IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT PHYSICAL ACTION
The common emphasis on physical exertion is not di cult to understand, but the rapid growth of esports means that it is not something that can be dismissed as a fringe phenomenon anymore.
The success of the Overwatch League aside, esports is projected to become a US$1.5 billion market by 2020, according to Newzoo’s Peter Warman. That’s a huge leap from a modest US$362 million in 2017.
To put things in perspective, the century-old NFL made US$14 billion in 2017, while the NBA pulled in just over US$7 billion.
However, it might be time to re-evaluate our denition of physical action, or even reconsider whether it’s a criteria that can still be justied in the current milieu. As the IOC said last year, competitive esports players train with a regularity and intensity that rival their counterparts in traditional sports.
In talks with Singapore-based Overwatch team Chaos Theory, Benjamin “Zest” Seet speaks of a training schedule that lasts from six to seven hours a day.
“This includes scrims and some ranked games, in addition to reviews of previous gameplay,” says Zest.
Zest is also quick to dispel the notion that esports players have it easy. “Everyone wants a job that lets them play games all day, but it’s actually quite di erent when games become your job. You need to train in order to continually improve, and it’s no longer about playing the game in your spare time for fun,” explains Zest.
“Most people also don’t see the e ort behind every win, so they seldom understand the hardship that accompanies the glory. They only see what is shown at the competitions. Unless they are informed otherwise or have the opportunity to experience it for themselves, the masses will always think that it’s easy to play games for a living.” Chaos Theory is Singapore’s rst professional esports team, which means its players receive salaries, CPF, and medical benets, much like any other employee. According to Drew Holt-Kentwell, the Co-Founder and owner of Chaos Theory, professional esports teams also share many similarities with regular athletic teams. “Players in esports can be scouted, drafted through a combine or academy, then signed to a team, much as in regular sports. Esports teams also rely on many of the same resources as the latter, with access to coaches, analysts, team managers, psychologists, and even physiotherapists,” Holt-Kentwell explains.
Furthermore, anyone who follows the professional esports scene will know that the scene isn’t exactly injury-free either. The intensive practice and repetitive movements take their toll, and wrist injuries are common.