Arguably, the amount of video game use we see in today’s society is inescapable. Mobile games like; Candy Crush, Game of War, or Clash of Clans, record daily revenues in the millions, and someone will surely recognize one, if not all, of these game names. This exposure to gaming in the light of everyday seems to be ushering in a new, unseen era in gaming, where gaming could be seen as a sport.

Ever since the first two people started “Pong” on the Atari 2600, gaming has been competitive. When you think about it, playing a soccer game and playing a video game are not that different. The goal is always to win the game, but the level of competition and the players in the game may vary. Growing up, I played Call of Duty on a pretty competitive level, but I had no idea how big the competitive gaming industry would become. The growth of this industry can be attributed to a number of factors. The financial growth in the gaming industry has been incredible. The recent stance that “nerd culture” has taken in popular media through outlets like The Big Bang Theory. The push from people who genuinely enjoy gaming culture and want to see it get a spot in the spotlight has brought gaming into the daily lives of the general public.

So what is causing video games to become a source of entertainment that people would watch from home like football or soccer? The answers may surprise you. In July 2014, teams from around the world played “Defense of the Ancients” or DOTA for a total prize pool raised by the community totaling $10,923,980 US dollars. Teams of five would play against each other and eliminate the competition as they progressed to the grand finale and the ultimate first place prize. While this was the fourth such tournament hosted by the playmakers, it was the first time it had been televised on ESPN 3. ESPN was so pleased with the results of the coverage that they agreed to continue next year. It’s crazy to think that in the next few years we could see video game coverage on Sports Center. Unlike ESPN, which only shows you content about competitive games during big tournaments, the broadcast is available all the time. Twitch TV is the main website that comes to mind. Streaming sites allow content creators to show what’s happening live on their computers to audiences who can join the conversation with a group chat feature while watching their favorite steamers/players play live. The potential for growth through a pathway like this is enormous. Just think, you could watch a TV show and chat with other fans of the show from around the world with great ease, all while being able to communicate with content creators.

We know what’s bringing games to the esports arena, but what’s keeping them out? Well, it’s not the time for electronic sports (E-Sports) to become a household name, at least not in the United States. South Korea may be an example of what is to come in terms of E-Sports in the United States. Say the name “Star Craft” and nine times out of ten, a Korean will know what you mean. The Star Craft game is practically a national pastime of South Korea. The game is featured on cable TV and is even featured in some apps offered by Microsoft’s Xbox, which is a direct competitor to the PC gaming market that Star Craft belongs to. Players in Korea are treated like celebrities, signing autographs, taking photos with fans, and appearing on talk shows from time to time. Now if I were to say this to the average American, chances are the response would be along the lines of “Are you serious?” Is it that big there?” Yes, esports in Korea and, to a lesser degree, China and Japan are already booming industries. So why hasn’t gaming become a big industry in the United States where the most of these Americans like different games than Asians Americans like fast-paced shooter games like Call of Duty or Counter Strike while Asian gamers like strategy games like Star Craft or DOTA .is that there is less strategy involved.Think of the two genres as one approach to a football game.While both genres have a well-defined goal, like in football, strategic games present ways to counter the moves of other players or your choice of how to move towards your goal through tech choices or character choices. In soccer, if the defense sends a barrage, try to counter that barrage by passing the ball to a receiver who is wide open, or running the ball in the opposite direction of the blitz. There’s no one right way to approach defense strategy, and the offense can still make decisions about how to approach the situation. The same can’t be said for shooting games, there just isn’t enough depth in the game to give viewers new ideas on how they can apply the techniques used by the pros in their own game.

The professional game is on its way to becoming a real sport in the United States. With the broadcast times on ESPN and the popularization of gaming in everyday life five or ten years from now, we may see a large number of people walking around in E-sport team jerseys. Due to gaming trends in the US, radical changes to the game will likely be required to keep viewers watching and get more audiences interested, but it’s doable. It will take the work of dedicated sports fans to make gaming even more visible to the public, but from what we’ve seen over the past few years, it’s clear that gaming will be considered a sport for the foreseeable future.