eSports

I’ve been gaming for as long as I could remember; from childhood to adulthood, and from living in Japan to living here in the United States. While eSports hasn’t been around for long (or at least the televised eSports that many of us are used to seeing on say ESPN), I’ve always imagined it as being a big thing for gamers.

What is eSports?

The first quetion we have to address is “What is eSports?” The answer is fairly simple; it’s an electronic sport in which professional and intermediate player game against one another on a virtual battlefield. In the early 2000s and early 2010s, this was not really prevalent; despite having its origins date as early as the early 1970s, it was not until the 1990s where communities began to grow, and it was not until the 2000s and early 2010s where people can compete from the comfort of their homes against other players. While it may seem a little niche to some, it is ultimately one of several sports-like activities that captured the minds of hundreds of thousands.

My Early Days and Dreams of eSports

I’ve participated in a number of eSports practice sessions in the form of competitive gaming on game called “Halo: Reach”. Around this time, eSports was still in its infancy but was also gaining momentum. Even though I was fairly young (I started playing competitively around 2011), I was a pretty good shot and highly perceptive in many game modes. I was so good, in fact, that my friends, teachers, and even my family believed that I had what it took to get into the national or even international league through MLG, or Major League Gaming for short. I’ve missed most of my opportunities, however, and ultimately never had the chance to make it in the big leagues.

Where Am I Going from Here?

That doesn’t mean, however, that I have given up. At the time of this post, I am a student and thus education is a main priority. However, I have been considering returning to eSports in the form of the Overwatch League, playing under the University of Hawaii’s banner. It will take a lot of practice and it will not be an easy feat as now there are a lot of different gaming leagues. However, there are now a lot of opportunities for eSports that I can take.