On a more managerial level, member attributes, motivation, and team process the basic characteristics of any kind of high-performing sports and esports team.
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Esports is one of the most crucial parts of the currently growing ecosystem. With the popularity of Esports and gaming growing across the world, it becomes crucial to understand how this ecosystem will grow in the future and how teams are made and retained over time. Inconsistences in the definition of esports remain, although pundits stick to the definition that esports refers to structured, computer-mediated, and competitive multiplayer gaming with spectators.
While it is different from traditional team sports which take place in the physical world, esports and sports do carry a lot of similarities of various kinds. For instance, Esport also relies on teamwork that revolves around coordination, communication, and cohesion. On a more managerial level, member attributes, motivation, and team process the basic characteristics of any kind of high-performing sports and esports team.
Well, the origin of e-sports is not that big a mystery. For the skeptics and disbelievers, the first e-sports event dates back to 1972. The grand prize for the winner was a year-long subscription to Rolling Stones magazine.
However, it wasn’t until 1980 whereby the first video game competition was held. The Space Invaders Championship had a great attendance of 10,000 participants.
It got a lot of media attention since Space Invaders (the game of the tournament) was a household name.
In the later stage of the 1980s esports was starting to get dominated by Nintendo as they took the control, graphics, and accessibility of gaming to a whole new level.
It is clear that the phenomenon of esports gaming has created lucrative market opportunities that involve big investors who could be a part of the market in different ways. It could be through making and marketing the games, organizing gaming events, playing games, or being a spectator.
Gaming and esports were mostly curtailed to bulky PCs that were expensive to make. But they were the next step in evolution.
India saw the onset on internet in the early 1990s, and one of the most popular PC games– Counterstrike was launched in 1999s. And soon, Counterstrike became the number one multiplayer competitive game that is enjoyed and played by players across the globe. The game made its esports debut over two decades ago, offering 150,000 USD prize money. Many well-established gaming teams like NiP or SK gaming created a team for it. NiP won the first-ever CSGO victory at the event. This eventually shaped the FPS esports industry that is currently worth millions of dollars.
Besides that, one major element that plays a crucial role in the making of a good esports player or a great esports team is the fact that there is a huge level of synergy and great team dynamics in the team. Team dynamics and communication, if not at the best possible level, can be potential barriers for esports players in achieving optimal performance. Contrary to the stereotypical perception of gamers, esports players need to communicate with teammates effectively and operate as team members. It does in fact goes on to say that team dynamics takes a huge responsibility in the making of a team.
From the perspective of motivation, there is a clear demarcation in who would do what the team does. There is a clear-cut definition of every players’ role in the team. In the majority of cases, just like in traditional sport, it is the captain in Esports who makes the final call. The captain is responsible for holding the team together and looking at the alternatives when the team is in a tough spot.
However, the impact of participating in esports is not merely limited to players’ online behaviors. It has been found to bleed out into real-life suggesting that any discussion on the qualities and attributes of esports players should incorporate two contexts: virtual environment experience and in-person social outcomes.
One question that is often brought up in the discussion on group dynamics of esports. While sports teams are formed after years of training and hard work, but for Esports, most teams are made up of casual gamers who voluntarily form groups. While a narrow definition of esports may exclude the latter from being esports players, from the perspective of group dynamics, it is still worth considering both types of teams.
As discussed earlier, on the professional front, the trend of partnerships between esports leagues and investors play a huge role.
Bybit, a cryptocurrency exchange based in Singapore also announced a multi-year partnership with popular esports team NAVI (“Natus Vincere”). as per the deal, Bybit’s logo will be printed on NAVI’s jerseys as well as charity initiatives, school projects, and various other campaigns. Not just this, but Coinhako announced its sponsorship with the Mobile Legends team ALMGHTY, an up-and-coming Singapore esports squad. Half of the sponsorship money will be paid in the form of Etherium.
“The decision to embark on the first cryptocurrency funded sponsorship in esports, and the first by a crypto firm in Singapore, wasn’t a difficult one to make as it merges two of the hottest topics of 2021, i.e. cryptocurrencies and e-sports,” said Yusho Liu, co-founder and CEO of Coinhako. “As we continue to move forward in our mission of making cryptocurrencies accessible throughout Asia, this sponsorship will provide a boost in reaching a younger, mobile-first generation, and raising awareness through talented players in Singapore’s gaming industry.”
While many ask what are similarities between sports and Esports, the answer is rather simple. The required dedication, talent, practice, and effort are among the many similarities.
However, one could ask what attracts players towards Esports, then also the answer is pretty simple– it will be the availability.
Virtually everybody with access to a console or a computer could become a professional Esports player. To be a pro gamer, all you have to be is– diligent.
One doesn’t have to be tall, muscular, or be able to jump high. You just need to have dedication and love for the game you’re playing.
In India, people got exposure to Esports via streamers who played online, and competitively, as well. The argument that Esports should only be for the rich and the wealthy is often shunned by many when they tell their back story.
Many of them did not start with an expensive chair, a huge gaming set up, or a super powerful PC. They just had the will to succeed – and they did.
