Disney Jumps on eSports Hype

Now that Disney has jumped on the hype of competitive gaming, does this mean that eSports is for everyone?

22 West Magazine
Aug 28, 2017 · 2 min read

By Alexis Cruz Social Media Manager

Graphic by Francisco Valladares/Athletics Editor

I have always been a fan of video games, but I never thought that one I’ve grown to love would make an appearance on a major television network like Disney.

The wave of competitive gaming has taken over a wide array of audiences, pushing networking companies to invest in the phenomenon, but when Disney jumped on the hype as well, I started to feel a bit iffy about eSports as a whole.

On July 15, 2017 Disney’s satellite television channel, Disney XD, introduced a programming block entitled D|XP that caters to gamers and eSports fans alike. The programming block gave birth to shows that allow viewers to see which games are hot on the market and view YouTube gaming personalities on small-screen television, but honestly, it feels like a kid-friendly version of the G4 gaming channel that MTV produced back in the early 2000s.

And yet it wasn’t the shows that put me off. When the news dropped that Disney was going to be streaming parts of the 2017 EVO competition, I was completely floored. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to see how big eSports and gaming have become, but Disney buying into the hype felt invasive since the media company is taking advantage of their young audience. Though it is wonderful that many children and young adults share a common interest in competitive gaming, I argue that problems could arise in the community.

Popular competitive games such as “League of Legends” and “Overwatch” are notorious for being harsh communities for those who are completely new to the games. Ironically, both games necessitate the use of teamwork, but players do not always cooperate unless with people who are contributing in a seemingly positive way.

The problem here is that no one takes the time to teach newcomers how to play and no one influences them to stay in the community unless they have friends who are already a part of the community. Rather than building up the fanbase and being inclusive, competitive gaming pushes new players out unless they’ve received a special invitation from other players.

So are Disney’s growing ties to eSports and competitive gaming helping the community be more inclusive? Who knows, but I will say that Disney is exposing kids to the world of eSports and it is up to the viewers to either take part in the sport or simply be a spectator.

Either way, the sport will continue to flourish and grow, making eSports something to keep an eye out for.

22 West Magazine

A publication for the students, by the students. Since its inception, the vision of this publication has been to be "the students' newspaper." With each new staff and in this new iteration, 22 West Magazine has progressively taken steps to keep true to that ideal.

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22 West Magazine

Written by

For students, by students.

22 West Magazine

A publication for the students, by the students. Since its inception, the vision of this publication has been to be "the students' newspaper." With each new staff and in this new iteration, 22 West Magazine has progressively taken steps to keep true to that ideal.

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