The eSports Expansion: Is it all for the good?

That is for us to decide.

May 07, 2024

By us, I mean the entire community of people who are a part of this digital gaming world. Be it players, organizers, or the stakeholders; we’ve all chosen to be proud participants of this sporting industry and it is up to us to carve out a bright future for it.

Call us biased, but we’re all here because of a fierce love for this industry. It has expanded the definition of a ‘sportsperson’ and has brought digital athletes out from the shadows, and into the global spotlight.

It has become a sporting world of its own with a large community of players. It has tournaments on large scales and highly-valued prizes, which are not much different from those in physical sports like cricket or tennis. The growth of this sector is seen everywhere and needs no proof, yet the numbers speak for themselves. eSports was globally valued at $1983M in 2023, and it is expected to become $10,905M in the next ten years.

But, is there something else we need to be aware about? Does this expansion come with an asterisk mark, one that requires our attention and needs to be urgently addressed to fully harness the benefits of eSports?

What is going well with eSports?

Let’s start with all the positives first.

In India itself, the number of eSports players are predicted to become 15,00,000 till 2027. The number of players worldwide will be infinitely larger than this. There is bound to be some magnetic power in the industry that pulls so many people toward it.

Providing a Sense of Community & Belonging

I would hail this as the biggest pro for eSports. It breaks boundaries and builds bridges.

Every member here is part of a larger group, where everyone is united by a common interest that sets the foundation for new friendships and bonds. Those who find it hard to connect and socialize in real life can do so easily within a virtual world.

55% of people globally took this up as a means of avoiding loneliness and isolation.

It lets players meet others with similar interests or from different places. While some game for competition or challenges, others value the quality of connections over quantity. Irrespective of who you are or where you’re from, you’re in a safe and comfortable space.

Fostering Mental Health

Building on the point mentioned above, having people that you can connect to and being included in an open community is bound to do wonders for maintaining good mental health.

It may seem hard to believe, but the eSports industry has tackled many important issues faced by people, right from feeling socially secluded to even other critical areas of mental health.

Such platforms have been linked with a reduction in stress levels, lowered risks of anxiety or depression, and an increase in attention span. Using eSports in certain ways for mental health can be just as beneficial as traditional, physical sports.

Boosting Cognitive Growth

Ask a couple of common people what they think eSports is. Most of them would think it is limited to random clicks and jabs on a keyboard, or wasting time with video games.

But what if I told you it is a useful way of boosting cognitive skills? That’s exactly what I will now explain.

It can enhance critical brain functions like decision-making, strategic planning, and responsiveness. Many of the games require strategizing at some level, which leads players to exercise and hone their cognitive abilities.

Players have to think on their feet, because the outcome of their game rests on that. Being conscious of these skills and mindfully applying them can have long-term benefits in the studies or professional lives of players. And as a bonus, you win more games too!

Within Europe, 68% of players attributed their cognitive development, and 66% attributed their enhanced problem-solving skills to gaming.

Expansion of Economies

eSports has much larger benefits than helping individual players.

And by large, I mean it affects national economies.

The industry attracts a lot of players and enthusiasts, which leads to tournaments, leagues, ads, and sponsorships, which in turn, attract a lot of money. This impact is especially seen in boosting local economies through tournaments, creating jobs and financial security, and helping grow related industries.

It’s not just me saying this. Studies say that such events have an economic impact of the magnitude of $100M for the host city.

Where do we need to improve?

eSports gets a lot of things right.

But, there are some aspects of it that need to be worked on or addressed.

Hindrances to Health

Granted, eSports is equally a part of the sporting world. But it is not something that requires running, jumping, kicking, hitting, or pretty much any movement.

eSports players are no doubt sportspersons, but they miss out on the same physical stimulation and benefits that other sportspersons get. It can give way to a sedentary lifestyle, which puts players at risk of a variety of associated health problems like weight gain, diabetes, or heart disease.

You’re sitting with bad posture, with your eyes locked on a screen, and your hand moving very fast.

It hence comes as no surprise that as per statistics, extreme eye fatigue was reported by 56% of eSports athletes, back & neck pain due to posture by 42%, and strain on wrist muscles by 36%.

Compromised Cybersecurity

The industry runs on online platforms, digital competitions, and virtual communication.

This puts it at the highest spot of risk for breaches in cybersecurity.

Almost every stakeholder is affected by different types of attacks. For example, tournaments suffer from DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks wherein servers and platforms are flooded with usual traffic that overwhelms them, makes them inaccessible, and disrupts the events. Such DDoS attacks have seen a 67% Y-o-Y increase within the last 2 years.

The players are perhaps the most impacted by serious problems like stolen personal data, or compromised financial details which makes them vulnerable to identity theft, ransom demands, fraud, etc. 22% of players have suffered monetary loss due to such attacks on their gaming profiles.

Lack of Regulations

The industry grew so fast that the framework of regulations could not match its speed.

There are no formal rules that guide how tournaments are run, or how players are treated. Without these, players may face problems like unfair contracts, inconsistency in tournaments, or inadequate protection against harassment.

The industry even faces issues of match-fixing or cheating that negatively affect the validity and integrity of competitions.

When I mentioned that it is up to us to decide whether eSports expansion is all good or has its share of problems, I meant that we need to find the best way to balance its pros against its cons.

We need to remember the ways in which it helps people and try to maximize these benefits. At the same time, we need to keep in mind that it has its drawbacks which need to be minimized.

Once we strike the right balance, our eSports world will not only keep growing, but will grow in a sustainable, fair, and responsible way.

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