Thanks to the constant evolution of exciting and innovative games, the gaming industry continues to grow at a rapid rate. Since things are constantly evolving and emerging, several terms are used interchangeably, including gaming and esports. A major mistake that most big brands make nowadays is using these two interchangeably because it insinuates that they are the same thing.
People also like to assume that gamers and esport fans have the same habits, but a closer analysis of these two will reveal notable differences. If you want to jump into either of these spaces, it is essential to understand how each works. Furthermore, while brands in the world of gaming and sports want to reach their global audiences, they should deviate from painting both with the same broad brush.
Here is a breakdown of each.
Esports
The term esports is short for electronic sports, and they refer to competitive and professional video gaming packaged into competitions played by professional gamers. Most esports are organized and held on multiple platforms as gaming competitions between individual pro players or teams. This way, it is possible to notice the audience and bystanders more easily.
Some examples of single-player esports are Hearthstone and Starcraft 2, while team-based esports include League of Legends and Call of Duty.
Esports Betting
One of the main differences between gaming and esports is that fans don’t really need to be players in the latter. Typically an esports fan might want to or not wish to play the games. If you are wondering what esports fans do if this is the case, the answer is that most enjoy betting on various teams on online sites.
The same way you can bet on your fav slot, blackjack or roulette game by accessing your Play Croco casino login, betting on your favorite team can be accessed just as easily by anyone who wishes to. Actually, esports betting is so popular, so much so that there are numerous free resources online to teach fans how to bet on esports successfully.
How has the esports industry evolved over the years?
It is interesting to note that esports is not solely about the game being played. The industry takes an entirely new direction when online betting is added to the picture. Since its first introduction, esports has evolved tremendously. What was initially created as a source of entertainment has morphed into an abundance of organized leagues.
A key reason the esports industry has grown by such magnitude is the hard work and dedication of the tournament organizers, the teams, developers, and the audience. It is rumored that the esports fanbase is now as massive as that of the Major League Baseball.
Gaming
Gaming refers to the playing of video games commonly done by gamers and gaming enthusiasts. Some games have a competitive element to them, while others don’t. Overall, gamers enjoy having titles attached to them, such as The Sims, Clash Royale, and Spider-Man. As defined, gaming involves playing videos ranging from single-player to multi-player games.
Another significant difference between gaming and esports is that while gaming can be competitive or not, the competitive aspect in esports is mandatory. Still, gaming cannot be categorized as esports, although it does involve competition. For a video game to be counted as esports, it must possess certain elements.
Gaming and esports are also considerably different in terms of investment, practices, market value, and audience, among many others. Simply put, gaming can be just playing candy crush on your phone. Video games are a huge business across age gaps, and it doesn’t have to involve online betting.
Technology transforming gaming and esports
A significant factor that has played into the esports industry’s rise and success is technology. Things have come a long way from past years, where enthusiasts had to schedule gaming sessions with friends and peers. Thanks to the 5G connection speed, esports and mobile sports are now an excellent avenue for fans and gamers to go up against the best.
On the surface, gaming and esports are similar, but deep down, they are also different in several ways. Fortunately, if you don’t want to play but want to do more than just watch others play, you can bet on esports. Most online sites nowadays offer members the chance to bet on esports alongside the more traditional sports. Betting on esports has also become more popular as it is easy to follow and lesser variables. Usually, you just bet on who will win.
Another aspect of technological advancement that has infiltrated the industry is blockchain. For the past few years, it has impacted how esport players sign contracts, protect the integrity of their bets, and get paid.
Tournament organizers are increasingly forming partnerships with companies providing blockchain technology, enabling the integration of real-time esport games statistics with ongoing betting markets. Most of the investments in this industry come from corporate sponsorship.
Take Away
When many esports and gaming enthusiasts play games, they mainly do it as a hobby and unwind after a busy day, although they’ll typically get a little competitive. If you want to make substantial money from gaming, you have to train like an esport athlete since they are trained to play against the best. After all, you will be going up against the best yourself.