Anyone who knows anything about modern gaming will know how popular eSports is now. Taking video gaming and turning it into a competitive sport in which teams of players battle it out in popular titles, eSports has seen a dizzying rise in recent times. Many experts think that it will generate $1.1bn in annual revenue this coming year, with over $1.5bn made each year by 2022. When you add in the many, many global fans who watch online or at real-world events, the industry looks set to grow even more into the future.
Of course, the popularity of eSports and how it influences other sectors is also part of its success. Big games including Counter Strike: Global Offensive can be gambled on now at specialist CSGO betting sites. Betting is big business in some countries, and the cultural significance of betting in places like the U.K cannot be understated. Major brands have also been fast to see just how eSports could help them reach a big new audience and get involved.
What about console eSports?
When it comes to eSports, the traditional focus has been on leagues played by gamers on PC. This has in general been at the expense of console eSports on machines such as the PlayStation 4, which has usually been seen as the ugly sister, so to speak. While there are events and leagues for console players, they still do not carry quite the same weight as their PC cousins.
Why is this? It normally goes back to the old-fashioned view that console games are easier and less complex than PC titles and therefore inferior. There is also a certain level of snobbery around console players – generally speaking, some people who play on a PC can think themselves more dedicated and skilled than PlayStation or other console gamers.
The failure of CSGO – has an opportunity been missed for eSports on consoles?
With the above in mind, many PlayStation gamers feel that an opportunity has been missed to really make eSports a major part of console play so far. Why has this happened?
- Lack of competitive leagues for consoles – although there are leagues for console eSports players to join, such as the ESL Leagues accessed from the PS4, in general terms, there are not as many as those for PC players to take part in. Many feel that this is a major lack of support for console eSports and something that could really help it gain traction. Whether we will see more competitive leagues for console players spring up in the future, only time will tell.
- Lack of support from industry – many console gamers feel that the stigma attached to playing games on something like a PS4 is still present. Has eSports itself done enough to promote console-based events that run and give them parity with PC championships? This also gives rise to examples of publishers themselves neglecting console versions of popular eSports titles. Valve failed to update their console ports of the hugely popular eSports title Counter Strike: Global Offensive or give it any post-release support, focusing instead on the more profitable PC counterpart.
- Have Sony and others done enough? – although Sony has been the platform of choice for the Call of Duty World League since 2016, and Call of Duty is also one of the premier eSports titles, many feel that they and other big console companies have not done enough overall. Many believe that more should have been done to develop other first-party titles and improve platform services to make it easier for people to play or watch console eSports.
- Not as much money for console eSports – although recent events such as the 2016 Halo World Championship had a large prize fund, there is still a general sense that console eSports do not always get a fair share of the funds coming into the whole sector. Many think that a fairer split of this prize money would have helped support console-based eSports and helped more professional players choose console-based events or play.
Can console eSports strike back?
The good news for console-based eSports is that there may still be time for it to enjoy a revival. Many are now starting to see that console gamers have just as high a skill level as their PC counterparts. In addition, the games companies are starting to look at developing new titles to help. This could well be the start of superb growth in the coming years for console eSports. In terms of online sports for PlayStation gamers, an upgraded Call of Duty league and newer titles such as Black Ops 4 with special eSports-friendly modes of play will certainly help.