ESPN, the main hub for US sports scores and discussion and self proclaimed "worldwide leader in sports" wrote an article on their X Games branch about the future of eSports. It briefly mentions some recent tournaments mostly for their size and prize pool, then attempts to make some comparisons to other sports before delving into Oculus Rift and VR gaming potential.
Many of the biggest names in premier eSports like "Call of Duty," "League of Legends," "DOTA 2" and "Hearthstone" regularly stream themselves practicing their game of choice while interacting with viewers via a chat room connected to their live stream. Viewers can get their gameplay questions answered by top players in real time, while eSports pros can joke or share details about their personal life with no intermediary, building a personal connection with fans while also getting much-needed practice to keep their in-game skills honed.
Increasingly, tech giants and entertainment moguls are turning their attention to this remarkable platform that eSports fans and organizers enjoyed for years. Amazon recently purchased a flagship video game streaming platform, Twitch, for nearly $1 billion as part of a big bet on the future of content delivery and entertainment consumption.
Stephen "Snoopeh" Ellis, a highly successful 24-year-old professional "League of Legends" pro, agrees. "The intimacy that the community and fans get from watching and interacting live with eSports pros is one of the secret sauces. It's why eSports has seen such explosive growth and why fans engage with so much enthusiasm," he said.
If streaming is the cart racing of eSports, virtual reality is its Formula One.
Much ink has been spilled about the potential of Oculus Rift, a VR headset originally designed for video games that made a $2.5 million splash on Kickstarter in 2012 and was acquired by Facebook for $2 billion in March.
Much ink has been spilled about the potential of Oculus Rift, a VR headset originally designed for video games that made a $2.5 million splash on Kickstarter in 2012 and was acquired by Facebook for $2 billion in March.
Not everyone sees the potential through rose-colored VR goggles. "Fans love streaming and eSports because pros are doing what they want to mimic. Pros have the same general equipment and are playing the same game as them. The more you move to really expensive equipment like VR headsets and custom treadmills, the less accessible you get, the less you resonate with fans. It's something to be cautious of," [Stephen "Snoopeh"] Ellis said.
Not really much here but interesting since ESPN has been picking up various tournament finals for display on ESPN 3. More exposure and legitimacy for younger kids trying to convince their parents it's worth their time perhaps? The article from the New Yorker was better imo, if still about pretty much nothing.