Most people have played a sport at least once in their lives. A sport is an activity involving physical exertion and skill, in which an individual or team competes against another for entertainment. Many electronic sports (esports) enthusiasts argue that esports fit the traditional definition of sports.
The International Dota 2 Championship tournament, which had a prize pool of over 34 million dollars, fits the definition of a sport. Professional athletes need skill, practice, speed and fast reaction in intense moments, but so does almost every video game player.
Esports are a form of competition using video games. They involve organized competitions, teams and tournaments. It takes skill and strategy to be good at games like Clash Royale, Fortnite and Minecraft. Professional gamers train for hours to master the game and improve their skills and knowledge in the game, and their reflexes and coordination are good, just like athletes.
VR adds a new point of debate. VR is a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by using a person’s special electronic equipment. Beat Saber is an amazing example where players use their arms to hit the targets on beat with a song playing in their ears. A game similar to Beat Saber is BOXVR, where you have a virtual opponent and have red spots on the dummy and the player has to hit the opponent at a certain speed and accuracy.
The Olympics are the most widely recognized and appealing sporting event in the world. The Olympics include athletes from over 200 countries, and even the International Olympics Committee (IOC) has begun exploring esports through events like the Olympic Esports Week.
“It really depends on the video game,” FHS freshman Kage Ngov said. “If you gain concentration from it it should be [a sport],”
Lastly, video games build mental strength, toughness and resilience in players. Competitive gaming can be very intense, especially in games like Clash Royale, which is very similar to advanced chess. Players need to think, count, listen and understand what their opponent is doing and be capable of feeling their own surroundings without looking.
“I think [that video games should be considered sports], as long as you’re moving your body,” FHS freshman Silas Sanchez said. “Sports, I would argue, are mostly about the strategy and love behind the game. So there is no reason why
shouldn’t be considered a sport.”
