Over the last century, a new form of entertainment came into our lives, sports. Sports became a huge industry and the players are international stars, everyone knows big names such as Michael Jordan, Ronaldo, and more. However, these days a new power is rising and that is esports.
Esports is competitive gaming in a nutshell. It is a multi-layered industry with millions of fans around the world. Some of the popular titles are Fortnite, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Valorant. Played in real-time the esports world offers something to everyone because it has so many different games in it. A card game fan can watch Hearthstone, and an NBA fan can watch NBA2K matches. Esports became one of the most important pillars of the entertainment industry.
The first video game tournament took place on 19 October 1972 at Stanford University, while this is considered the first organized tournament, today’s esports is much more advanced. According to recent data, esports is on the verge of breaking the 500 million viewers barrier by 2023. The modern world’s digital lifestyle paved the way for esports.
So what are esports games?
Esports games are not rigid and do not depend on one game, most games around the world can be integrated into the esports world. On paper, PvP (Player versus Player) games tend to be more adaptable to be an esports title but even Minecraft and Farming Simulator games have esports events. This universality is what makes esports unique. Anyone can find something within to peak their interests.
But in general, there are several main categories, multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), shooters, and sports games.
MOBA games are such as League of Legends or Dota 2. Each player has a character and a set of unique abilities that upscales throughout a round and which contribute to the team’s overall strategy. Players can buy items to enhance their abilities. Esports gamers try to destroy structures of each other on the map.
Shooters have several different categories within, currently games such as CS: GO and Valorant are the most popular ones. In these games, players play as a team to complete an objective, on a map. Matches can be intense and require a lot of tactical gameplay.
Over the last 5 years, we have seen another shooter genre rising, and that is the battle royale games. Titles such as PUBG and Fortnite took over the gaming world. In battle royale games players try to be the last survivor on the map. However, after some time the market was saturated with battle royale titles.
Sports Games can range from racing games to basketball games. Generally, rules are the same as traditional sports, these are simulators after all.
Esports Athletes
Esports athletes or pro-players are the top-tier gamers in a specific game. Talent will only get you so far, the players in esports teams have a different mindset from gamers. For example, for team-based games, players need to learn to operate with their teammates and think tactically.
They have their training regimens just like traditional sports athletes. Sometimes esports players train up to 14 hours a day. Their diet, sleeping times, and everything are monitored by experts.
Competitive gaming forces players to deal with extreme pressures. There have been many cases where players had a meltdown and gave up gaming. Therefore now there are teams with psychologists that help them.
How did esports become so large?
Compared to the football industry, esports is still minuscule but it is growing faster than all traditional sports. There are several reasons for this, first of all, esports is easily accessible, a fan can watch a match from several different platforms, you do not need a ticket or a monthly subscription to a channel to watch esports matches. Twitch, YouTube, and countless other streaming platforms are racing with each other, to get the broadcasting rights of esports events.
The digital world of esports offers easier access for sponsors. Just like football, esports managed to integrate famous brands into the game. Sponsors such as Honda, BMW paid millions of dollars just to put their logo within the game. Today top esports teams are sponsored by the top brands around the world. For example, luxury jewelry brand Tiffany and Co. designed championship rings and even cups for League of Legends. This alone shows us how huge esports become.
The birth of streaming platforms increased access to esports. Now, most esports players can connect with their fans over streaming platforms and their numbers multiplied over the years. Esports viewership is a core aspect of esports. Esports viewers or fans are universal and they do not depend on a certain city or a neighborhood for example.
Esports did not offer a viable income for players for some time. Years ago the games were played for a headset or a keyboard but today the biggest esports events can offer up to a $40m prize pool. But most of the players cannot reach this level and that is where IKONIC came in.
An IKONIC Vision
At IKONIC what we want to accomplish is to give players more freedom, allow them to earn from each magnificent moment that they create. Esports players are similar to artists, they create these magnificent moments for their fans but they cannot earn from those moments.
We encourage players to integrate blockchain technology into their lives and earn from each significant moment in their games. We want them to immortalize their moments and grow their communities. There are many hidden talents in the esports world that do not get the recognition that they deserve, with IKONIC NFT Marketplace these players will have a chance to shine.
What defines an esports player is not an NFT in the form of an artwork or a digital jersey, what defines them is their gameplay, that split-second gameplays that we all love to watch.
Our inspiration comes from sports collectibles, there are thousands of collectibles within the sports industry but nothing for esports. We asked ourselves what is the most valuable thing in the esports industry?
The answer was simple, fans want to own the moment, they want to capture “that second” that inspires all of us to turn on the PlayStation to try the same move. That moment where you see something incredible and want to keep it for an eternity. With the help of IKONIC’s NFT marketplace, you can own that moment forever.
IKONIC will show the players that they can earn with their passion. Fans will have access to these moments and collect them. They will OWN THE MOMENT!
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