Esports credibility alongside traditional games (darts analogy)
Esports credibility alongside traditional games (darts analogy)
One of the most popular competitions in bars and pubs across the UK are darts events. I wondered why such activities are seen as real sports while electronic ones aren't. Darts doesn’t require physical effort and mainly tests hand-eye coordination, similar to esports. Maybe I’m misunderstanding the point here since I don’t play darts (and I might be biased as an esport fan). This is just a brief note—no need for a full essay. Looking for some thoughts on this comparison. Happy new year!
It’s not a video game and doesn’t need any technology to function, which is likely the key distinction. Many believe esports is just players repeatedly pressing buttons against each other, but it actually demands sharp reflexes, well-thought strategies, and strong teamwork for most titles. If you look at darts compared to games like CS:GO or LoL, it’s clearly a much higher level of skill.
coming from someone who was part of the Paladins esports community for a while, especially those unfamiliar with gaming, why would a 50-year-old without tech skills suddenly appear in government?
It’s similar to claiming that aspiring soccer stars grasp teamwork and tactics. In reality, many lack these skills, even though football remains the globe’s top sport—though I wouldn’t suggest esports should match its reach.
They likely don’t grasp the full scope and complexity involved in building and running new strategies. It seems like they view the situation as just a chaotic clash without real planning or teamwork. This might come across as dismissive, but I’m pretty sure that’s how it’s perceived. I compare them to my mom, who also doesn’t get esports and sees it mainly as entertainment rather than a serious competition.
I completely understand this perspective. When I chat with friends who aren’t into gaming, the conversation often moves toward esports, but I struggle to clarify how competitions actually function in video games since they’re unfamiliar with the concept.
Think about it this way. Darts has majority of viewers and players who were young in 60s and 70s. In fact, professional darts has started in 1976 (Wikipedia...). At the moment eSports have very few mid-aged personel to get it growing. Old fashioned folks (like those who play and watch darts) don't believe bunch of kids could run multi-billion dollar operations like eSports tournaments. Wait 10-20 years and darts is the one in shadows. Streaming is already beating TV as viewing platform, and those folks don't know how to use internet (being bit sarcastic here). We just need to wait that people who have grown up with eSports are in that middle aged demographic who says what is worth of watching.
Lol... the 2017 League of Legends prize pool was around 4 million dollars, with most of it coming from ticket sales and merchandise and a bit from donations. In sports, you can easily secure million-dollar deals and fill huge stadiums worldwide. I wouldn't say it's a people issue—it's more about infrastructure. Plus, the players are really young these days. "If you had the chance to go to an esports event near you, would you definitely go?"
Strategies are what you use during a match, while tactics are things like catching the ball or intercepting passes. As for teamwork, no game is complete without it. If you can't play well as a team in a game, you're basically playing solo against your opponent.