow through. Repetition also helps players enter bliss-like states of “<a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow?language=en">cognitive flow</a>”, a mental state of full immersion and enjoyment. </p>
<h2>Code as commentary</h2>
<p>Programmers cleverly design digital tasks to comment on the challenges of everyday life. Code generates satire, social commentary and criticism of real life. For example, Lucas Pope’s puzzle game Papers, Please (2013) puts the player in charge of border control, highlighting the real world problems of immigration politics. </p>
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<p>Video game designers appeal to gamers by offering fake and artificial landscapes marked by novelty and caricature. As <a href="https://www.press.umich.edu/9900/simulacra_and_simulation">Jean Baudrillard</a> and <a href="https://www.transparencynow.com/eco.htm">Umberto Eco</a> observed about the appeal of Disneyland, people often prefer the obvious copy over the original and authentic. Video games are no different.</p>
<p>So rather than sideline video games as fun escapes from reality, we can actually see them as, at times, extensions and simulations of everyday activities and daily circumstance, which speak to the human condition. They connect and merge with the real, just as often as they signify a leap into the digital unknown. While fighting in distant galaxies may still seem far fetched, Nintendo’s Mario is, after all, a New York plumber.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/116912/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Wills does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Video games were once thought to offer an escape from everyday life – but they often hold a mirror to what we do in reality.John Wills, Scholar in American History/Cultural Studies, University of KentLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1075492018-12-19T12:11:13Z2018-12-19T12:11:13ZNHS in Fortnite and Facebook? It would put mental healthcare where it’s needed<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251289/original/file-20181218-27752-gggnz5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C31%2C5184%2C2948&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/la-spezia-italy-10162018-fortnite-game-1204268608?src=JmVmIuTQfeStP_y4ynFKFw-1-39">Martina Badini/Shutterstock.</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Screens now dominate so much of people’s daily lives, it’s no wonder that digital environments can very easily become sites of mental disorder. This is an especially big problem for young people, who are growing up with unprecedented access to technology. According to recent research, <a href="http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2018/05/31102617/PI_2018.05.31_TeensTech_FINAL.pdf">54% of US teens</a> reported feeling that they spend too much time on mobile devices, and two thirds of parents are worried about this as well.</p>
<p>But while some would seek to curtail young people’s exposure to digital worlds - by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jun/20/matt-hancock-schools-across-the-uk-should-ban-mobile-phones">banning smartphones in schools</a>, for example – it’s unlikely that restrictions will really change behaviour. For many young people, it’s as normal to be on social media as in any other social setting. While familiar <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17485625">concerns about screen time</a> emerge in the context of new digital experiences, such as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/jun/20/fortnite-schools-warn-parents-of-negative-effects-of-video-game-on-students">popular survival game Fortnite</a>, it’s clear that a fresh strategy is needed to prevent the very real harms that can come from spending time online.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fortnite-gamers-are-motivated-not-addicted-98718">Fortnite gamers are motivated, not addicted</a>
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<p>In 2018, the World Health Organisation described the characteristics of <a href="http://www.who.int/features/qa/gaming-disorder/en/">gaming disorder</a> as “significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning and would normally have been evident for at least 12 months”. And as social media becomes more like a game, it fuels even greater concern. Indeed, the CEO of NHS England Simon Stevens <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2634">suggested that</a> social media companies should bear some responsibility for the mental health crisis facing young people. </p>
<p>Evidence <a href="https://www.rsph.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/status-of-mind.html">has shown</a> that time spent on social media can lead to feelings of anxiety or depression, negative body image associations, sleep disruption, fear of missing out and cyber-bullying. Clearly, the time people are spending within digital worlds requires special kinds support, which aren’t currently on offer. </p>
<h2>A compelling case</h2>
<p>So, what if health services and support could be brought into digital environments, where harm occurs – rather than merely hoping young people will go and seek them out elsewhere, after the fact? </p>
<p>Users could be granted access to mental health support from professionals while they’re online – whether they’re scrolling through social media, or playing an online game. The greatest harm to players is likely to take place, or at least begin to develop, within these digital worlds. And there, too, lies the greatest opportunity to provide support. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251293/original/file-20181218-27761-ovb4n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251293/original/file-20181218-27761-ovb4n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251293/original/file-20181218-27761-ovb4n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251293/original/file-20181218-27761-ovb4n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251293/original/file-20181218-27761-ovb4n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251293/original/file-20181218-27761-ovb4n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/251293/original/file-20181218-27761-ovb4n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Where’s the support when you need it?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/single-sad-teen-holding-mobile-phone-627623021?src=k5FFW38NpfBv1V7VtUJRKQ-1-1">Shutterstock.</a></span>
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<p>There is a precedent for this: when a television documentary, soap opera or news bulletin deals with a challenging subject, viewers are invited to phone a helpline, if they feel they’ve been affected and UK regulator <a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/104657/Section-2-Guidance-Notes.pdf">Ofcom</a> makes such support systems a matter of guidance for broadcasters.</p>
<p>The case for having the NHS present within Facebook or Fortnite is even more compelling, since it would provide a real-time response to the emotions people experience while they are within the virtual world.</p>
<h2>High tech health service</h2>
<p>For many years, the NHS has worked to guide people towards digital health apps, while <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/blog/apps-library-is-advance-for-a-digital-nhs/">seeking to build relationships</a> with developers and technology companies to promote credibility, validity and trust. The organisation is on the verge of launching a single <a href="https://digital.nhs.uk/services/nhs-app">NHS App</a>, through which patients can access services.</p>
<p>But this will only be effective if people use such applications on a regular basis. The infrequent user may never make the NHS App part of their lives. So, rather than placing a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/22/jeremy-corbyn-labour-leader-tax-tech-giants-subsidise-bbc-licence-fee">tax on social media platforms</a> to ensure their social obligations are met, the NHS could work with them to develop in-platform support services. The data and insights from these services could then also inform digital development within the NHS. </p>
<p>This would go some way towards creating a digital dividend from social media, in a way that need not undermine their business model, which is a crucial obstruction to their sharing of data. This is all the more important, since the NHS will continue to lose access to important health data, which is increasingly locked up in privately owned digital services – a phenomenon likely to grow as artificial intelligence begins to create even more solutions for healthcare. </p>
<h2>A deeper conversation</h2>
<p>There have already been promising collaborations along these lines. The recent relaunch of Google’s Fit app initiates the user <a href="https://thenextweb.com/apps/2018/08/21/google-fit-teams-up-with-the-who-to-help-you-shed-the-pounds/">by informing them</a> that the creators worked with the WHO to create some health and fitness targets for their daily lives. </p>
<p>An integrated solution would be a far richer way to ensure that commercial organisations stay in touch with public healthcare priorities, creating a much better situation for their customers and healthcare provision more widely. It would also ensure that public health never falls behind, which is a significant concern as more and more of our lives are played out in <a href="https://www.iqvia.com/-/media/iqvia/pdfs/institute-reports/the-growing-value-of-digital-health-in-the-united-kingdom.pdf?_=1545140286519">privately-owned digital worlds</a>.</p>
<p>Digital developers should consider how they integrate healthcare services for their players within their platforms, to meet their social responsibilities for the health of their users. There is a good chance that this kind of provision will be far more effective than setting up separate digital services aimed at treating the suffering that arises from time spent in digital worlds. But the biggest gain of this proposal will be that these two sectors – healthcare and technology – can have a deeper conversation about how to respond to the apparent rise in mental health concerns among young people.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/107549/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andy Miah is completing a project funded by Wellcome called The Digital Health Generation, in partnership with Professor Emma Rich at the University of Bath, examining the digital health practices of young people.</span></em></p>Young people are spending more and more time in digital environments – isn’t it time that support was embedded?Andy Miah, Chair in Science Communication & Future Media, University of SalfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1057362018-12-16T19:21:39Z2018-12-16T19:21:39ZBroken records, ‘crunch’ and freemium that’s not free: 2018 was a huge year in gaming<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250187/original/file-20181212-76965-17sgkt3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Digital games are incredibly time-consuming and costly to produce.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/boy-playing-fortnite-1153000715?src=JmVmIuTQfeStP_y4ynFKFw-1-0">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>2018 has been a big year for video games – and not just because of the games that were released. </p>
<p>We’ve seen broken revenue records, burgeoning discussions about the labour that goes into producing games, and a crack-down on predatory practices that squeeze more dollars out of players.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, eSports and livestreaming showed bumper growth. Progressively updated games, and the “early access” trend continued to both delight and frustrate. </p>
<p>In the games themselves, we got a heavy dose of nostalgia with new twists on the classics. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/could-playing-fortnite-lead-to-video-game-addiction-the-world-health-organisation-says-yes-but-others-disagree-98458">Could playing Fortnite lead to video game addiction? The World Health Organisation says yes, but others disagree</a>
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<h2>Bumper revenues</h2>
<p>The “battle royale” game Fortnite was the most <a href="https://theconversation.com/stay-alive-and-if-something-moves-shoot-it-one-year-of-phenomenal-success-for-fortnite-103528">outstanding and unexpected success</a> of the year, hitting <a href="https://www.polygon.com/fortnite/2018/9/20/17884036/how-many-fortnite-monthly-players-2018">78.3 million players in August 2018</a> and bumping developer Epic Games to a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/it-s-an-epic-deal-fortnite-maker-scores-1-76-billion-from-investors-20181027-p50car.html">US$15 billion dollar valuation</a>.</p>
<p>Cementing the economic scale of video-games, Rockstar Games’s Red Dead Redemption 2 had the second highest opening weekend for any media release ever, grossing <a href="http://ir.take2games.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=86428&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2375981">US$725 million</a> – and outstripping any of the latest Marvel movies .</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/247436/original/file-20181127-130896-i6v4si.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/247436/original/file-20181127-130896-i6v4si.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/247436/original/file-20181127-130896-i6v4si.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/247436/original/file-20181127-130896-i6v4si.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/247436/original/file-20181127-130896-i6v4si.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/247436/original/file-20181127-130896-i6v4si.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/247436/original/file-20181127-130896-i6v4si.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Red Dead Redemption 2 grossed USD$750 million in its opening weekend.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">instacodex/flickr</span></span>
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<h2>Scrutiny of practices</h2>
<p>Accompanying these dizzying numbers were reports of “crunch” – excessive and extensive periods of overtime – <a href="https://www.kotaku.com.au/2018/10/rockstar-games-red-dead-redemption-2-culture-of-crunch/">to get games released on time</a>. </p>
<p>This has led to louder conversations about the labour that goes into making games, and a growing <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-10-26/rockstar-red-dead-redemption-overtime-game-workers-union/10419706">unionisation movement</a>. </p>
<p>Attention also focused on the <a href="https://theconversation.com/loot-boxes-and-pay-to-win-features-in-digital-games-look-a-lot-like-gambling-88010">gambling-like transactions</a> that now pervade “freemium” games. These games are free to play, but include many premium features that can be accessed with an unlimited number of small, in-game purchases (or “microtransactions”). </p>
<p>In June, the Australian Senate <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Gamingmicro-transactions">referred some of these practices to a senate inquiry</a>, which concluded with a recommendation for a more comprehensive review.</p>
<h2>The classics re-imagined</h2>
<p>Many of 2018’s most anticipated and celebrated games drew heavily from the past. Games like Enhance Games’s acclaimed Tetris Effect, and Nintendo’s Pokémon: Let’s Go are both re-imaginings of classic games from well-established franchises.</p>
<p>It may be that the biggest MMOG (massively multiplayer online game) lauch for 2019 will be the <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2018/10/22/18010408/blizzcon-2018-world-of-warcraft-classic-demo-details">re-release of the 2004 “classic” version</a> of World of Warcraft. </p>
<p>Gaming hardware manufacturers are tapping into this too, with devices like <a href="https://www.nintendo.com.au/snes-classic/">Nintendo Classic Mini</a> selling out at launch.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/facebook-punts-on-gaming-to-lure-millennials-back-to-the-platform-98158">Facebook punts on gaming to lure millennials back to the platform</a>
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<h2>Increased longevity of games</h2>
<p>Digital games are incredibly time-consuming and costly to produce. As such, games are taking on longer life cycles, with increased focus on online multiplayer game modes. </p>
<p>A good example is 2013’s Grand Theft Auto V, which had an initial development budget over <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/the-making-of-rockstar-games-red-dead-redemption-2.html">US$250 million</a>. Thanks to the enduring popularity of its online mode, the game is now the most <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-04-09-gta-v-is-the-most-profitable-entertainment-product-of-all-time">profitable media product of all time</a>.</p>
<p>Bethesda has followed this with a (so far <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2018/11/23/after-a-historically-bad-launch-is-fallout-76-worth-saving/#1e7936fb320f">poorly received</a>) foray into the online space with Fallout 76, an online version of its popular singleplayer Fallout series. </p>
<p>With the life cycle of game development stretching across multiple years, it’s likely that future game releases will focus on longer life cycles for games and to support online play, where players can continually make regular microtransactions while they play (as is the case of Grand Theft Auto V).</p>
<h2>eSports and livestreaming</h2>
<p>eSports and livestreaming have continued to prove immensely popular in 2018. </p>
<p>Valve’s Dota 2 amassed its largest prize-pool to date, over <a href="https://www.esportsearnings.com/tournaments">US$25 million</a>. And new eSports promise to emerge, with Valve releasing Artifact this month – its take on the popular digital card game genre (competing with Blizzard’s Hearthstone). </p>
<p>Further blowing up this space, Epic Games announced over US$100 million in prize money for <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/12/17456852/fortnite-world-cup-100-million-epic-games-e-sports-tournaments-e3-2018">Fortnite’s eSport in 2019</a>. </p>
<p>Much of the success of games like Fornite can be attributed to the recent and rapid growth of video game livestreaming on platforms like Twitch, where you can watch other people play games.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Fortnite streamer ‘Ninja’ on Ellen.</span></figcaption>
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<p>Fortnite streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins exemplifies this as a now global phenomenon transcending Twitch; he even <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1VuZ2FdQhM">played with TV host Ellen</a>. Ninja amassed a viewership of over 600,000 concurrent viewers when he broadcast his gameplay session with popular celebrities like <a href="https://www.polygon.com/fortnite-battle-royale/2018/3/23/17152730/ninja-drake-fortnite-discord-record">Drake</a>.</p>
<p>Given the immense popularity of watching games, it is likely we will continue to see games designed to be watched, and not just played.</p>
<h2>Early access and the ongoing evolution of games</h2>
<p>It’s no coincidence that many of the games mentioned so far didn’t actually launch this year, with various trends changing what it means to talk about a “year in videogames”.</p>
<p>Games like Hello Games’s No Mans Sky have been <a href="https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/zmk4w8/we-spent-an-hour-talking-to-hello-games-about-everything-no-mans-sky">updated significantly</a> in 2018, following the game’s rocky 2016 launch. These updates have been <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2018/7/27/17619906/no-mans-sky-next-review-update">very positively received</a> – but because it is an online game, the 2016 version people paid for no longer exists. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/gaming-or-gambling-study-shows-almost-half-of-loot-boxes-in-video-games-constitute-gambling-99013">Gaming or gambling: study shows almost half of loot boxes in video games constitute gambling</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Another persistent model is to release unfinished games in “early access” mode while development is ongoing. Digital distribution platforms like Steam are a popular venue for early access games. The digital storefront dedicates an <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/genre/Early%20Access/">entire section</a> to early access games, inviting gamers to:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Discover, play, and get involved with games as they evolve.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Some games have now been in early access for <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2018/11/8/18073538/dayz-beta-final-release-early-access">more than five years</a>. </p>
<p>So when is a game really released? The Australian space-trading game <a href="http://objectsgame.com/the-game/overview/">Objects in Space</a> was nominated for a 2018 <a href="https://www.australiangamesawards.com">Australian Game Award</a>, but subsequently removed (at the request of the developer) as it is still in early access. </p>
<p>As we see it, iteratively updated games and the “early access” trend represent a mixed blessing. This business model has allowed the invention of entirely new genres of games that can succeed when supported by early access and improved via player feedback.</p>
<p>Coupled with this there is also an increasing trend of “<a href="https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/37317/abandonware">abandonware</a>”, or unfinished games abandoned by their developer despite being sold to players with the promise of future updates and improvements.</p>
<p>In any case, forecasting what games will have the biggest impact in the next 12 months has become close to impossible. Perhaps it is a case for the <a href="https://www.kotaku.com.au/2018/11/a-funny-game-about-being-a-frog-detective/">Frog Detective</a>?</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/105736/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Marcus Carter receives funding from The University of Sydney, and is an Honorary Research Fellow in the Microsoft Research Centre for Social, Natural User Interfaces at The University of Melbourne. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ben Egliston does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Fortnite was the most outstanding and unexpected success of 2018, hitting 78.3 million players in August, and bumping developer Epic Games to a US$15 billion dollar valuation.Marcus Carter, Lecturer in Digital Cultures, SOAR Fellow., University of SydneyBen Egliston, PhD candidate in Media and Communications, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1004302018-07-24T22:56:25Z2018-07-24T22:56:25ZWhy e-sports should not be in the Olympics<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229116/original/file-20180724-194131-d9o74y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Jong Seok Kim, a player for the London Spitfires team in the Overwatch League, which gets primetime coverage on ESPN. Will e-sports soon be part of the Olympics?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Robert Paul/Blizzard Entertainment</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The International Olympic Committee and the Global Association of International Sports Federations recently hosted an <a href="https://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-and-gaisf-to-host-esports-forum">e-sports forum</a> to explore shared similarities, possible partnership and the looming question of whether video gaming could be recognized as an Olympic event.</p>
<p>Ever since the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris first expressed interest of possibly adding electronic sports to the Olympic Games program, we’ve seen a growing interest by the IOC in e-sports — traditionally defined as any “<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2016.1144517">organized video game competitions.</a>” </p>
<p>Recognizing the growing interest in e-sports, the organizing committee of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris said: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/41790148">“The youth are interested, let’s meet them.”</a></p>
<p>As an Olympian and former world class high jumper, I struggle with the notion of e-sports becoming an Olympic sport. I am not alone. Conversations I’ve had with other Olympians reveal concerns about comparing the physical skill and demands of traditional athletic competition with e-sports.</p>
<p>Given the IOC’s advocacy role for physical activity, e-sports seems to be a conflict with its <a href="https://www.olympic.org/sport-and-active-society">push for an active society</a>. </p>
<p>In an interview with <a href="https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1067790/ioc-athletes-commission-member-claims-esports-not-currently-suitable-for-olympics">Inside the Games</a>, Sarah Walker, an IOC Athletes’ Commission member and three-time world champion in BMX, explained her opposition.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“If I want to practise any Olympic discipline, if I wanted to try one of them, I actually have to go out and do it. I have to be active. Where gaming is right now, if I was inspired to be a gamer, my first step is to go home and sit on the couch.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Most Olympians recognize that those who participate in e-sports spend a great deal of time training — even working with nutritionists and sport psychologists to improve their prowess. But is that is that enough to join the Olympic Games family?</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/228900/original/file-20180723-189319-2z0s9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/228900/original/file-20180723-189319-2z0s9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228900/original/file-20180723-189319-2z0s9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228900/original/file-20180723-189319-2z0s9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228900/original/file-20180723-189319-2z0s9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228900/original/file-20180723-189319-2z0s9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228900/original/file-20180723-189319-2z0s9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, attends an e-sport forum held at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland in July 2018.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Greg Martin/International Olympic Committee</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>$1 billion market</h2>
<p>Given the growth in popularity, it’s understandable why the IOC would want to partner with e-sports. The IOC generates <a href="https://www.olympic.org/ioc-financing-revenue-sources-distribution">more than 90 per cent of its revenue</a> from broadcast and sponsorship. Partnering with e-sports, where revenue is generated mostly through sponsorship but where more money is coming <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattperez/2018/02/21/report-esports-to-grow-substantially-and-near-a-billion-dollar-revenues-in-2018/#5988afe82b01">from broadcasting,</a> could be complementary and attractive.</p>
<p>The marketing firm Newzoo estimated last year that <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/newzoo-global-esports-economy-will-reach-905-6-million-2018-brand-investment-grows-48/">with brand investment growing by 48 per cent, the global e-sports economy will reach almost $1 billion in 2018</a>.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/video-gamers-may-soon-be-paid-more-than-top-pro-athletes-96497">Video gamers may soon be paid more than top pro athletes</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>ESPN provides in-depth analysis and coverage with a <a href="http://www.espn.com/esports/">digital vertical</a> platform on e-sports and the network recently announced an exclusive multi-year agreement with Blizzard Entertainment for live television coverage of the <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/11/espn-to-live-broadcast-activision-blizzard-esports-overwatch-league.html">professional e-sport Overwatch League</a>, with the finals airing in prime time.</p>
<h2>Is e-sport a <em>sport</em>?</h2>
<p>Still, the question remains, is e-sports — “<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2016.1144517">organized video game competitions</a>” — actually a sport?</p>
<p>To answer this question, perhaps we need to revisit the academic definition of sport. While differences may exist in their granular descriptions of sport, researchers appear to converge on <a href="https://philpapers.org/rec/SUITEO">three central attributes</a>: The sport involves a physical component, it is competitive, and it is institutionalized, meaning a governing body establishes the rules of performance.</p>
<p>While e-sports can be argued to be competitive and institutionalized, the first criteria of physicality is where it falls short.</p>
<p>Some have argued the fine motor movements that are required with the hand-held controller by e-sport players fulfils this criterion. However, the same could be said about various table top games. </p>
<p>A 2016 <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2016.1144517">study in Quest</a>, the journal of the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education, used the block-building game Jenga to illustrate this point. Jenga requires precision and dexterity as each player must to remove one block from the bottom and delicately place the block on top without disturbing the structure. There is even a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jengaworld/">Jenga World Championship</a>. Perhaps then Jenga should also be considered an Olympic sport.</p>
<p>Since the modern Olympics were first held in 1896, the number of participating sports has grown over the years. The first Games had just nine sports — athletics (track and field), cycling, fencing, gymnastics, shooting, swimming, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, a total of 28 sports were contested. Five more will be added for 2020 Games in Tokyo Games.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/228926/original/file-20180723-189316-1i6obqz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/228926/original/file-20180723-189316-1i6obqz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228926/original/file-20180723-189316-1i6obqz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228926/original/file-20180723-189316-1i6obqz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228926/original/file-20180723-189316-1i6obqz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228926/original/file-20180723-189316-1i6obqz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228926/original/file-20180723-189316-1i6obqz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Participants at the e-sports forum held at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Christophe Moratal/International Olympic Committee</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The first step for a sport to be included in the Olympic Games program requires being recognized by the IOC. In this process, the sport must have overarching international federation (IF) that will govern the sport — enforcing the rules and regulations of the Olympic Movement, which includes drug testing. (It is also possible for a sport to be <a href="https://www.topendsports.com/events/summer/sports/recognized.htm">recognized as an Olympic sport and never participate in the Games</a>, as is the case for chess, bowling and powerboating.)</p>
<p>Once recognized, the sport’s IF can apply for admittance into the Olympic program as a sport, a discipline or an event. For example, the women’s steeplechase was added to the 2008 Olympic Games as an event within the sport of athletics.</p>
<h2>More sports added</h2>
<p>An Organising Committee of an Olympic Games (OCOG) can also propose the inclusion of an event. Most recently, the IOC allowed the addition of karate, surfing, sports climbing and baseball/softball to the Olympic program in Tokyo 2020.</p>
<p>Paris 2024 had indicated an interest in including e-sports on its program, but the IOC has said <a href="https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1067685/two-phase-selection-process-confirmed-for-new-paris-2024-sports-as-esports-told-it-cannot-be-considered">it won’t be eligible by the time the schedule is set in 2020</a>. Still, IOC President Thomas Bach said at the recent e-sports forum that the meeting was a “first step of a long journey” to what could lead to Olympic recognition. </p>
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<p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-sports-get-chosen-for-the-olympics-62917">How sports get chosen for the Olympics</a>
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<h2>A male-dominated activity</h2>
<p>Central to the Olympic Movement and nestled within the criteria of accepting a new sport is gender equality. Interestingly, this has been an area in which e-sports has been heavily criticized.</p>
<p>A study that <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11199-016-0678-y">reviewed gender and gaming</a> determined that even though there are approximately equal numbers of males and females who play video games, most professional gamers are male. Moreover, female players who achieve some level of success are marginalized. Researchers concluded the “video game culture is actively hostile towards women in the private as well as the professional spheres.”</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0SLDgPbjp0M?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Thirteen minutes of sexual harassment on Cross Assault in e-sports for Miranda Pakozdi.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Within the gaming community, it is not a surprise for female players to be harassed.</p>
<p>One notable case involved Miranda Pakozdi, who was sexually harassed for 13 minutes on the live internet program “Cross Assault.” The portrayal of females in e-sports should also concern the IOC. Women are usually depicted as highly sexually and as victims instead of heroines.</p>
<p>Many Olympians, including me, feel it’s inevitable that e-sports will one day join the Olympic family. Still, one can only wonder if <a href="https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin-on-reviving-the-olympic-games">Pierre de Coubertin</a>, the father of the modern Games, would question whether the values of the Olympic Movement are being compromised for the financial enticements that e-sports promise.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/100430/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicole W. Forrester does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The International Olympic Committee recently hosted a meeting on e-sports – organized video competitions. Should e-sports be in the Olympic Games? An Olympian says no.Nicole W. Forrester, Assistant Professor, School of Media, Toronto Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/981582018-06-13T05:56:08Z2018-06-13T05:56:08ZFacebook punts on gaming to lure millennials back to the platform<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/222738/original/file-20180612-112611-18ymrsw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=197%2C1%2C816%2C456&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">While Facebook appeals to the older generations, it is losing market share of the younger generations quickly.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.facebook.com/gaming/Yurigamiing/videos/219123192032123/">Facebook Screen Shot at 5pm</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Has Facebook decided they are just not hip enough for the younger generation? </p>
<p>With the launch last week of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gaming/">FB.GG</a> – a platform for streaming live video games and eSports – it would appear Facebook is acknowledging there’s still work to be done to ensure it appeals to <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/rewired-the-psychology-technology/201003/welcome-the-igeneration">millennials</a>.</p>
<p>But will it be enough to stem the tide of younger users ditching Facebook for Snapchat and Instagram? And what about the growing crowd that prefers YouTube and <a href="http://twitch.tv/">Twitch.tv</a> to those old fashioned social networks?</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/apple-acknowledges-the-ikid-generation-at-its-developer-conference-with-new-parental-controls-97853">Apple acknowledges the iKid generation at its developer conference with new parental controls</a>
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<hr>
<h2>#deletefacebook</h2>
<p>Facebook has had a hard time of it lately. The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/cambridge-analytica-files">Cambridge Analytica scandal</a> led to a (temporary) loss of over <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-stock-price-recovers-all-134-billion-lost-in-after-cambridge-analytica-datascandal/">$100 billion of their market cap</a>. The <a href="http://time.com/5210799/mark-zuckerberg-addresses-delete-facebook-campaign-after-cambridge-analytica/">#deletefacebook campaign</a> reportedly led <a href="http://bgr.com/2018/04/12/delete-facebook-survey-cambridge-analytica/">9% of users to delete their accounts</a>. And they’ve lost the <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/low-level-of-trust-in-facebook-before-cambridge-analytica-scandal-survey-reveals/news-story/883f39687472f951cabfec71c3e64829">trust of many more</a>. </p>
<p>CEO Mark Zuckerburg’s emotionless and tired answers to the US senate about the scandal did little to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/cambridge-analytica-facebook-influence-us-election">reverse the tide</a>.</p>
<p>But Facebook knew they were in trouble before the Cambridge Analytica news broke. </p>
<p>Only 8% of millenials use Facebook, according to the <a href="http://www.piperjaffray.com/2col.aspx?id=4988">latest Piper Jaffray teen survey in the US</a>, and more than 70% of millennials and post-millennials prefer Snapchat or Instagram. It’s clear that while Facebook appeals to the older generations, it’s losing market share of the younger generations quickly. This is a problem that’s likely to increase as the next generation of kids start to grow up and move into adulthood.</p>
<h2>When your sports are delivered via an eStream</h2>
<p>Given a bad situation only getting worse, is it any surprise Facebook decided they needed to move in a new direction to raise new customers? </p>
<p>Hence the birth of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gaming/">FB.GG</a>. Playing on the popular gamer lingo “<a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=GG">good game</a>” (often said to demonstrate good sportsmanship at the end of a session of intense multiplayer gaming competition), <a href="http://fb.gg/">FB.GG</a> looks to reinvigorate the Facebook service with a new live streaming game component.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/esports-are-shifting-the-focus-of-australias-sporting-passion-93076">eSports are shifting the focus of Australia's sporting passion</a>
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<p>With billions of people <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/newzoo-2017-report-insights-into-the-108-9-billion-global-games-market/">enjoying video games worldwide</a>, and video games hitting <a href="https://igea.net/2017/07/digital-australia-2018-da18/">market maturity</a>, the time is certainly right to engage with gaming as a medium to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonmarkman/2017/06/26/video-gaming-is-the-best-investment-theme-youve-never-heard-of/#2a3f262a76e3">drive market growth</a>. </p>
<p>Seeing year-on-year growth of 38%, the eSports economy will soon hit more than <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/global-esports-market-report-2018-light/">US$1.4 billion</a>. And audience growth is not just across hardcore video gaming enthusiasts, occasional viewers are also increasing yearly – especially in the Asia-Pacific region and within the <a href="https://newzoo.com/solutions/standard/market-forecasts/global-esports-market-report/">millennial and post-millennial demographics</a>.</p>
<h2>Paying Facebook to watch your team play</h2>
<p>The rise of online multiplayer gaming and video streaming <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/17/the-importance-of-streaming-to-e-sports/">services</a>, such as YouTube and Twitch, is rapidly changing the landscape of media consumption. <a href="http://twitch.tv/">Twitch.tv</a> in particular – Facebook’s <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/06/twitch-now-has-27k-partners-and-150k-affiliates-making-money-from-their-videos/">major competition in this space</a> – sports more than 27,000 partners, and has over 150,000 affiliates making money from their platform.</p>
<p>This means, in addition to attracting the new generation, Facebook can also be assured this new model will be <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/07/facebook-launches-fb-gg-gaming-video-hub-to-compete-with-twitch/">more directly cash lucrative than the old social network</a>.</p>
<p>In traditional social networking, the expectation is the service will be free and money will not change hands (<a href="https://www.recode.net/2018/4/10/17220060/facebook-trust-major-tech-company">just user data</a>). But in the Twitch space, tipping competitors for good play and the platform paying competitors for new and returning subscribers is a <a href="https://www.kotaku.com.au/2018/04/twitch-isnt-for-esports-its-for-streamers/">standard practice</a>. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/can-online-gaming-ditch-its-sexist-ways-74493">Can online gaming ditch its sexist ways?</a>
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<p>And it certainly seems Facebook is embracing this model. </p>
<p>Following a rigorous <a href="https://esportsobserver.com/facebook-gaming-landing-page/">checking process</a>, users of the Facebook service can be recognised as gaming creators through the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fbgaminghome/blog/introducing-the-facebook-gaming-creator-level-up-program">Level Up program</a>. This allows them to obtain stars that count for payments, and to get access to new features of the platform. </p>
<p>Unlike much of the social media giant’s monetisation efforts so far, it would appear that with this venture, just like in the “real world”, people recognise gamers are athletes and deserve to be compensated for their work. That’s a far cry from paying Facebook for the privilege of harvesting your data.</p>
<p>So welcome Facebook to a world where the website addresses are short, but the streams are long – and the cash continues to flow. If it delivers, Facebook will be rewarded with a cut of the daily time and profits of the next generation.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/98158/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Facebook enters the world of gaming – where the web addresses are short, the streams are long and the cash flows.James Birt, Associate Professor of Information and Computing Sciences, Bond UniversityMichael Cowling, Senior Lecturer in Educational Technology, CQUniversity AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/964972018-06-05T21:36:20Z2018-06-05T21:36:20ZVideo gamers may soon be paid more than top pro athletes<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/221479/original/file-20180604-177088-1kuggti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The Finnish R6 eSports proleague team, winners of Rainbow Six Pro League Championship in Sao Paulo.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://rainbow6.ubisoft.com/siege/en-us/news/152-315656-16/interview-with-rainbow-six-pro-league-champions-ence-esports">(Ubisoft)</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Your interest in sports may have started out as a hobby when you were just a kid. You were better at it than others, and some even said you were gifted. Maybe you had a chance to develop into a professional athlete. </p>
<p>Colleges would soon line up to extend full scholarships. If you pushed hard enough, practised countless hours and kept a cool head, lucrative contracts and international fame awaited. </p>
<p>This fantasy plays out for many North American kids who dream of “making it to the big leagues.” </p>
<p>Whether they play hockey, football or basketball, even the most remote possibility of turning their love of the game into a respected career is worth sacrificing for. </p>
<p>Enter video games.</p>
<p>In less than a decade, the realm of professional sport has been taken by storm by the rise of eSports (short for electronic sports). These video game events now compete with — and in some cases outperform — traditional sports leagues for live viewership and advertising dollars.</p>
<p>For the top eSports players, this means sponsorship contracts, endorsements, prize money and yes, global stardom. </p>
<h2>Games on TV still command high ad dollars</h2>
<p>This week, dozens of professional video game players will descend on Toronto during <a href="https://www.nxne.com/gameland/">NXNE</a>, an annual music and arts festival, to compete in different games for prizes of up to US$1,000. Not a bad payday, perhaps, but still chump change in the eSports scene. </p>
<p>For example, Dota 2, a popular battle arena game published by Valve, recently handed out <a href="https://mashable.com/2017/07/12/dota-2-prize-pool/#fUBPaPzpjqqw">US$20 million</a> to its top players during its finale.</p>
<p>What does this mean for traditional sports? And sports TV viewership? </p>
<p>The lasting broadcast success of sports leagues games can be explained by the fact that they are meant to be shared happenings and are best experienced live. As such, they have been resilient to disruptions within the media landscape and somewhat spared by the advent of on-demand streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.</p>
<p>The ability to capture a sizeable number of “eyeballs,” long enough and at a precise time, is the reason why professional sports leagues still command huge TV rights and advertising dollars. </p>
<p>In the past few years, the “Big Four” North American sports leagues have all struck <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/fox-wins-rights-to-nfl-thursday-night-games-in-five-year-deal-1517414094">new deals</a> worth hundreds of millions of dollars.</p>
<h2>Shifts in sports culture</h2>
<p>Some leagues like Major League Baseball, and their once subsidiary Advanced Media division (MLBAM), have long embraced technological innovations to enhance audiences’ experience. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, media and telecommunication giants have been slower to catch on. </p>
<p>In 2016, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/espns-john-skipper-plays-offense-on-cord-cutting-1453228543">John Skipper, then president of ESPN, referring to cable TV packages said</a>: “We are still engaged in the most successful business model in the history of media, and see no reason to abandon it.” </p>
<p>This attitude, at the time, was not only symptomatic of a lag or inability to adopt technological innovations, but also raised concerns about the company’s future. </p>
<p>But the decline of the traditional linear broadcast, and the risk of losing relevancy in this digital, broadband and tech savvy media landscape is inevitable, and forces these media giants to question their traditional business models and to focus on online audiences.</p>
<p>Along with this shift, a new, popular and expansive trend for the new generation has emerged - eSports.</p>
<p>Whether eSports are actual sports or not is a whole other debate; however, the emergence of the global video game competition field demands attention and strategic investment. </p>
<h2>Why eSports is doing so well</h2>
<p>As a <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/global-esports-market-report-2018-light/">spectator sport</a>, video games generate viewership at least on par with professional leagues. </p>
<p>Take, for instance, 2016’s League of Legends tournament that drew 36 million viewers, <a href="https://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/06/more-people-watched-league-of-legends-than-the-nba-finals/">five million more than the NBA Finals</a>, in front of a sellout crowd at the famous <a href="https://thenextweb.com/gaming/2017/11/03/esports-fill-olympic-stadium/">Bird Nest stadium</a> in China. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/221472/original/file-20180603-142098-whcxup.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/221472/original/file-20180603-142098-whcxup.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/221472/original/file-20180603-142098-whcxup.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/221472/original/file-20180603-142098-whcxup.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/221472/original/file-20180603-142098-whcxup.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/221472/original/file-20180603-142098-whcxup.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/221472/original/file-20180603-142098-whcxup.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">eSports events regularly draw sellout crowds like major professional sports leagues.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Ubisoft)</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>eSports mimic traditional sports leagues principles: Exciting content, likeable stars, catchy team names, slow motion highlights, intense competition and an uncertain outcome. </p>
<p>These video games attract audiences as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jul/23/16-trends-that-will-change-the-games-industry">they are no longer simply designed to be played</a>, but increasingly to be visually pleasing for audiences. </p>
<p>Age-wise, compared to traditional sports that struggle to diversify their audience demographics, eSports have successfully attracted younger viewers. </p>
<p>The fan base is pretty young, with <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/532322/esports-viewers-by-age-usa/">61 per cent of fans falling in the 18-34 age range</a>. Young men, in particular, are a desirable market for many advertisers.</p>
<h2>eSports attracts advertisers</h2>
<p>The economic outlook for video gaming sports is staggering. According to <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/global-esports-market-report-2018-light/">NewZoo</a>, eSports “on its current trajectory is estimated to reach US$1.4 billion by 2020.” And a “more optimistic scenario places revenues at US$2.4 billion.” </p>
<p>Companies like Red Bull, Coca-Cola and Samsung, all usual suspects when it comes to advertising and young people, are <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ef8539b6-be2a-11e7-9836-b25f8adaa111">flocking to eSports</a>. </p>
<p>In recent years, eSports has made efforts to monetize across traditional revenue streams, such as merchandise sales, subscriptions plans, ticket sales and broadcast rights. It is, once again, taking a page straight out traditional sports leagues’ playbook.</p>
<p>So, what can established leagues and media giants do? Given the choice between fighting eSports or joining them, many appear to have chosen the latter. Recall ESPN resisting change in 2016. Then fast forward to their recent strategic investments in the digital platform BAMTech, once MLB Advanced Media, in order to launch ESPN streaming services. </p>
<p>As a result, Disney, the 100 per cent <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/12/espn-plus-disney-streaming-service-bamtech/">owner of ESPN</a>, now has a say in League of Legends streaming because its publisher Riot Games had signed a seven-year US$350 million dollar broadcast <a href="https://dotesports.com/business/news/disney-majority-ownership-bamtech-16534">deal with BAMTech</a>.</p>
<p>FIFA just partnered with Electronic Arts on a online tournament that drew 20 million players and 30 million viewers. Also hoping to create platform synergies and to reach new audiences, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2014/08/25/amazon-will-officially-acquire-twitch/">Amazon acquired Twitch in 2014</a>, the leading game streaming service. </p>
<p>These examples show that eSports are not just popular with gamers, but also among sports leagues and media giants. Both stand to learn from each other. No wonder Activision’s CEO said that he wanted to “<a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/3055106/activision-wants-to-become-espn-of-esports-with-major-league-gaming-acquisition">become the ESPN of eSports.</a>” </p>
<p>This popularity also opens up more opportunities to compete on the professional level and earn huge endorsements, prize money and salaries just like LeBron James, Serena Williams, Danica Patrick or Sidney Crosby. </p>
<p>In fact, higher education <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2018/05/12/esports-the-new-football-scholarship-gaming-scholarships-grew-480-last-year/">eSports programs are already launching across the country and college scholarships are now commonplace</a>, further acknowledging the economic viability and social acceptability of this phenomenon. </p>
<p>And with talks of introducing eSports in the Paris 2024 <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/43893891">Olympic Games</a>, Canada’s “Own the Podium” program may soon have to follow suit.</p>
<p>In any case, it turns out that our parents were wrong all along: You can stay glued to your console in the basement all day and still make it pro.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/96497/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Media giants like ESPN may have thought that eSports was a fad but not anymore. Revenue from eSports video games are set to take over traditional sports leagues.Louis-Etienne Dubois, Assistant Professor, School of Creative Industries, Toronto Metropolitan UniversityLaurel Walzak, Assistant Professor, RTA School of Media, Toronto Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/963462018-05-27T19:57:59Z2018-05-27T19:57:59ZThe IOC thinks eSports are too violent for the Olympics, but traditional sports are violent too<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/220045/original/file-20180523-51141-10qh3ox.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Violence is often accepted as a intrinsic part of sports.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/success?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdownload.shutterstock.com%2Fgatekeeper%2FW3siZSI6MTUyNzA2NTAwNiwiYyI6Il9waG90b19zZXNzaW9uX2lkIiwiZGMiOiJpZGxfNTcwODk5NzczIiwiayI6InBob3RvLzU3MDg5OTc3My9odWdlLmpwZyIsIm0iOjEsImQiOiJzaHV0dGVyc3RvY2stbWVkaWEifSwiN0wvckpteDg1Y1NSQkJobVFhQk4xS085ZlV3Il0%2Fshutterstock_570899773.jpg&pi=26377567&m=570899773&src=DcTAB3doZz-y2Q10_T1_Dg-1-30">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you were a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would you allow professional video gaming (also known as eSports) as a new Olympic Games event? That’s exactly what the committee is considering right now.</p>
<p>You might think that the IOC’s hesitancy to include eSports is associated with the lack of physical movement it involves. But instead their concern is related to the violence that is embedded in many video games. IOC president Thomas Bach <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/43893891">said</a>:</p>
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<p>…the red line would be eGames which are killer games, where you have the promotion of violence or any kind of discrimination as a content. They can never be recognised as a part of the Olympic movement because they would be contrary to our values and principles.</p>
</blockquote>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/esports-are-shifting-the-focus-of-australias-sporting-passion-93076">eSports are shifting the focus of Australia's sporting passion</a>
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<p>But on-field sport also has a long <a href="https://violence-in-ancient-olympics.weebly.com/events.html">history of violence</a> – it is often accepted as a intrinsic part of the contest and game. As <a href="https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/the-sporting-spirit/">George Orwell once claimed</a>, sport involves “…sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words it is war minus the shooting”.</p>
<p>Rather than pitting one against the other, however, let’s consider the messages around violence and aggression that sports collectively give children and young people – and devise strategies to lessen their impact.</p>
<h2>Violence in video games</h2>
<p>With titles such as “Counter-Strike”, “Call of Duty: Infinite warfare” and “Streetfighter”, it’s no wonder that violence is frequently singled out as a defining and negative feature of video games.</p>
<p>About 90% of children younger than 12 years, and 95% of children aged 12 and older, play video games. More than 85% of video games on the market <a href="http://www.apa.org/about/policy/violent-video-games.aspx">contain some form of violence</a>.</p>
<p>Video game violence is often based on hyper-realistic bloody battles and shootouts. Players (generally children and young people) commonly select from an arsenal of weapons to kill first-person style, in war or street-crime related narratives. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03637751.2014.922206?journalCode=rcmm20">Most violent video games</a> include justifications of the portrayed violence, a distorted portrayal of consequences, and dehumanisation of opponents.</p>
<p>Community and parental concerns centre on whether playing online battles and first-person shooter games will encourage real-life <a href="http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2015/08/violent-video-games.aspx">aggressive behaviour and desensitise children to violent acts</a>.</p>
<h2>Violence on the sporting field</h2>
<p>However, others may argue that watching a real boxing match or taekwondo fight – two sports that allow acts that would be deemed illegal if they were committed on the street – would have the same effect on a child. It’s a valid point.</p>
<p>At the forefront of the on-field sport violence conversation is the number of injuries – estimated at more than <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/29/health/sports-injuries-football-yale.html">600,000 per year in US sports</a>. Concussions, which are a serious form of head trauma, are not just being seen among professional athletes but among <a href="https://sportconcussion.com.au/children-and-concussion/">school-aged children too</a>.</p>
<p>For spectators, the majority of on-field professional sport is watched on a screen. At the same time, professional sport has become increasingly commodified and detached from everyday life. </p>
<p>The celebrity lifestyles of many leading athletes (and their the wives and girlfriends) can “dehumanise” athletes to the point where they seem like characters in a game. Watching professional sport often provides a sense of freedom and escape from modern life and, in this manner, can be viewed as being somehow less “real”.</p>
<p>This is apparent in the fact that fighting is “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3752193/">considered by many as an integral part of playing hockey in the National Hockey League (NHL)</a>”. Ice hockey fights are so popular with fans that a dedicated <a href="https://twitter.com/hockeyfights">Twitter account</a> has been established. </p>
<p>Similarly, the movie <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385002/">Green Street Hooligans</a> depicts football “firms” (violent football fans who induce street fights against supporters of other teams), who rank the achievements of their firm as well as that of their team on the pitch. </p>
<p>It is now generally accepted <a href="https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/878724">in the academic community</a> that violent acts on the sporting field often work as a <a href="https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/footage-is-captured-of-an-ugly-brawl-between-collingwood-fans-at-the-mcg-on-wednesday/news-story/3294737de7abada17995def2eabe0f84">catalyst for violent behaviour</a>. This is often exacerbated by <a href="https://aic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/vt04.pdf?v=1509678335">poorly designed stadiums and excessive alcohol consumption by spectators</a>. This context sends a powerful message about violence to children who attend professional sporting events.</p>
<h2>What the research says about the impact of violence in sports</h2>
<p>While <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/08/trump-video-game-violence-445441">US President Donald Trump</a> is among those who are adamant that violent video games lead to aggressive behaviour – such as school shootings – the evidence is less clear.</p>
<p>Research is often based on laboratory experiments in which researchers randomly assign participants to play a violent or non-violent game. In the short term, the findings paint a patchy picture. </p>
<p>In some studies, violent game play was <a href="https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/guns-and-games-the-relationship-between-violent-video-games-andgun-crimes-in-america-2151-6200-1000207.php?aid=77854">found</a> to have no effect, while other research has <a href="http://www.apa.org/about/policy/violent-video-games.aspx">suggested</a> that it increased aggressive behaviour and reduced prosocial behaviour, empathy and moral engagement.</p>
<p>Similarly, on-field sports can negatively effect children who participate. A recent study <a href="http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/4/405.1">found</a> that 38% of children experience violence in sport – including psychological and sexual violence. Results showed that this had a significant negative impact on psychopathology and quality of life in adulthood.</p>
<h2>How to educate kids about sporting violence</h2>
<p>Many children today participate in and/or watch both on field sport and video gaming. <a href="http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2015/08/violent-video-games.aspx">No single risk factor consistently leads a person to act aggressively or violently</a>, rather, it is the accumulation of risk factors that tends to lead to aggressive or violent behaviour.</p>
<p>Children are influenced by what they observe. Coaches and players across all sports should be encouraged to promote anti-violence messages rather than pushing players to “win at all costs”. Pre- and post-game rituals for all sports that highlight connections between opponents, <a href="http://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12175/11310303/tim-paine-introduces-new-australian-era-with-handshakes-against-south-africa">such as handshakes</a>, can make spectators aware of anti-violence norms and promote civility towards others.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-boxing-and-cage-fighting-should-be-banned-but-wont-be-38901">Why boxing and cage fighting should be banned – but won't be</a>
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<p>Meanwhile, critical conversations with kids about rules embedded in on field and eSports games could potentially lead them to deconstruct the violence they are seeing. Additionally, we need greater acknowledgement of violence in established games and a balance of non-violent games across all sports.</p>
<p>While on-field sport and eSport have many benefits, including team work and problem-solving, sport of all kinds is rife with aggression that impacts kids physically, emotionally and mentally. Instead of asking which is worse, let’s consider the collective effect they have on kids, and what we need to change to improve it.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/96346/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>We should consider the messages that violence and aggression in sports of all kinds give children and young people – and devise strategies to lessen the impact.Joanne Orlando, Researcher: Technology and Learning, Western Sydney UniversityKeith Parry, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/958692018-05-09T20:17:32Z2018-05-09T20:17:32ZWar as eSport: the politics of PlayerUnknown’s Battleground<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218207/original/file-20180509-185500-17w5xq2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2126%2C1069&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">eSports, which includes online multiplayer games like PUGB, is an industry forecast to reach nearly US$1 billion in revenue by 2019.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">YouTube</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>One of the most popular video games of the last few years is a war game, PUBG, or PlayerUnknown’s Battleground. In this online multi-player game, 100 competitors parachute onto an island strewn with weapons and fight to be the last person (or squad) alive. Launched in 2017, its popularity exploded when it appeared on mobile phones in March 2018. It was reported to be the <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/gaming/936387/PUBG-Mobile-download-good-news-on-the-way">most downloaded app in over 100 countries</a>, and the <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-05-04-pubg-most-downloaded-mobile-game-last-quarter-but-fails-to-make-an-impact-with-revenue">most downloaded game</a> of the first quarter of 2018. </p>
<p>PUBG is based on a scenario that dates back to Roman times, when gladiators would fight each other to the death in the Colosseum as a form of entertainment. The idea of compulsory killing competitions as public spectacles has played out in dystopian films like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072856/">Death Race 2000</a> and the Japanese film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266308/">Battle Royale</a> (an inspiration for PUBG), which have informed Hollywood blockbusters such as the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392170/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Hunger Games</a> trilogy.</p>
<p>But what kind of conflict is PUBG preparing its players for? On the one hand, in much of its appearance and gameplay, PUBG presents a thoroughly anachronistic form of warfare, similar to the experience of young soldiers who fought in the World Wars.</p>
<p>On the other hand, it’s a phenomenon very much of its time, preparing players for a world of forced competition and diminishing resources. Multiple strategies are required to survive: stealth and isolation, cooperation and sacrifice, confrontation and aggression. </p>
<h2>Future war</h2>
<p>Like many soldiers in the first world war, PUBG players can “die” from exposure to poison gas, in hand-to-hand combat, or through being shot by snipers and enemies they never even see. Every ditch, bush and rock in the PUBG landscape can be lifesaving cover. Common weapons include historic revolvers, single-shot rifles and Tommy guns.</p>
<p>At the same time, PUBG paints a picture of a disturbing future war that mixes high-tech weaponry (bots, automated weapons drops, remote location and health tracking) with scarcity and desperation. Players in PUBG aren’t in an organised army but a hastily assembled militia that must loot clothes, weapons and medicine. In this war, you might find an automatic weapon and body armour or be forced to defend yourself with a frying pan. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">PUBG ZIMO Australia Invitational 2018.</span></figcaption>
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<p>Players must negotiate the balance between self-interest and squad loyalty. They are randomly assigned to a squad of strangers, often without a common language. To cooperate and revive your temporary comrades is satisfying, while being ignored or betrayed by your own squad can be devastating.</p>
<p>Far from being set in the past or the future, PUBG feels like an immersive experience of today’s nightmares: a (literally) shrinking world of environmental scarcity, the breakdown of public order, lone shooters, weaponised vehicles and cyber armies. </p>
<p>Why does it appeal? In the face of these real-life scenarios, PUBG stresses individual agency, camaraderie and the promise of equal opportunity. Each player starts empty-handed, collecting resources that are scattered randomly and learning to survive longer and longer. Being the sole survivor of a match offers a great sense of accomplishment.</p>
<h2>The competitive appeal</h2>
<p>On the night before Anzac Day in Melbourne, as uniformed veterans were leaving the city on trams, the Melbourne Convention Centre hosted the opening round of the PUBG Australia Invitational. Despite its popularity on mobile phones, the tournament was played out on partitioned desktop computers set up on an enormous stage in the centre.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218013/original/file-20180508-46350-kn29mw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218013/original/file-20180508-46350-kn29mw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218013/original/file-20180508-46350-kn29mw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218013/original/file-20180508-46350-kn29mw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218013/original/file-20180508-46350-kn29mw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218013/original/file-20180508-46350-kn29mw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218013/original/file-20180508-46350-kn29mw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">PUBG Australian Invitational at the Melbourne Convention Centre.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>The Melbourne PUBG tournament, with 20 teams from across the Asia-Pacific competing for $150,000 in prize money, is part of the rise of eSports. This industry is forecast to <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/newzoo-global-esports-economy-will-reach-905-6-million-2018-brand-investment-grows-48/">grow by 38% to be worth $905.6 million</a> in the coming year. However this is still only a fraction of the estimated <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-01-31-games-industry-generated-usd108-4bn-in-revenues-in-2017">US$100 billion in annual video game revenue</a> overall. Recently <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/08/extreme-esports-the-very-male-billion-dollar-gaming-industry-at-a-stadium-near-you">18,000 spectators</a> crowded in Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena to watch the three-day Intel Extreme Masters tournament. </p>
<p>eSports is full of contradictions, juxtaposing the language of elite training with unatheletic-looking bodies that aren’t traditionally associated with sporting success. In post-match interviews at the Melbourne tournament, the teenage winners spoke the careful, dogmatic language of professional sports people: one match at a time, team first, effort over results.</p>
<p>PUBG has been embraced in the Asia-Pacific region, where eSports has more than half of its <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/newzoo-global-esports-economy-will-reach-905-6-million-2018-brand-investment-grows-48/">165 million enthusiasts</a>. The game was originally <a href="https://allgamers.com/article/3322/china-looking-to-ban-playerunknowns-battlegrounds">threatened with a ban by Chinese regulators</a>, who argued its tenor was a threat to the morals of young Chinese and an offence to socialist values. </p>
<p>However, after partnering with a Chinese company, and some mysterious “<a href="https://www.pcgamesn.com/playerunknowns-battlegrounds/pubg-tencent-china">adjustments to content</a>” in the game itself, PUBG has become hugely popular in China. Still, the game has courted a number of controversies, including <a href="https://www.pcpowerplay.com.au/news/how-normal-is-cheating-at-pubg-in-china-very,488581">hacking and cheating claims</a>. Chinese police have reportedly <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-16/tencent-cracks-down-on-cheats-in-world-s-top-selling-video-game">arrested suspected PUBG hackers</a>.</p>
<p>Gaming magazine PC Powerplay recently reported that <a href="https://www.pcpowerplay.com.au/news/how-normal-is-cheating-at-pubg-in-china-very,488581">Dell had advertised the speed</a> of its latest computer to Chinese customers based on its ability to run unauthorised modifications or plug-ins in PUBG. These offer super-human powers such as x-ray vision, drone-like surveillance or invisibility cloaking. (The company later issued a statement condemning “any modifications misused in gaming”.)</p>
<p>The experience of PUBG is being shaped by a fascinating array of external geo-political forces, from state regulators and global businesses to teen sports stars and criminally-minded hackers. Meanwhile, inside the PUBG universe, players die happily, over and over, with their randomly-assigned, rag-tag armies, in a perverse echo of Australia’s ANZAC legend.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/95869/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lachlan MacDowall does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>PlayerUnknown’s Battleground - a multiplayer, fight-to-the-death video game - was the most downloaded game for the first quarter of 2018. It feels like an immersive experience of today’s nightmares.Lachlan MacDowall, Lecturer, Screen and Cultural Studies, School of Culture and Communication, Faculty of Arts, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/930762018-05-01T03:08:53Z2018-05-01T03:08:53ZeSports are shifting the focus of Australia’s sporting passion<p>The <a href="http://www.intelextrememasters.com/season-13/sydney/">Intel Extreme Masters</a> taking place in Sydney from May 4-6 will see 16 international teams battle it out over three days at Sydney Olympic Park for A$310,000 in prize money. Instead of competing physically for victory on a field, players will compete virtually in a first-person shooter video game called Counter-Strike: Global Offensive displayed on a giant screen.</p>
<p>Whether or not you’re <a href="https://www.igea.net/2017/07/digital-australia-2018-da18/">a gamer</a>, you’ve probably heard about <a href="https://www.windowscentral.com/beginners-guide-esports">eSports</a> – because these video game battles are attracting the crowds. The Australian eSports fan base has <a href="http://www.nielsen.com/au/en/insights/reports/2018/exploring-esports-fans-in-australia.html">more than doubled</a> in the past two years, and the vast majority (66%) of those fans are between the ages of 18 and 34, and mostly male. </p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/esports-are-taking-off-and-the-commonwealth-games-needs-to-catch-up-94177">Esports are taking off and the Commonwealth Games needs to catch up</a>
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<p>This demographic has always been well represented in traditional physical sports, but has more recently <a href="https://www.igea.net/2017/07/digital-australia-2018-da18/">shifted to gaming</a>. It’s one sign of how Australia’s deep passion for sport is changing. And women gamers are also <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/careers/2017/jun/08/women-esports-gaming-cyberbullying">going professional</a>. </p>
<p>With <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/australias-sporting-obsession-is-waning/news-story/603cf59adc9ba72010e10489e1efa5f1">fewer people</a> attending major traditional sporting codes compared to the same time 10 years ago, media and sporting organisations are taking note.</p>
<h2>The rise of eSports</h2>
<p>The eSport craze began in Stanford University’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in 1972, when it was known as the <a href="http://www.wheels.org/spacewar/stone/rolling_stone.html">Intergalactic Spacewar Olympics</a>. </p>
<p>The field has <a href="http://info-android.com/post-12618-from-rags-to-riches-how-esports-became-a-cultural-phenomenon/#.WqpG8uhuYuU">evolved significantly</a> during the past 46 years. From a small tournament about monochrome spaceships and space mines displayed as simple motion graphics on a screen, <a href="https://www.strategy-business.com/article/Video-Gaming-Levels-Up-into-a-Sport?gko=d0a6c">eSports has leveled up</a> into a multi-billion dollar entertainment industry.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/216809/original/file-20180430-135840-w95pdw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/216809/original/file-20180430-135840-w95pdw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216809/original/file-20180430-135840-w95pdw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216809/original/file-20180430-135840-w95pdw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216809/original/file-20180430-135840-w95pdw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216809/original/file-20180430-135840-w95pdw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/216809/original/file-20180430-135840-w95pdw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">‘Spacewar’ gaming console.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/73772981@N03/15750882239/">angelcalzado/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
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<p>Year on year the global eSports economy has <a href="https://newzoo.com/solutions/standard/market-forecasts/global-esports-market-report/">been growing</a> by more than 38%. And audience growth is not just across hardcore video gaming enthusiasts, occasional viewers are also increasing yearly – especially in the Asia-Pacific region.</p>
<p>The rise of online multiplayer gaming and <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/17/the-importance-of-streaming-to-e-sports/">video streaming services</a>, such as YouTube and Twitch, are rapidly changing the landscape of media consumption. By 2020, the eSports industry is estimated to be worth <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/global-esports-market-report-2018-light/">US$1.4 billion</a>.</p>
<h2>Are eSports a legitimate sport?</h2>
<p>eSporting tournament <a href="https://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/06/more-people-watched-league-of-legends-than-the-nba-finals/">viewership</a> has already surpassed that of traditional sports broadcasting. This represents a significant market opportunity for broadcasting companies such as <a href="http://www.espn.com.au/esports/story/_/id/22217917/espn-disney-nfl-announce-multi-year-deal-broadcast-madden-nfl-18-championship-series">ESPN and Disney</a> and game publishers such as <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/features/overwatch-birth-of-a-professional-esports-league-w517207">Activision Blizzard</a>. </p>
<p>Even traditional sporting clubs are buying into the eSports market. Clubs who now own eSports teams come from international <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/13/major-league-soccer-fifa-esports-league/">Major League Soccer</a>, America’s <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/21/madden-nfl-club-championship/">NFL</a> and our own <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-to-enter-12-billion-esports-industry-wants-etihad-stadium-tournament-20170501-gvwixm.html">AFL</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-problem-of-treating-play-like-work-how-esports-can-harm-well-being-78366">The problem of treating play like work – how esports can harm well-being</a>
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<p>The legitimacy of eSports has been on a steady increase with groups such as the <a href="http://www.aesa.org.au/">Australian eSports Association</a> forming in 2013 with the mission of getting eSports formally recognised by the <a href="https://www.ausport.gov.au/">Australian Sports Commission</a>. In December 2017, the <a href="https://www.egaa.com.au/">Esports Games Association Australia</a> launched to legitimise eSports in Australia and New Zealand. </p>
<p>Worldwide there is a movement made up of 48 nations through the <a href="https://www.ie-sf.org/">International eSports Federation</a> and others to establish international competitions and rules around eSports, with the eventual goal of seeing eSports become part of the <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/esports-pyeongchang-olympics">Olympic Games</a>. </p>
<p>In addition to these groups, major leagues have been forming across the world such as <a href="https://www.eslgaming.com/">ESL Gaming League</a>, which is the world’s largest. Australia has also recently landed its first <a href="https://mashable.com/2017/11/18/australian-esports-high-performance-centre/#_pLew7CDoPqw">high performance centre for eSports</a> at the home of one of the country’s most iconic sporting venues: the Sydney Cricket Ground.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-tech-giants-are-investing-millions-in-ai-that-can-play-video-games-84151">Why tech giants are investing millions in AI that can play video games</a>
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<h2>How can you get into eSports?</h2>
<p>If a spectator or gamer is new to eSports, the easiest first step is to start <a href="https://esportsobserver.com/">reading</a> or find a stream and start watching. The <a href="https://www.ael.org.au/">Australian Esports League</a> – a provider of eSports competitions in Australia – has its own <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/esl_australia">Twitch channel</a>. For worldwide content check out the <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/esl">ESL Gaming League Twitch channel</a>. </p>
<p>If your children are after professionally run eSports you can check out programs run by the <a href="https://australiansportscamps.com.au/sport/esports/">Australian Sports Camps focusing on eSport</a>. You never know, you or your child could be the next <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-28/the-esports-phenomenon-moves-into-australia/9357496">Marcus Gomes</a>!</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/93076/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>James Birt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Australia’s deep passion for sport is changing, with fewer people attending major traditional sporting events and eSports on the rise.James Birt, Assistant Professor Interactive Media and Design, Bond UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.