With the growing popularity of competitive gaming, some have questioned the legitimacy of e-sports. Lots of individuals, including athletes and late-night talk show hosts have questioned whether a term including the word "sports" can really be used to describe something like online games. Is it fair to think about someone who sits at a computer or gaming console all day an athlete? While most gamers would probably agree in which somebody who plays a game like Halo or Call of Duty professionally is not an athlete in the same way that somebody who plays within the NFL is definitely an athlete, but is it really that different?

On the surface, you might argue that the 2 are nowhere close to being similar. Athletes in traditional sports have been honing their skills since childhood and have put in several hours working to get within the best physical shape possible. They spend hours every week studying the playstyle of their upcoming opponent, keeping a lookout for any weakness that can provide them with an edge. They have fought their way throughout the minor leagues of their particular sport to be considered among the best. Not simply anybody can pick up a football, baseball, basketball, etc. and become a professional, there's a great deal of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice that goes into reaching that level. In contrast, many of these things may also be said for professional gamers. Many gamers claim to happen to be playing computer games since they were young kids, most beginning to pursue the competitive side of gaming within their early teens. They spend hours learning every area of their preferred game, learning things such as secret jumps, nade points, and different angles for sniping. They additionally review film and watch streams of other players and teams to determine what they do in certain scenarios so also they can be better equipped to counter that strategy. They've worked their way up from teams which are often comprised of neighborhood friends or people they have met playing online, to better teams hoping that they will be noticed by one of the top players and get the possibility to prove themselves. While millions of individuals all around the world play games in some capacity, only a small number of those have the talent and dedication necessary to be considered a professional.

But traditional sports require teamwork. Athletes must work together to be able to reach a common goal. Other than several single player e-sports titles, most games that are played on the competitive level are team-based. Call of Duty, Halo, Counter Strike, League of Legends, Dota, Overwatch, etc. are all played by teams of at least four players. In several e-sports, teams are comprised of players who will fill a given role. Much as with a sport like football in which you have some players whose job is to receive, while others are responsible for blocking for the quarterback, many team-based video games have similar roles. By way of example, in a game like Halo you might have one player whose primary role is to go for the goal, while another player may mostly focus on getting kills. As well like in traditional sports, even though a player may have a primary role, the top players are able to fill what ever role is necessary. This is much like a football player who primarily plays defense, but must also be able to catch and run the ball if given the opportunity at an interception. As will be the case with other sports, being the best team player is one of the greatest attributes a gamer can have. It will not really matter how good a player's shot is if they are not able to communicate to their teammates what they're seeing or help force players to spawn in a particular place in order to capture a flag. How a person plays as part of a team could make or break their career.

One of the main things people will argue is the fact that athletes in traditional sports face a much greater risk of injury than professional gamers. While athletes are at an increased risk for injuries like broken bones, torn ligaments, concussions, etc., electronic sports aren't completely risk free. When you spend ten hours or even more of your day staring at a gaming monitor and rapidly tapping buttons on a controller or pressing keys gamble on esports (go to these guys) a computer keyboard, there's a risk for aspects such as eye strain and carpal tunnel should the right precautions aren't taken. While it may not be totally fair to compare these seemingly minor injuries to those suffered by traditional athletes, they can still affect a person both in and out of game and could potentially be career ending.

Unlike most professional athletes, many professional gamers also have other responsibilities for example school and jobs. Gamers in the smaller e-sports aren't typically under salary, so must typically rely upon tournament winnings. Although making a name for yourself on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch can actually help supplement that income, many professional gamers must hold other jobs outside of gaming. Consequently they must learn to balance gaming with work and might have to sacrifice time with family to make sure they are up to speed with the competition.

Is it possible that one day there will be Little League gaming teams or that kids will say they want to be the next Walshy or Ogre 2 rather than wanting to be the next Peyton Manning or Michael Jordan? Not long ago I might have said no, but with esports continuing to gain popularity and becoming recognized as a far more legitimate industry, I am not so sure, especially with colleges for example the University of California in Irvine offering e-sports scholarships. In spite of whether electronic sports will ever be considered within the same space as more traditional sports, the future definitely looks bright.