Esports, It’s Digital

Sports Agency

By Alejandro Valadez

Photo Courtesy of Ahmad Kur

The Future of Entertainment

Esports have erupted in popularity, from single-player games to competitive shooters. The top players in the world have dedicated their time and energy to becoming the best at their game. So let’s see what it takes to be one of the top players in the world.

Esports teams like FaZe, Sentinels, and Liquid have led the gaming world in games like Fortnite. Individuals have also been able to showcase their talents and game sense in solo tournaments. its own difficulties, but the most important thing is that he goes to have fun and gain experience. When asked about his earnings, he said that each tournament ranged from a 50-500$ prize.

He explained that it can be very difficult playing against other players and finding motivation. Despite finding that it can be hard to have the motivation to play, he also says that it can be a great way to relieve stress.

There are solo tournaments for many games, but Rocket League is very popular today, with millions of people playing daily. Winning a professional solo tournament is easier said than done; it takes hours of practice every day and isn’t meant for everyone. Carson Jennings, 17, is a professional Rocket League player. “I have had a lot of stress from my homework, and playing rocket league helps me relieve that stress. It is an easy distraction from my school life, and it has allowed me to make some really good friends,” Colini said.

The better a player gets, the more tournaments they get invited to and the larger the prize pool becomes. The largest tournaments in 2021 included games like Dota 2, CS:GO, and PUBG, with the prize pools reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many of these

It is an easy distraction from tournaments have changed players’ my school life, and it has allowed lives and have me to make some really good even gotten friends. - Colini, Esports player them signed onto

“Working as a team is most challenging, communicating and passing are hard to master, and you can’t just play by yourself,” Colini said.

Colini has been playing since 2020 and has competed in more than 200 tournaments. He explained that each tournament is unique and has

professional teams. For others, their raw talent and dedication attract teams to them.

Indy “Space” Halpern of team Gladiators is a professional Overwatch player. He has been playing since 2017 and has ever since fallen in love with the game.

“Learning Overwatch came to me very quickly and I was playing about four to five hours a day. I played with my friends, I played by myself, and I even started watching Overwatch YouTubers to learn how they played and got so good,” said Halpern.

Hoping that a team would notice him, Halpern committed his full time and attention to Overwatch to better improve his skills.

“I first got noticed by Cloud9 and that was a huge moment for me because it was the first organization I was a part of and that I was able to compete with,” said Halpern.

Space is now 22 with the LA Gladiators and has been thriving ever since. When asked if he ever wanted to try a different game, Halpern said, “I see myself still playing; maybe a new game, who knows. I hope to stay with team Gladiators as I have made some great friends, and I wouldn’t mind a new game for a change.”

“My fans have been very supportive of me from the start. Even when I wasn’t playing or was more in the shadows I’ve had some very supportive and enthusiastic fans and two of them actually sent me a fan art that I really like and it’s very special to me.”

- Indy Halpern, Overwatch player

(Top) Colini air dribbling the ball towards the goal in Deadeye Canyon. Moments later, ElGranColini scores the qualifying goal for his team in the quarter finals of the world championship.

Photo Credit: ElGranColini

(Left) People gathered around a television to watch the FIFA 18 championship in London.

Photo Credit: Charles Keen