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Since we were young, we were used to the tirade our parents gave us on how playing video games will lead us astray or it will never help us become successful. We were too young to talk back to that then, but now in 2018, the world has all the evidence we need to prove that our parent’s theory on video games is a fallacy.
Today, the world has a community in where gamers around the world compete against each other in games such as League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Fortnite, etc. It is commonly known as electronic sports (Esports) and has grown to be an industry that generates over a billion dollars. Those games are watched and followed by millions of players around the globe, which extends to having live events, tune-ins on TV or online.
With the introduction of Esports, live streaming platforms such as Twitch exploded in popularity as it allows players to watch their favorite players hone their skills. The best of the best in each game can be crowned as champions that come with millions in prize money and many more.
What Is Esports?

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A form of competition using video games, this billion dollar industry is set to defy the stringent standards our parents placed on what equates to monetary success. Pro gaming is growing phenomenally with time as China, the United States, and Japan being lucrative markets that generate most of the game revenues worldwide.
According to We Forum, in 1995, there were 100 million gamers worldwide. Today, that number reaches a staggering 2.6 billion. In Esports, there are three main categories games usually fall into; Real-Time Strategy (RTS), First-Person Shooter (FPS) and Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA).
Real Time Strategy (RTS):
In an RTS game, the player is in charge with the general gist of the game. The positioning and maneuvering units and structures are in their control to secure areas of the map and/or destroy their opponents’ assets. During the game, it is possible to create additional units and structures. But usually, the amount of units and structures you can build is limited to the resources you have in the game. These resources are in turn acquired by controlling certain types of units and structures devoted to gathering them. In short, the typical game of this genre features resource gathering, base building, in-game technological development through control of units and structures to destroy your opponent.
One game example of this would be Age Of Empires.
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First-Person Shooter (FPS):
This genre is easy to guess. It is focused heavily on the usage of guns and other weaponry of that sort. In a first-person perspective, players will usually be playing in a three-dimensional world with accurate representations of gravity, lighting, sounds, etc.
The goal of this genre is to shoot your opponent until their health bar is depleted which signals that players death. It is an extremely fast pace game that calls for teamwork, problem-solving skills, and quick reflexes. FPS games are generally played on personal computers with a keyboard and mouse being the only accessories needed.
One game example of this would be Overwatch.
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Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA):
The staple of Esports as I would call it, MOBA has been a growing genre that based on strategy. In this genre, players control a single character in a team which competes against another team. The objective of this game is to destroy your opponents base by outplaying them with the help of minions that spawn endlessly.
The map is generally separated into three lanes in where players face off and jungles on each side that are usually filled with monsters. There are different heroes the player can choose, which assume many roles consisting of healer, tanker, damage-dealing, and more. Heroes can be powered up in the game by buying merchandises at the market in their bases that supplements their own skills. Their individual skills can be learned or leveled up with each level up the hero undergoes itself.
One game example of this would be League of Legends.
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What Are The Benefits Of Esports?

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It has been widely accepted back then that video games are the number one ambition killer according to our parents. People say that our parents know best right? But studies have shown that parents might be wrong in this case. Video games are actually beneficial in many ways. Just as how physical activities strengthen your physical body, video games do the same, but to your brain.
Here’s what Engadget thinks.
1. Coordination
When playing a game, you don’t just stare at the screen blankly, looking at one part of the screen only. Most likely, you’re looking all over the place. In most games, they would require players to exhibit a lot of mental stimulations that include coordinating their visual, audial, and physical movements.
2. Improves Problem Solving Skills
When a player is finding its way to maneuver in the game, it is a lot like trudging through the muddy waters of life. Nothing is guaranteed and anything can happen. Therefore, players are always alert and finding new ways to surmount obstacles that appear in the game using split-second decisions to advance deeper in the game.
3. Enhances Learning
Games require one’s visual and audial memory to be active and its best. Players are expected to read or listen to instruction that is mostly provided at the beginning of the game and must remember it throughout the levels. Also, being able to maneuver the keyboard efficiently is a must to help you maximize your potential to overcome adversity. This will definitely help improve your memory.
4. Improves Attention and Concentration
When you’re gaming, your brain receives many stimulations with visual and audial stimuli continually bombarding you. Studies have shown that for people who play video games frequently, they are able to process these stimulators faster than others.
5. Improves Social Skills
By continually engaging with other players in the game, one can practice expressing themselves more directly in a fast-paced environment to ensure compatibility and teamwork to accomplish their goal. The constant engagement not only strengthens your conversational skills but also allowing more meaningful and casual relationships to be built.
What Are Some Popular Esports Games Today?

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First-Person Shooter (FPS):
- Overwatch: In Overwatch, you control one of several heroes in competitive 6-person team shooting matches. Battle over objectives, and take down the other team and achieve victory.
- Counter-Strike: In Counter-Strike, two teams compete in multiple rounds of objective-based game modes with the goal of winning enough rounds to win the match.
Real Time Strategy (RTS):
- Age of Empires: In Age of Empires, players build their own empire from scratch from controlling units and structures to aid you to victory.
- Ancestors Legacy: In Ancestors Legacy, it has a strong emphasis on tactical actions in both single-player campaign and multiplayer mode. With intelligent management and strategy, players will succeed in combat, on which the gameplay is sharply focused. Single player missions are based on historical events which occurred in these Dark Ages.
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA):
- League of Legends: In League of Legends, two teams of dominant champions, each with a unique design and playstyle, battle head-to-head across multiple battlefields and game modes.
- Dota 2: In Dota 2, it boasts an endless array—no two games are the same. Any hero can fill multiple roles, and there’s an abundance of items to help meet the needs of each game.