By Grace Hwang

ENGL 137H

Esports:
How a Pandemic and Video Games
Changed Modern Society

Introduction
The stadium is dark, illuminated with a few strips of LEDs in
the stands. Thousands of people chat amongst themselves;
some arguing over which player had better statistics, others
loudly bragging over bets they made. Suddenly, the few neon
lights of the arena dim and a countdown appears on the
projector in the center of the room. For many spectators and
participants, this is the chance of a lifetime and one that they
spent a pretty penny to attend. However, this is no Super Bowl
or World Cup. This is the 2022 League of Legends (LOL) World
Championship, the Holy Grail of video game tournaments and
one example of how Esports have gained international attention.
In recent years, competitive gaming has risen in popularity,
increasing the number of spectators, players, and even
Deft Wins the 2022 corporate and academic sponsors to new all-time records. This
League of Legends massive amount of support that it has gained has even led it to
World Championship being called “the future of sporting competition”, a hefty title for
something that some critics argue is not a sport at all. Despite
Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu wins his first
World Championship Title and
opposition, it is undeniable that Esports have changed our
kisses the trophy. relationship with technology, for better or worse.
He does this in front of thousands
of in-person fans at San
Francisco’s Chase Center and Then and Now
millions watching online.
When Esports first appeared circa 2010, it was met with
ridicule by mainstream media and parents due to its association
Source of picture: Nerd Street with physically inept nerds. Many thought that there were no
real health benefits since physical activity is not a major part of
the game. However, those feelings have changed and today
Esports are being promoted to challenge and strengthen
memory and cognitive ability, even to the point that it is now
encouraged in middle schools
Esports have also seen incredible growth in spectators that
has been unmatched by past figures. Take for instance, how the
2022 LOL World’s had 5.15 million viewers at its peak
compared to the 2019’s 3.98 million. That is a 24.9% increase in
viewership within 3 years for one event alone and is not an
isolated case within the industry. Similar games and events,
 such as Valorant or Rocket League, have also made large
splashes that have attracted new audiences never seen before.
Evolution of Additionally, competitive gaming’s new reputation has
Competitive caused it to become a developing fixture at the varsity level.
This trend can be observed by how colleges have recently
Gaming invested in infrastructure such as new high-tech game lounges
and stadiums, including the one at Penn State’s White Building
Gym.
With such sudden and drastic changes, it is easy to wonder
why and how Esports rose from relative obscurity into its
Tennis for Two was invented, the present state. So, what happened between now and then that
1958 first video game on record.
caused this major shift? Like many things, the explosion of
Esports was the result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The first video game tournament

was held at Stanford University. Covid and Esports: A Match made in Heaven?
1972
There were 24 participants. With cafes, concerts, and live sports no longer running,
Esports became the perfect solution for a bored and restricted
Major League Gaming is population. It was relatively cheap to play as most games like
founded. This marks the
2002 beginning of televised Esports
Valorant and Overwatch are free to play with only premium
and competition play. cosmetics costing players money. It also proved to be
something that was accessible to most Americans, as the only
League of Legends is released
and become a hit. By 2011, it has
requirements needed was access to internet and a computer
2009 over 15 million registered that could run the game. During a time when layoffs were
players.
increasing, Esports was an affordable and fun distraction for a
weary population.
435.9 million fans watching
2020 streams compared to the
Health Benefits and Negatives
previous year’s 397.8 million.
One of the main points made in favor of Esports are the
health benefits it has. Numerous recent studies that have shown
Penn State builds new Esports
Lounge in White Building Gym, that Esports do improve memory, coordination, and decision
2023 following a trend among other making. The structure of Esports is what allows this as players
college campuses.
must be able to strategize against opponents without losing
focus while working on a team. Evidently, these skills can be
adapted for use in school, as Esports have been reported as a
tool in developing leadership and effective communication. It
also allows diverse groups of students, from athletes to non-
athletes, to participate in a joint activity together. This can lead
to more empathy and respect for people outside of a clique and
reduce bullying because of this shared common interest.
But from a more concerning angle, the popularization of
Esports has contributed to heath issues.
One common criticism that is made against Esports being
considered as a “sport” is how there is a lack of physical
athleticism. This is a strong point to make as gaming is a
very stationary activity with the average session being 3-4
hours of sitting down. During such long periods, the only
movement is coming from the hands and wrists which can
also be overworked to the point of carpal tunnel,
something that does not happen easily before the age of
30.
Physicians and health specialists are also alarmed by
how this solitary lifestyle can cause more long-term
consequences, notably obesity. Snack culture is
something that is built into Esports because of how easy it
is to eat between and during matches. However, these are
often junk food like chips, ramen, and candy and are
usually binged during single sit-downs. By promoting a
lack of physical exercise and dangerous caloric intake, the
According to recent reports,
new popularity of Esports can easily contribute to a global
obesity epidemic. It can also be argued that is already has the average gamer sits for 5.5-
as childhood obesity has increased with an uptake of 11 hours a day.
screen time. Source: Canva

Increased rates of addiction are also a key problem that came with the destigmatization of Esports.
Neurologically, dopamine is released and can reinforce a desire to play to get the same rush of winning.
What this leads to is thousands of people not leaving their screens to get exercise or do other activities
like work. For pre-teen to teen players, this can mean not wanting to leave their rooms and exhibiting
anti-social behavior with friends and family in the real world. As the internet continues to demand the
attention of practically everyone 24/7, real social interaction is already fragile. Isolating kids from their
parents by adding on Esports might just break it further and they might not feel as comfortable divulging
their personal problems to a trusted adult.
Excessive playing can also mean not getting enough sleep which can hinder learning. Currently, the
US is experiencing an issue where teens are not getting proper rest and Esports could be a contributor.
Poor academic and social health can lead to feelings of worthlessness which can in turn lead to
depression. In a time when mental health is declining and suicide rates are rising, Esports addiction can
just be what makes these matters worse in the long run.

Stranger Danger
What attracted new players the most was the ability to socialize and meet new people. Due to the
collaborative nature of Esports, players often communicate through chatrooms and voice calls to
discuss strategy. Sometimes online friendships can be formed in the heat of battle. This ability to meet
and make new friends continues to this day, as Esports have become a new third space akin to cafes
and malls which are dying out due to recession and online retailers.
 However, this influx of new players eager to socialize also meant
they were seeking strangers, some of whom are less savory.
Through social platforms associated with Esports, like Discord, it
is easier for older individuals to meet, groom, and take advantage
of younger participants because there is a sense of anonymity
behind the screen. Younger teens who want validation and a
sense of connection with experienced players do not have their
guards up, and as a result, often become victims.
This increased willingness to interact with strangers also leads
to meeting bigots. Much like any other online community, there will
be some people who are in it just to spread their hate. What is
concerning is that these extremists are using Esports as a
platform to meet typically young white males who liked to play
battle-royale and introduce them to the alt-right pipeline. If
competitive games can be used to indoctrinate isolated boys
seeking friends, then it could lead to a surge in the far-right, and
potentially deadly tragedies.

E-Celebrities and New Influence

The amounting popularity of Esports also drew in major
Far-right extremist like corporate sponsors to the scene. Mercedez-Benz was one of the
Patrick Casey target many corporations to follow in 2020 and others have jumped in to
financially support top streamers and players. By partnering with
“edgier” teen audiences
well-known brands, the public became more used to seeing it as a
by streaming playing legitimate path to career success. In a way, it redefined what
games while giving celebrities could be and what role models could look like for
political commentary. younger audiences.
However, this public shift in attitude also meant that it could
This trend has also
inspire less than ideal circumstances. As in almost any activity
extended to alt-right with a major following, there will be some bad apples that spoil the
produced mock bunch and Esports are no exception. Although top professionals
shootings on popular are usually calmer and more collected in tournament play, those
who are purely focused on online streaming are often more
gaming sites like Roblox. explosive and volatile with their emotions. Shouting expletives and
raging when losing, there is less of a filter since streaming alone
does not have the immediate impact on public image that being in
an arena has. As a result of those normalized behaviors, more
impressionable audiences, such as preteens and teenagers, are
likely to emulate these aggressive behaviors when they play or
even interact with their peers.
Source: Canva
It also does not help that a majority to Esports streamers are
male and, in many cases, harass female counterparts and diverse
gamers with sexist, racist, or homophobic remarks. What this
 leads to are younger audiences, who are mostly teenage
boys, being introduced to inappropriate content and thinking
that it is ok. I have witnessed this firsthand, and it is
shocking to see boys in middle school act in such a
derogatory way towards girls and members of the LGBTQ+
community; ways that were not present before Esports
became big. In a time where unsupervised internet has
introduced kids to notorious sexists like Andrew Tate,
putting well-known Esports’ players on a pedestal can
further the damage.
Institutional Support
Despite these negative traits, there is still a growing
demand for institutional support for young gamers; a call
that has been met by many universities. Esports can bring
prestige to a school much like any other varsity athletic
program which in turn makes the institution money via
tuition, activity fees, prize money, etc.
We have seen this attitude turnaround of schools through
how there are now scholarships for Esports. UC Irvine is
one of the leaders in this trend, willing to give $1000-$6000
in financial aid to students who compete for them and others
like Arcadia and Valparaiso have done the same in recent
years. With such generous scholarships, collegiate Esports
Welcome to Penn
can be a viable way to attend upper-level education which State’s White
could benefit students who were not able to participate in
high school athletics due to high costs. Building Esports
Amenities and privileges of Esports have also started to
meet those of traditional varsity athletics. Some schools like Opened this fall, the Esports
UT Dallas go even further, boasting that players on their
lounge has become a new
teams get access to priority scheduling, professional
coaching and paid travel for competitions. fixture. It can accommodate
This newfound support comes at a cost though to the over 55 players at a time. It
general student body. Although the new popularity of
Esports pushed colleges to increase their financial support,
only costed a large sum which
many schools have not yet taken the full plunge into is not disclosed anywhere on
considering it as a varsity level activity. the website.
Take for instance, Penn State’s new Esports Lounge in
the White Building Gym. It boasts having 55 MSI Trident
Source: The Daily Collegian
Gaming Computers which cost $1,500 each as well as 3 86”
and 3 65” TV screens. The kicker is that Penn State does
not even have a team registered with the National
Association of College Esports (NAC) which acts like the
NCAA for competitive gaming. So, there is little reason to
put additional pressure on when the school is in the middle
of a financial crisis.
 If Esports are normalized in academic settings without being
taken seriously, it will just lead to expenditures that don’t benefit
the majority of students.

The Current State of Esports and What Happens Next

Recently, some major investors have pulled out of Esports for
the time being due to lower profitability compared to previous
years. Stocks in Esports organizations like Fa Ze Clan have
dropped over 80% and new arenas that were being built have
stopped construction or are being repurposed for more
conventional uses.
There are no concrete answers as to why this is happening, but
the best theory would be that interest just died down. There are no
500
more restrictions around live entertainment, like concerts and
football, so the demand for a socially distanced activity is no
longer there.
400 What is known is the lasting impact that Esports had on a bored
population. As we have seen, the implications of it becoming
popular have serious social, physical, and mental effects. Most of
which impact impressionable teens who see it as a stress reliever,
300
digital third space, and way to achieve their goals, even if it can
risk them their safety, dignity, and health. So, why do they, and us
by extension, resort to Esports, despite these potential dangers?
200
It's because today digital interaction is all we know and are
accustomed to. During 2020, when we could have grown closer to
our families since we were quite literally trapped with them, did we
really? From my own observations and those of my friends, we
100 often spent more time with our electronic devices than with our
siblings or parents in quarantine. Esports just happened to be
another distraction that enabled that isolating behavior and I don’t
believe it will be gone so soon.
0
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Are Esports Really the Future?

Average Time Spent on At this point, it is hard to tell if Esports will make it to the same
a Screen (min per day) magnitude that the NFL or Big 10 has in the public consciousness. It

based on year starting is still in an era of infancy that will only be decided if it can rise itself
out of the current slowdown it is facing.
from 2017 to 2022 Despite this lessening of significance, it is important to address
Picture source: Canva the issues that it can cause because it still is present to a lesser
degree. We have to understand that while it can be something that
invokes joy and brings possible success to our lives, it can also be
an instrument of self-destruction.
 Like everything else in life, particularly sports,
video games should be enjoyed with moderation and
consciousness. It shouldn’t take over your life and
corrupt your view of the world. However, it can still be
enjoyed and can even open great opportunities.
So, when you indulge in the exhilarating rush of
destroying enemy bases with your online comrades,
remind yourself that digital reality is not the only
reality. So, try taking a walking break when you play
for long stretches of time. Be careful to who you talk
to online like in the real world. And most importantly,
consider hanging up your comset more often
because if there is one thing technology and Esports
can’t replace, it’s real human connection.
Source: Canva