Esports is a type of competitive video gaming. It is mainly multiplayer, where a single player or team go against other players to determine who is better.
Esports got their start in 2000 and gained funding from viewers in 2010, expanding the size of the event. This in turn made esports more popular and gain a wider audience of people.
Senior Gregory West plays League of Legends; a multiplayer competitive game in where two teams go against each other in a objective hunt until one team wins. League of Legends has a player base of up to 67 million active monthly players.
“I can hop on and play with some friends and relax after school,” West said
With a huge player base it gains attention from players who do it for fun, and professional players who do it for a living. With 24 professional teams, and thousands of smaller teams, there is a lot to choose from.
Along with the amount of League of Legends teams, West said there is a lot of diversity and skill-wise teams and plays.
“Say you want to be a mage that punches people- you can do that.” West said.
This diversity also opens the creativity door for many people.
“It’s something different to do other than school.” West said. “It’s something I can do with my friends after a long day.”
LoL isn’t the only game esport players participate in. Games include genres of fighting games, first-person shooters, real-time strategy, sports, racing, MMORPG, and others.
Esports can also snag players looking to get a higher education. These games can get scholarships of anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands.
“If I could I would go after a scholarship,” West said. “That would be a great opportunity.”
Esports is one of the fastest growing college competitive groups. Several colleges offer scholarships including a few that have offered full rides for qualifying students led by faculty coaches.