{"id":98151,"date":"2018-03-14T17:22:50","date_gmt":"2018-03-14T16:22:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=98151"},"modified":"2025-07-01T23:36:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T06:36:23","slug":"beginners-guide-to-esports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/beginners-guide-to-esports\/","title":{"rendered":"Beginner\u2019s guide to eSports"},"content":{"rendered":"

Even if you haven’t picked up a controller in years, there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ve heard of eSports. Because of the rise of online multiplayer and video gaming, the eSports industry has grown exponentially. Experts estimate<\/a> that eSports will be a $1.5 billion industry by 2020, and today \u201cprofessional\u201d players are competing in tournaments boasting prize pools reaching up to $24 million.<\/p>\n

So what exactly is eSports, anyway? If you\u2019re looking to jump in on the trend or just want to get a better idea of what eSports is all about, this guide will give you the basics.<\/p>\n

A beginner\u2019s guide to eSports<\/h2>\n

What is eSports?<\/h3>\n

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In the simplest terms, eSports is competitive video gaming played at a professional level. The type of video game can include anything played with  a mouse and a keyboard or a controller or even arcade sticks. This includes competitive fighting games such as Street Fighter and Super Smash Bros; first-person shooters, otherwise known as FPS, such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Overwatch; and Multiplayer Online Battle Arena games like League of Legends and Dota 2.<\/p>\n

For those who grew up playing video games, you can think of eSports as your typical neighborhood game, but on a worldwide scale.  These days, the audience has gone from the usual bystanders at your local computer shop to anyone from anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n

Between the growing number of sponsors and tournament prize pools, skilled individuals can now earn a living from their gaming skills, just as how professional athletes have made millions off their prowess in a particular sport.<\/p>\n

How do you get into eSports?<\/h3>\n

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Competitive eSports has become a whole ecosystem, one that involves a lot more than just professional video game players. Though professional players get a huge chunk of the money, the industry – similar to that of any other sport – also includes team managers, coaches, analysts, streamers, casters, and writers<\/strong>, just to name a few.<\/p>\n

There are numerous ways to get your foot in the door. Getting into the industry itself requires a lot of hard work and dedication, just as getting into any other industry would. So before diving in, make sure it is something that you\u2019re truly passionate about.<\/p>\n

Alan \u201cNahaz\u201d Bester<\/strong> – a Dota 2 statistician, host, and analyst who runs a graduate program for economics at the University of Western Ontario – has a pretty good breakdown of what’s required to break into the eSports industry. You can watch it below:<\/p>\n