E-sports (Literature & Language Research Paper)

E-Sports
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E-Sport
Introduction
Esport, also called electronic sports, e-sports, or eSports, is a sports competition that entails video games. ESport is among the fastest-growing activities worldwide, with more and more individuals engaged as players and spectators. It involves organized, multiplayer video game competitions, pitting individual players or teams against the others. E-sport represents a multibillion-dollar entertainment industry. With emerging technologies, increased smartphones, and broader internet accessibility, the E-sports present significant economic growth potential and provide timely and seamless entertainment solutions for gamers. E-sports potentiality is enhanced by ever-increasing population numbers, especially among the young population. Despite E-sport’ perceived benefits and potential, it comes with downsides. Some critics of the E-sports are questioning its role in society. What impact doe E-sports bring to or society? Is it a necessary and prevalent sports activity? If we agree that E-sport has both pons and cons, do the benefits outweigh its downsides? Controversy surrounds E-sport's concept, is a sporting or recreational activity? While some view E-sport as a sporting activity, others feel that it is a more recreational event. The question illustrates how the concept of E-sport is an elusive and divisive idea. However, many will agree that E-sport is an ambivalent concept that relies on personal views, realities, perceived benefits, downsides, and its overall impact on society.
Is E-sport a real sport?
There is a contestation regarding whether E-sports should be considered as a sports activity or not. Hallmann & Giel (2018) dissected the issue providing clear delineations between Esport and perceived ‘non-sport’activity. The authors evaluated in-depth features of advanced key contrasting features. Currently, Esport is not considered a sport, but it holds significant potential to become a real sporting activity in the future.
International sports organizations are thinking about putting up E-sports completion in the future. For example, the British daily newspaper reported that there would be a medal event in the 2022 Asian Games while the Guardian was captured in 2017 talking about the Olympic Council of Asia attempt to include electronic sports or competitive gaming in 2022 (Hallmann & Giel,2018). E-sports' future considerations as a sporting activity organized by recognized sports bodies reflect a positive trajectory for Esport. The future for e-sport is promising and presents unquantifiable opportunities for young people worldwide to interact virtually through sporting activities.
The Council of Europe’s European Sports Charter defined sport as an activity that encompasses physical activity, which is carried out in a way that is casual or organized, intending to enhance physical fitness, mental well-being, nurturing social relationships, and obtaining results in the contextualized competition (Hallmann & Giel,2018). The authors argued that two fundamental features should be present to qualify an activity as a sport. First, it should entail physical activity. Second, it ought to practice as a recreational activity. Sport activity is not only about physical activity and recreational purpose but also involves an element of competition, the framework of institutional organization, and general acceptance by media, public, or sports organizers (Hallmann & Giel, 2018). The parameters that denote the meaning of sporting activity can be applied to evaluate e-sport to determine whether it is a sport. It is already known that e-sport is recreational activity.
When it comes to e-sport, the element of physical activity is elusive. The issue of physical activity disorganizes the belief that games like chess, darts, poker, snooker, or Esports, are sports and creates non-ending debate surrounding these classes of games. Based on the definition that physical activity is required to burn calories or leading to energy expenditure, it appears that e-sport may not show any form of physical activity. Hence, it can be considered as a non-sporting activity.
Hamari and Sjöblom (2017) described eSports as “a form of sports where electronic systems facilitate the primary aspects of the sport; the input of players and teams, as well as the output of the eSports system, are mediated by human-computer interfaces” (p. 211). More often, the definitions of esports omit the element of physical activity.
However, it is inclusive of the element of physical activity. Some governing bodies may not consider the aspect of physical activity when defining sporting activity. For instance, the German Olympic Sports Confederation’s (DOSB) acceptance of chess as a sport reflects a case where the sport's physical component has not been considered (Hallmann & Giel, 2018). Others argue that the Esport games are always engaged in physical activity, which qualifies eSport as a true sport.
Sport activity is recreational. It also satisfies individual needs, such as nurturing relationships with team members and creating a group or interpersonal relationships. E-sport has an element of recreation. Thus, there is no argument regarding this point. Are e-sports competitive? Yes, it is true. Teams and individuals compete through virtual or internet platforms. In some instances, some spectators and fans are following up such e-sports. E-sports lack organization structures. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in 2017 that it is uncertain that e-sport is a sporting activity because it lacks the organizational structures and physical activity...