Breaking Boundaries: The Impact of Esports on Sports Gaming and How to Become an Esports Gamer

When people talk about the thrill of a tightly contested match, the joy of cheering for the favorite team or the buzz of placing a bet on a potential winner, there is a common passion that's shared among fans of both esports and sports gaming. It's the passion for an amazingly crafted game, the desire to go head-to-head against a fellow digital player and the excitement that comes from the game in general.

This article aims to focus on the impact Esports has had on creating new economies, how to become an Esports player with a focus on football and the effects that this industry has had on the sports gaming industry in general. 

The Impact of Esports

There is no denying that Esports entered the field of sports gaming, took it next level and then continued to grow with no sign of slowing down. The reason the world knows about Esports and its strong impact is due to the high coverage and media attention it receives. This makes a lot of sense if you take a look at the vast figures. The Esports market worth was said to be a whopping 1.72 billion dollars in 2023 and is expected to grow to 6.75 billion dollars by 2030, which is a staggering figure. And it's not just players - viewership is reaching impressive numbers, too, with more and more people also betting on their favorite Esports teams just like they do their local hockey or football teams. With an already extensive coverage of popular US sports to bet on available at online sportsbooks, we can only expect to see more and more platforms covering Esports leagues and competitions as they continue to grow in both popularity and worth.

The Differences and Similarities Between Esports and Sports Gaming

There is a differentiation between Esports and sports gaming. Esports is the act of partaking in multiplayer tournaments or competitions as a fully-fledged professional gamer. These tournaments often last days and have massive arenas that spectators can visit to watch the masters at work. Sports gaming, on the other hand, is what most people know from playing their Xbox or Playstation at home – it's the normal sports games such as FIFA that you play on a normal or amateur level. FIFA is an increadibly popular football game that has shaped the way many people see this fantastic sport.  

Both the sports gaming industry and the Esports industry have had a positive and lasting impact on each other. It's almost as if one could not exist without the other, this is where their synergy comes in. Many professional gamers who now partake in lucrative Esports events, accredit their success to starting in the ranks of an amateur sports gamer. Many amateur players who have been spectators at Esports events vow to become professional gamers just from watching the games unfold live. Thereby showing that the two go hand in hand to a certain extent. You see, to be a fan of Esports, you probably started as a fan of normal sports gaming as they have many similarities in terms of game options and playing features – the only difference is that one is in a professional league and one is in an amateur league.

Becoming an Esports Gamer

If you are looking to become an Esports gamer, you should bear some things in mind. 

The first thing you are going to want to do is become great in one particular game. There are famous Esports options such as 'League of Legends', 'Rocket League' or 'Dota 2'. If you prefer something a bit more sporty, you can take a look at the aforementioned FIFA games which focus on English football. You need to focus on one, as to become a professional, you need to be exceptionally good, which is only possible if you spend countless hours practicing it. As the saying goes 'practice makes perfect'.

The next step in becoming a professional Esports Gamer is for you to join a community. This is the best and fastest way for you to become better. By joining a FIFA community, you will have direct access to useful information, such as when teams sell or buy a player, if the game has gone through a recent update or whether new features have been added to the game. It's the best way to stay at the forefront of changes, as each person in the community has a genuine interest in the game and will therefore share information freely.

Once you feel like you know which game you like the most and are part of a thriving community, you can think about investing in better gear. Don't rush this process, as gear can be expensive and you don't want to invest for nothing. If you are interested in playing some FIFA football, then consider getting a nice set of headphones, so that you can better communicate throughout the game, invest in a large display so that you can easily see the players and use the best console out there.

If you feel like you're ready, you can now join local events and try your hand at playing lower-level games. This will give you a great opportunity to play against others and see how you do, it will give you exposure to teams looking for new members and perhaps even for sponsors looking for excellent players to wear and represent their brand.