Esports, or electronic sports, are online gaming competitions in which amateur and professional gamers participate individually or on teams through organized leagues, often with monetary prizes on the line.

When did esports gain prominence?

Esports gained prominence about the cusp of the 21st century and swiftly grew into an organized form of gaming akin to traditional sports leagues.

What was the first cited instance of an esports competition?

The first cited instance of an esports competition was in 1972 at Stanford University’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory for the Intergalactic Spacewar! Olympics.

What are some popular esports genres?

Popular esports genres include multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), first-person shooter (FPS), real-time strategy, fighting, and simulated sports.

What challenges do esports competitors face?

Esports competitors face challenges such as insufficient infrastructure, lack of access to dedicated servers, cheating, use of performance-enhancing drugs, game fixing, and instances of discriminatory language.