Esports tournaments take video games to the next level – it’s like the gamer version of an athletic championship, with professional gamers competing on stage and online for prize money and brand sponsorships. These competitions are hosted by some of the biggest gaming companies in the world and attract millions of fans as well as global brands.
Despite its relative youth, the esports industry is now worth billions of dollars annually, supporting professional players, teams and events worldwide. And the number of people participating in esports is growing rapidly – it won’t be long before it breaks the 1 billion viewer and gamer mark.
One of the biggest esports tournaments is The International, where 16 teams (80 professional players) compete for a share of the $2.6 million prize pool in Dota 2, a strategy game made by Valve. This year’s event was broadcast in over 150 countries, with the most watched gamer being Faker, who took home $1.6 million for OG.
But as esports gain popularity and scale, the industry is also subject to some of the same scandals and controversies as traditional sports, including allegations of cheating, the use of performance-enhancing drugs, and even discriminatory language by some commentators. This has led to a number of esports governing bodies that are designed to regulate the industry on a regional or national basis.