Esports (also known as electronic sports or e-sports) are organised, multiplayer video game competitions between professional players, either individually or as teams. These tournaments are often broadcast live and attract millions of fans. The first gaming competition took place in 1972, when Stanford University hosted a Spacewar tournament, and although the prize of a year’s subscription to Rolling Stone seems modest by today’s standards, it set the stage for gaming competitions to gain momentum in the 1980s.
Athletes are often sponsored and can compete for hefty cash prizes at a tournament, while also earning global recognition and prestige as an elite champion. The games are played in an arena full of enthusiastic spectators, just like a basketball or football stadium, and commentators analyze and discuss the action in real time.
In addition to the televised events, most esports have a regular season where teams compete in scheduled matches, and earn points or rankings based on their performance. The top-performing teams advance to the playoffs, and the winners are awarded with a championship title.
This burgeoning industry has tens of thousands of competitors, international organisations, and countless tournaments that attract millions of viewers worldwide. With so many events and a rapidly growing audience, it’s not surprising that there are a multitude of websites dedicated to esports news. From the latest esports tournament results and rankings to interviews with professional gamers and their achievements, these sites are the best source for esports information on the web.