Esports is one of the most popular sports in our school, but some people may argue that esports is not a real sport. And that’s what I am going to disprove: because esports is a real sport.
The first argument is that there is not much movement when playing a video game compared to golf or bowling. They may be right, but what happens in-game is much more movement than you may think. We use our hands to react quickly to the characters we play in Super Smash Bros.; this is not just Super Smash Bros. It could be any game, like Mario Kart, Rocket League, or other official games.
The second argument is whether it is even a sport because it’s digital. To me, that factor is not relevant, real or not; there is still some very real competition here, even if it’s digital. You can learn some sports moves in-game that you can do in real life. For example, in Madden, some strategies can also apply in real football, such as tackling, blocking, and route running.
There are also plenty of myths about esports, one of them being that only kids play video games. To me, that’s not true because there are players out there who are young adults who play video games and are professional esports athletes, according to ZipRecruiter.com.
Another myth about esports is that it does not teach valuable skills. That’s a no in my book, because it teaches us teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and strategic planning, not just Smash Bros. Examples of games that teach the skills listed above are It Takes Two, Fortnite, Splatoon 3, and Pokémon UNITE. This can also apply to any game that’s played in esports.
In the game It Takes Two, two non-player characters must work together to beat the game by helping each other complete tasks that are impossible to do solo. In Fortnite, we attack other players using the weapons we find around the map, but we also need to communicate with our teammates to succeed. It’s not just shooting; it’s team strategy. In Splatoon 3, you shoot ink at the other players to win the match by using critical thinking to come up with strategies to take on the other players. In Pokémon Unite, you have to score points on the other team to win while attacking other opponents by using strategic planning. You can plan out your next move and moves with the Pokémon, kind of like League of Legends.
The last myth I will talk about is that you can easily turn pro. That is not true because it took me a long time to get to the level that I am at. I also know some people who took a long time to go pro. Some people I know were new to esports and are now professionals at it. This is similar to the challenge an athlete has when attempting to become a professional football, soccer, or basketball player. It takes teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and strategic planning to be a professional.
These are all the myths and false arguments about esports as a real sport, and I hope I’ve disproven them. It’s a unique sport that deserves more love because of the accomplishments players have made in esports. Now, telling you all about why these are myths and not facts, it’s time to answer this once and for all: Is esports a real sport? Yes, it definitely is.
https://gclancers.com/news/2020/3/20/debunking-10-myths-about-esports.aspx
