Esports have a good number of parents all confused. How does a child spend hours watching other gamers playing video games? Esports has grown into a massive spectator sport. Your child loves watching basketball. But instead of watching NBA on TV, they are most interested in playing or watching pro gamers battle it out on NBA Live 19. Esports is disrupting the way children do gaming. They can now choose to be spectators or players and have much fun either way. As a parent, you should be more interested in this sport that has gained a massive following.
Esports is a Viable Career Path
It would be hard to hear anyone describing themselves as a professional gamer in the past. But esports has made gaming a viable career for anyone who has the interest to become good at playing games. Esports teams comprise hardcore gamers, who make a living from playing. It takes hard work and dedication to be a top player, but those at the top get big money from brand endorsements.
The gaming industry has plenty of opportunities apart from playing. There are game developers, gaming hardware designers, data analysts, and marketers. All these roles are in high demand and well paid. Esports present unique career paths. For example, there are esports bookmakers. They analyse player teams just like in conventional sports and assign their odds in winning or losing. A good example of what they do is the esports odds on Oddspedia.
Esports Earn Millions
Pro gamers are making millions of pounds from esports. The potential to earn is perhaps the biggest differentiator of esports from traditional gaming. Esports prize pools have become some of the biggest in sporting. DOTA 2 tournament, the International 2020 had the biggest prize so far, standing at $40,018,195 (£30,944,400).
Your child can claim part of these lucrative prizes as part of a team. Individual players also win big in solo events. Kyle Giersdorf grabbed a massive $3,000,000 (£2,421,270) prize as the champ in the Fortnite World Cup in 2019.
Esports Offers Socialisation Opportunities
Esports has gained a massive following, almost 500 million fans. There is an active community following each game. Esports forums on Reddit, Discord and other social media channels have intense fast-moving conversations. The game live streaming platform Twitch has thousands of fans engaged in game chat rooms. Your child will find a vast community with people from all kinds of backgrounds.
Esports Demands Discipline and Dedication
Contrary to popular belief that gamers are couch potatoes, they are some of the most hardworking and dedicated sports people. The gaming community is massive and highly competitive. Esports has very low barriers to entry, which means your kid will be up against high-quality competition from around the world.
There are millions looking to get to the top and enjoy the bragging rights and big prizes just like in any other sports. A child will learn that getting to the top requires dedication and commitment to putting in the work, and staying the course to get to the top.
Esports Presents Bonding Opportunities
Esports presents bonding opportunities for parents and children, whether they are playing or watching the games. You can learn what interests your child by letting them explain the game, their strengths and weaknesses as a player. They will be more comfortable interacting with you in a space where they are comfortable. You can make things more exciting and form a family player team. Watching livestream games together can also be fun because you allow your child to share in their idea of fun.
Esports can play a positive role in a child’s development when it’s modulated properly. There are good opportunities for learning, socialising, and exploring possibilities.