2 minute read
Asian Games 2022 Welcomes Esports
ASIAN GAMES 2022
WELCOMES ESPORTS
Advertisement
WORDS BY DONNA AMO
The turn of the new year has brought a lot of good news for the esports community. The inclusion of esports in the 19th Asian Games 2022 as an official sport, has been a huge cause for celebration in the industry. This news brings esports one step closer to being recognized as a mainstream sport, something the industry has been trying to achieve for a long time. The decision was made by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and it will be the first time that it’s considered as a medal sport. The previous Asian Games in 2018 had included esports in its list but only as a demonstration sport. Over the years, the rise of esports is getting harder to ignore with the gaming industry growing exponentially in the past few years. The popularity of games like League of Legends, Valorant, Call of Duty, Dota etc., has paved the way for many avid gamers to go professional. Esports allows these gamers to take their skills to the next level by giving them a platform to compete with each other. One such example is the The International 2019: Dota 2 Championships which had a massive prize pool of $34,330,069 out of which the winning team took home $15,620,181. At the same time, there is a
growing number of people interested in watching the action play out. According to one website, the viewership for esports is projected to reach around 646 million worldwide by 2023. Given the nature of esports, there are a lot of reasons to acknowledge it as an official mainstream sport. Unlike certain physical sports that divide athletes according to their height, weight, gender, etc., in esports these things become irrelevant as it’s the mental strength and skills that count. Whether a player is male or female does not matter as both are equally capable at excelling in the sport. The digital medium of the game also makes it more fast paced and accessible.
Esports presence in India has been undeniable with millions of Indian gamers joining the community. Many famous Indian gamers like Tirth Mehta, who won a bronze medal in the Asian Games 2018 Esports category, and Karan Manganani who came in fourth in Clash Royale, have also expressed their delight and are looking forward to participating in the upcoming Asian Games. Organizations like The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) have begun preparations to ensure that Indian players are ready for the upcoming games. The possibility of winning a medal for the country could also be just the kind of push needed to get more support and sponsors for dedicated players.