eSports in Australia

As you may have seen online or in the news, the eSports industry has begun to majorly heat up over the past few years here in Australia.

Thanks to the rise in more powerful portable devices, higher-speed internet connections and improved video game development, eSports are looking to be valued at over more than $100 billion in the coming year, and as a result, more and more pro gamers from Australia are getting in on the action.

One such game that pro gamers have been keenly interested in over the past few years is Fortnite, with the game hosting major eSporting events in New York City and offering up eye-watering amounts of prize money.

With that said, let’s take a deeper look into what eSports is and how Australians can get in on the industry.

So, What is eSports?

For those out of the loop, or just more in tune with traditional sport then we have a quick explainer for you — eSports or Electronic Sports is essentially competition-based gaming that is conducted through game consoles, either in person or over the web.

The objective of eSports or an eSporting event is for professional gamers to go head to head and compete in the virtual world to win at their chosen video games. From here, vast sums of prize money and global rankings are awarded to the winners of each event, much like traditional sporting events.

These eSporting events are typically hosted in large arenas, though also broadcast across the globe for a worldwide audience to get in on the action, again, much like traditional sports.

The eSports Industry in Australia

As you might have guessed, eSports aren’t yet as big in Australia as they are in other countries around the world. However, this hasn’t stopped us from earning big when it comes to eSport Australia, and with some of our gamers pulling in more than $8 million in winnings, we are firmly standing quite well on the global stage when it comes to the best Australian eSports gamers.

The Argument of ‘Real Sport’

One such argument surrounding eSports is the fact that most people continue to look down on eSports as not being a ‘real’ sport due to the nature of video games.

However, with eSports becoming bigger each year and growing into a billion-dollar industry, a lot of businesses and professional gamers are taking eSports a lot more seriously.

With the authenticity of eSports in the spotlight, it is good to note that even the International Olympic Committee has stated that competitive gaming may become an Olympic Sport in the years to come.

A major leap forward for the eSporting world.

When it comes to leagues and tournaments in Australia, the Australian eSports League often plans events and tournaments for locals to play within, or simply watch and take part in some of the action.

Watching eSports Competitions

For those of our readers looking to get in on the action, there are a few ultra-simple ways to watch eSports competitions from Australia, and most of these are free.

The simplest way to get an eSports stream to your chosen device is through YouTube or Twitch. These two websites have their own ‘Gaming’ portals where you’ll be able to select and watch the latest tournaments.

It’s good to keep in mind that you can also stream lower-popularity events on these services too — along with the biggest ones like the Melbourne eSports Open through these platforms.

If there’s a small match, or a major tournament, you’ll be able to get a prime spot from your smartphone or laptop.

Other streaming services include Facebook Gaming and Mixer too.

Considering an eSport Career

To a lot of Aussies, there’s a good chance that earning a living through playing video games is the ultimate job — however, it is a little more complicated than it seems.

For those considering an eSport career in Australia, you’ll need to be prepared to commit hours on end to train and become your very best at your chosen game. On top of this, it’s always important to have the best of the best when it comes to technology and devices to play your eSport games on.

With that in mind, if you are set on an eSports career, we suggest kicking things off with a solid gaming set up and a reliable internet connection with low latency and huge data cap.