Esports tournament news brings together professional gamers who compete in games like Dota 2, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike. They often take part in events with massive prize pools and can draw in tens of thousands of spectators. There are also specialized teams that focus on one game, such as Astralis, known for winning multiple CSGO tournaments.
While esports may seem new, competitive gaming has been around for decades. The first esports competition is credited to have occurred in 1972, when Stanford University’s artificial intelligence lab held the Intergalactic Spacewar Olympics. This event involved players battling each other head-to-head over a video game and was sponsored by Rolling Stone magazine, which awarded the winner with a year’s subscription. A more mainstream contest popped up in 1980, when the first national Space Invaders competition took place. The 1980’s saw the rise of other arcade and console-based tournaments, including Pong and Donkey Kong.
The esports world is still evolving, with new events and leagues popping up all over the globe. Some of these events are hosted by the biggest video game publishers, such as Riot Games and Activision Blizzard. Others are backed by major brands, such as Coca-Cola and Red Bull.
While esports doesn’t yet receive the same coverage as traditional sports, it has gained significant traction in recent years. In 2022, the University of North Dakota became the first school to offer a Bachelor of Science in Esports, an interdisciplinary degree that includes kinesiology, communications, and business.