Esports, or electronic sports, are competitions of video games that are contested by teams for entertainment, prizes, or money. They are a major part of the gaming industry and can be viewed by millions online, on television, or in person. Popular esports include the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) League of Legends, Dota 2, Valorant, and fighting games such as Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat.
Many esports tournaments feature large prize pools, international recognition, and professional status for competing players. Some even have a regular season and playoffs similar to traditional sports leagues. Tournament organizers can also rank teams and players based on their performance in matches, creating a competitive ladder that can influence future matchups.
While esports are often considered new, their roots date back to the first home consoles like the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972 and the Atari 2600 in 1977. The first official esports competition was the Intergalactic Spacewar Olympics in 1980, and soon after came nationwide contests for games such as Pong and Space Invaders.
Today, esports are backed by major brands and watched by millions. They’re also subject to some of the same scandals and controversies as traditional sports, including cheating and drug use. For instance, in 2015 a member of the professional League of Legends team Cloud9 claimed that his teammates were using Adderall to improve their performances, which led to the introduction of randomized drug tests and other anti-doping measures for esports competitors.