The advent of eSports as a sporting sector to be taken seriously has been quite a speedy process by comparison with most other sports in the world today. The sport in its currently recognised form is relatively new, definitely a 21st century phenomenon, and we’re already seeing arenas being built for the purposes of playing popular games in front of paying crowds. In addition, betting sites like in2bet.com.cy are now taking bets for eSports events, which is about as clear a marker as it is possible to have. eSports are legit in every way that matters.
One difference that still stands out between eSports and traditional athletics is in the geographical profile of the sport. To take a look at soccer, for example, although it is a worldwide game and there are great players from all over the world, no team from outside of Europe or South America has ever won a World Cup. In other team sports, the dominant nations are usually wealthy Western countries with history and dedicated infrastructure. eSports, however, are not like standard traditional sports, as they have never required the same investment at an administrative level. As a result, the highest-achieving countries are different from what sports fans are often used to.
South Korea
In most sports, Korean performers are at least quite good, but the nation’s eSports stars are bona fide celebrities on a par with K-pop artists and the screen stars of hits like Squid Game and Parasite. The recent League of Legends Worlds saw two Korean teams meet in the final, with DRX winning out over T1. There is some consensus that Korea was the birthplace of modern eSports, and the nation certainly has a record to be envied when it comes to competitive gaming – something that is only going to grow as its strong team structure gets the chance to have a lasting impact.
China
If South Korea is at the top of the tree when it comes to eSports, then China is certainly the country that’s trying to knock them off that perch. Major eSport events have a tendency to turn into contests between these two huge South Asian nations. JD Gaming and Edward Gaming are two of the dominant teams that show up for all the majors and are a realistic contender to win when it matters. As with an increasing number of sports, eSports are well-funded in China, with the country seeing the medium as a chance to show what Chinese stars are capable of.
USA
The USA has always been at or around the forefront of video gaming as an industry, with American software houses being some of the most respected worldwide. Their eSports history is more based around individual stars such as Fortnite streamer Ninja, but you’ll usually see a few American teams at the key events, and the country hosted the final stages of the LoL Worlds in 2022. There are also signs that eSports is gaining a mainstream infrastructure in the country, with new arenas being built in increasing numbers.