eSports is now a big thing and is slowly dominating the gaming industry. Before, video games like "League of Legends" are considered a hobby, but now, it is slowly becoming a serious competitive sport which is gaining popularity even in mainstream media today.
Before, games like "league of Legends" are just past times for many and for a small circle of people, a game fit for competitive play. However, with the advent of platforms like Twitch and YouTube gaming, events such like competitions and tournaments are now gaining popularity and is now becoming a multi-million industry. According to CNN, the eSports industry is growing in such a rapid pace that it is estimated that by 2019, the industry's profit would be $1 billion. This will continue to increase, especially when more and more in media will cover these kinds of events.
According to Business Insider, it is very possible that the growing eSports industry would shape and even dictate the development of games in the future. There might be a time when most Triple A games would now be geared for competitive sports, like what EA did in their Battlefront franchise. Before there were only LAN party games, but know it is a worldwide competitive event that attracts serious eSports athletes and millions of spectators.
With the rising of Twitch and with its release of Pulse, eSports will continue to rise in popularity. ESPN have started to broadcast eSports games, making it almost in parallel with other physical sports. Technology continues to advance every moment and new development in gaming is a constant that everyone should expect. eSports may change the landscape of sports in general and in the end, people may be called eSports athletes in the future and regarded on the same level as other athletes we have today.
