A guide to Esports

With the inclusion of esports in the Commonwealth Games, it’s important to understand what esports is, why it’s growing in popularity, and if there are any specific risks or harms to consider. A trending topic like esports usually brings new terms and concepts in its wake, so reviewing terms associated with the world of esports will help increase your knowledge and understanding of how this new sphere of digital sporting works.

What are Esports?

Esports (or electronic sports) are best understood as competitive-level online videogaming. Esports players compete against each other for prizes, money, and prestige. Any videogame with the potential for competition can become an esport – from sporting simulations (e.g. FIFA) to first-person shooter (e.g. Call of Duty) to battle arena style (e.g. Rocket League). Esports are fast developing and gaining more momentum each year, with the industry growing in value every year.

An esports event can be for a solo player or team based. Like traditional sports, esports require training, skills, and time. Teams have coaches, sponsorships, and friendly matches for practice (called ‘scrims’) before competitions. The games themselves are designed to be immersive and to encourage players to become the best, with in-game rewards and achievements awarded to higher levels of skill.

This sporting style is becoming increasingly popular with younger generations. Games that children and young people may be playing daily, such as Fortnite and Minecraft have cemented themselves in the esports scene, hosting tournaments and causing some professional players to gain celebrity-like status. There are sporting clubs, such as Manchester City, who recruit players. Even celebrities, such as David Beckham, co-own esports.

Like traditional sports, esports have a spectator element to them in which fans watch tournaments and matches, support particular teams, and admire certain players. Esports tournaments can range from small-scale events aimed at amateur enthusiasts or large-scale events for professional teams sponsored by game publishers. This may sound like a collection of smaller gatherings, but many of these tournaments take place on a massive scale. For example, battle arena videogame Dota 2 hosts a tournament called ‘The International’ every year, selling out stadiums and boasting a $34 million (£25.8 million) prize pool.

Why Do Young People Like Esports? 

Remember trying hard to erase the name at the top of the list on the Pac Man machine at the arcade? The competitive nature of games that sparked friend-versus-friend matches and sibling rivalries is what esports is built on. 

Esports may have been around for several years now, but the recent rise in popularity can be attributed to livestreaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube. With the rise of streaming and influencers, professional esports players are being regarded like professional footballers. These professional players are often also content creators who livestream the game they compete in during downtime, training time, and online tournaments. Livestreaming has helped expand esports as a legitimate career option or goal for many people. 

Due to this, esports amateur tournaments happen regularly, with players engaging with friends or getting matched up against other players online. Amateur tournaments are often advertised on the games themselves, offering in-game rewards for the winners. Some professional tournaments even host events for amateur teams to compete for a chance to play against the pros in professional events.

Potential Risks

When considering the widespread (and rising) popularity of esports, it’s important to highlight the potential risks that can affect both online and offline life. 

Inappropriate and distressing content

Games may contain inappropriate or distressing content which a child or young person could be introduced to through watching or by playing. This could include violence or inappropriate language.

Gambling

Most games have a form of loot boxes (in-game treasure chests) for purchase, which could result in unhealthy spending habits, especially when boxes offer competitive advantages. Children and young people may not understand the mechanics of gambling (like risk and reward) and this increases chances of possible exploitation.

Rapport in games

Esports are played by people of all ages all over the world. When playing team-based games, the child in your care could match up against strangers in a team. This could create a potential environment for grooming (when an adult builds a relationship with a young person based on trust and connection to manipulate, exploit, and abuse them).

Cross-platform risks

While playing online, there is a risk that gameplay sessions move across platforms (such as using Discord for voice chat). It is also likely that young people may want to follow their favourite esports teams and players on social media and engage in discussions with other fans. This could make it easier for strangers to contact them and introduces more avenues where abuse could take place. There is also a danger that platforms may be end-to-end encrypted, a system that keeps interactions between users private and therefore not accessible to law enforcement.

Time consuming

Practicing and competing in tournaments requires a time commitment. This could interfere with schoolwork, sleep schedules, and family routines. It could also introduce added stress if a young person is using all their free time to engage in training and competition, without leaving time to relax by doing other things.

Emotional Distress

Much like traditional sports competition, especially in a team setting, there is a chance that a bad match could frustrate a child or young person playing the game. They may also get upset if their favourite team doesn’t win or perform well. This could result in negative emotional reactions such as outbursts, sulking, or fixation.

Lack of oversight

Esports lack an overarching authority body like those in traditional sports, such as the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) in football. Bodies, like the International Esports Federation (IESF) are still in the early stages of attempting to introduce global regulation standards. This is problematic because there are no standards for accountability and a disparity in rules and requirements for competitions.

Sponsorships

It is common for pro-players to be sponsored by companies, like energy drinks. Popular creators often have ‘signature’ flavours aimed at their fans and promotion codes that are constantly advertised on streams and social media. This could influence a child or young person to want to buy these products despite potential dangers of excessive caffeine intake.

Advice

To help you give the best care and support possible, use the following guidance where necessary. 

• Be mindful of in-game content. Some videogames will use and promote content that could be harmful, such as gambling or violence. Ensure the rating is suitable for the age or tolerance of the person playing/watching it.
• Engage with the topic. Try not to ban certain games from being played or watched without discussing it first. You might even want to play a game yourself or watch an esports match to better your understanding.
• Balance screentime. Encouraging limits on the amount of screentime will help find accessible healthy habits. Use phrases like “When will your match be done?” or “I’ll need you in 10 minutes” to avoid confrontation or stress.
• Be realistic. If someone you know has ambitions to become an esports player, it’s important to know how to manage expectations while still supporting their dreams. Help them to set realistic goals they can meet.
• Encourage digital safety. Advise against sharing personal information with other players, including within gamertags and usernames, especially if someone is engaging in livestreaming or gaming communities with strangers.