Grab the pizza and Dr. Pepper, LAN party tonight!
When compared to the lengthy history of traditional sports like football and baseball, any game that falls under the e-sports banner is still clearly in it’s infancy by comparison. But for as long as people have come together in the spirit of healthy competition, there has always been that special group of competitors who are unwilling to settle for anything less than mastery of their art.
Video games have long been a social tool, bringing friends together, both old and new, in the same fashion that a mutual appreciation for sports has fostered conversation for centuries. Many of us today grew up in a world where a fresh gaming console was released every few years, and summer weekends would be spent either flocking to our friend’s homes or welcoming crowds into our own to share in the unrivaled excitement of a new game. Multiplayer games, like Goldeneye and Super Smash Brothers for the Nintendo 64, provided the opportunity for throwing down the gauntlet, and challenging others to test your skills. The soda and junk food would flow freely, as the dawn would break to find many still clutching their controllers—their friends of lesser stamina sleeping around them.
The good old days
Computers would come to lead the charge for e-sports as we know it today, with the introduction of the LAN party. Congregations of eager gamers would descend on the chosen location for a day or more, grappling with countless networking issues to play a few matches of Age of Empires or Unreal Tournament.
Simple as it was, it was a glorious time to be a gamer.
If something is worth doing, it is worth doing in a big way. LAN parties increased in size and complexity, until events like DreamHack began to spring up worldwide, fostering the growing movement. Money began to change hands, both for event fees and tournament prize pools, and the gamers who sought to become acknowledged masters of their craft began showing up to the biggest arenas, eager to showcase their talent.
One thing led to another, and DreamHack Winter 2014 saw over an estimated 500,000 viewers for the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive finals.
The History of E-sports is being continually written, every day. We all have a role to play in shaping the next step of it’s long journey, so shoulder that responsibility with pride—and remember . . .
It’s all fun and games until somebody wins six figures.
Come back next Wednesday for the beginning of a new series!
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Until next time, keep fragging!
Sneaky Beaky Blog 
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