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What is Esports?

Esports, short for electronic sports, is best understood as competitive, player versus player, video gaming.

Individuals or teams compete against each other in various video games, often in organised leagues, tournaments, or other events.

Participants compete using PCs, consoles or mobile devices, depending on the games. And, much like traditional sports, esports is both competitive and has a spectator element to it, with viewers usually able to watch online via livestream platforms such as Twitch or YouTube, or in-person at venues such as stadia.

The esports industry reaches more than 500m gamers worldwide and is worth $1bn+, with many team revenues coming from sponsorship deals. Comparatively, the global video games market – including sales of video games – is worth around $200bn.

Esports has amateur tiers as well as a professional level. At the top, players often compete for a large prize pool ($1m+ can be usual in certain major tournaments), with professional players also able to earn salaries and sponsorships. At the amateur level, where prize pools are lower, players may compete for bragging rights and the chance to reach the next tier of esports.

Esports Wales take on Esports England in Rocket League at the Commonwealth Esports Championships 2022

Skills Development

Esports helps facilitate a diverse spectrum of skills development.

From honing strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities to fostering leadership, communication, and empathy, esports serves as a dynamic training ground. Gamers master decision-making under pressure, refine multitasking skills, and cultivate digital literacy. Through persevering amidst challenges, players learn resilience, while healthy gaming habits and cross-curricular engagement encourage holistic growth.

These skills aren’t simply confined to competitive gaming, they empower individuals to excel in various real-world scenarios, positioning esports as a platform for comprehensive skill enhancement and personal growth and development.

Aside from the skills one can acquire by playing in a team or working on a broadcast in their spare time or at an amateur level, there are also esports qualifications now available to students, including the Esports BTEC, developed by Pearson and British Esports.

 

Students involved in production of Esports @ Bett 2022

SKILLS DEVELOPED THROUGH ESPORTS

Esports is more than just a game.

Explore the vast range of transferable skills developed
through participation in competitive gaming.

Engaging in esports fosters the development of crucial skills in leadership and communication. This is because competing or working in a team involves teamwork and collaboration, requiring players to coordinate their efforts and communicate effectively to achieve victory. Gamers often assume different roles within a team, honing their leadership abilities as they guide their squad towards a common goal.

Clear and concise communication becomes vital to strategise in real-time, convey information, and synchronise the collective actions of the team. Also, esports players often engage with online communities, enhancing their digital communication skills and learning how to navigate diverse audiences.

Esports cultivates valuable skills in strategic thinking and problem solving. They must analyse game scenarios, adapt to situations, and make decisions to change strategies or outmaneuver opponents.

This helps to identify patterns, anticipate opponents’ moves, and devise effective countermeasures, which can be transferable skills to real-world challenges.

Esports can nurture the development of essential skills in social awareness and empathy, with players meeting others from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. This exposure encourages heightened social awareness, as gamers learn to appreciate and respect their teammates and opponents alike.

Understanding the emotions, motivations, and behaviours of others becomes integral to forming effective strategies and fostering positive team dynamics. The collaborative nature of esports can also breed empathy, as players learn to support each other during victories and setbacks. Moreover, engaging in online communities and forums exposes gamers to a wide range of opinions and experiences, enhancing their ability to empathise with various viewpoints or exchange differing opinions.

Participation in esports can cultivate creativity and originality, as competing often presents esports players with complex challenges and scenarios that demand innovative solutions. Gamers may need to think outside the box, devise creative strategies and unexpected maneuvers to gain an edge over their opponents.

Whether it’s crafting unconventional tactics, leveraging in-game mechanics in novel ways, or adapting to changing circumstances, esports enthusiasts can be pushed to explore new avenues and test their limits.

Additionally, many esports titles provide players with tools for customisation and personalisation, encouraging them to express their individuality through unique gameplay styles and appearances.

Players may be required to make split-second choices that can greatly influence the outcome of a match. The ability to assess complex situations rapidly, weigh pros and cons, and execute well-calculated decisions under pressure becomes second nature to esports enthusiasts.

Moreover, the demand for precision and quick reflexes hones players’ dexterity, as they navigate intricate in-game movements, aiming, and strategic positioning, creating a combination of rapid decision-making, dexterity and fine-tuned motor skills.

Esports can nurture invaluable skills in multitasking and concentration.

Competitive gaming environments often require players to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, such as monitoring the game state, communicating with teammates, and executing precise maneuvers. This cultivates a heightened ability to manage various streams of information and tasks effectively.

Furthermore, esports enthusiasts must maintain intense focus and concentration throughout extended gaming sessions, as a single moment of distraction can tip the balance of a match.

From navigating intricate virtual worlds, to mastering complex in-game interfaces, and utilising a variety of digital tools to communicate and strategise with teammates, this nurtures a deep understanding of digital technologies and platforms.

Esports enthusiasts engage in rapid information processing, analysing game dynamics, anticipating opponents’ moves, and adapting strategies on the fly. These cognitive demands enhance critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

Being involved with esports comes with its challenges, from facing formidable opponents to enduring defeat, setbacks and tackling internal differences. Esports enthusiasts must learn to embrace failure as a stepping stone toward improvement, rather than a roadblock.

This experience builds a resilient mindset, teaching them to bounce back from disappointments and continue striving for success. The pursuit of mastery in esports demands consistent practice, patience, a healthy body and mindset, and the ability to learn from mistakes.

Esports can lead to the development of cross-curricular skills and even improved attendance, as found in our work in Alternative Provision Schools.

Gaming competitively often involves intricate strategies, which can require mathematics for calculating probabilities, language skills for effective communication, and critical thinking for devising winning tactics.

As students find real-world applications for academic subjects within the context of esports, their motivation to learn and engage in various disciplines is heightened. Additionally, the sense of community and purpose that comes with being part of an esports team can contribute to increased attendance, as students are eager to participate in both their academic studies and extracurricular activities.

Participation in esports promotes the development of healthy gaming habits and enhances social-emotional learning (SEL).

Through structured practice schedules and competition, players learn the importance of managing their time effectively and maintaining a balance between their own health and wellbeing, gaming and other responsibilities.

Moreover, esports encourages collaboration, communication, and empathy, fostering strong social bonds and improving emotional intelligence. Facing both victories and defeats in the competitive landscape cultivates resilience and emotional regulation, vital components of SEL.

PASSION LED LEARNING

Esports education creates a dynamic and engaging learning environment that cultivates skills that go beyond the traditional classroom setting and empowers students and learners to achieve.

Enthusiasm and passion for gaming can drive meaningful educational outcomes through engaging students and learners with subjects they are truly passionate about.

Gin Rai from Confetti X on stage at the Esports in Education Summit 2022

THE HISTORY OF ESPORTS

The origins of esports can be traced way back to the early 1970s, when the first recorded video game tournament was held at Stanford University in the US, featuring an old game called Spacewar.

However, it wasn’t until the 1990s that esports began to gain significant attention, with the advent of games such as Street Fighter II and Doom. During the 2000s, games like StarCraft and Counter-Strike increased in popularity. The rise of the internet and online gaming paved the way for the modern era of esports, with games now atracting millions of viewers and participants worldwide.

Today, esports is an industry in itself, with professional players and teams competing for millions in prize money. It continues to gain recognition as a legitimate sport in some regions, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) experimenting with esports in the Olympic Games.

Tthe UK, specifically, has a storied history in esports, from the first Insomnia LAN (Local Area Network) party in 1999, to early players such as Rams ‘R2K’ Singh, Sujoy Roy, Paul ‘astz’ McGarrity and many others.

The UK was home to old teams like Dignitas and 4Kings, and saw Birmingham Salvo win the old Championship Gaming Series and its $500,000 first prize back in 2008. Today, some of the top UK-based organisations include EXCEL Esports, Fnatic, Guild Esports, Method and more.

Celebrating victory at the Commonwealth Esports Championships 2023

GAME GENRES

There’s a variety of esports game genres out there. This list breaks down the most commonly known types of games.

A type of online multiplayer game in which a large number of players compete at once, for example Fortnite, Apex Legends and Call of Duty Warzone. The objective is to eliminate all other opponents to become the last player (or team) standing.

These video games involving close combat over a number of rounds. Characters physically fight each other, usually 1v1, but some games can be 2v2 and 3v3, until their opponent has been defeated or the time runs out. Popular titles in this genre include Street Fighter, Tekken and Smash Bros to name a few.

The competitive fighting game scene is known as the FGC (fighting game community).

Combat video games that are played from a first-person viewpoint, with players having to shoot their opponents, take objectives or secure areas to win. Team FPS esports games include Counter-Strike, VALORANT, Overwatch and Rainbow Six: Siege to name a few.

An online role-playing style video game with hundreds or even thousands of players who can compete against and interact with each other at the same time. Each player controls a character and can team up with others to complete quests and unlock items, gear and achievements, as well as exploring, together. The games are based in a world that continues to evolve and be developed. Popular MMORPG titles include World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14.

An online game with hundreds or even thousands of players, who can compete against each other and interact with each other.

An online strategy-based video game in which two teams of players (usually 5v5) compete against each other on a battlefield, or map. The objective for each team is to destroy the other’s main structure/base before theirs is destroyed. Each player controls a character with its own unique abilities, and aim to get stronger before their opponents in order to get ahead. Popular MOBA titles include League of Legends and Dota 2.

Much like traditional Collectible Card Games, players collect and trade cards online. They then do battle with each other using their cards, usually with the aim of reducing their opponent’s health points to zero before their own is depleted. Popular titles include the likes of Hearthstone, Legends of Runeterra and Pokemon TCG Online.

In an RTS, players control entire armies of characters, rather than just one character. The games are also usually viewed from a birds-eye perspective, rather than from a first-person perspective. All players make strategic moves at the same time, rather than taking turns to make moves. Examples include StarCraft and Age of Empires.

A game in which players choose a character (or several characters), customise them in terms of how they want to play and look, and undertake quests within the game world to acquire new items, level up and get stronger. RPGs can be played in real-life (much like a board game, or table-top game, like Dungeons and Dragons) or played online (like World of Warcraft).

ESPORTS GAMES

Wondering which video games are considered esports?

Here’s the key info you need to know about some of the main esports titles.

An online multiplayer team first-person shooter game published by Blizzard Entertainment. There are two teams of six players who work to complete map-specific, combat-based objectives across a number of game modes (maps). Each player chooses from a selection of heroes (with their own unique abilities) to play as. Overwatch 2 is the current version of the title.

A battle royale game that allows up to 100 players compete (either individually or in groups of up to four) in a last-man-standing battle across one of several maps. Players begin with no tools or weapons and have to search the map for items that will help them survive and ultimately win.

Rainbow Six Siege is a high-precision, tactical shooter that prioritises careful planning teamwork and finely tuned tactical play. Players choose an operator from either the attacking or defending side and work towards outsmarting the opposing team and completing their in-game objective, which can include defusing a bomb or rescuing hostages.

Rocket League is a fantastical sport-based video game, developed by Psyonix, that is essentially football with cars. Players compete in 3v3 matches to try and drive their car around and score more goals than their opponents before the match time expires.

A real-time strategy (RTS) game published by Blizzard Entertainment and one of the games that helped put esports on the map. Players can choose from three forces: Terran, Zerg, and Protoss. The player’s objective of the game is to eliminate the enemy’s structures and units using their chosen fighting force, using strategy and defense and offense tactics to command their units in war.

A team-based FPS game published by Riot Games in 2020. Teams are assigned as either the attacking or defending side, with each player taking control over an agent, each of which has unique abilities. The attacking team’s objective is to plant and detonate the Spike (bomb), while the defending team’s objective is to stop this from happening. VALORANT combines elements of Counter-Strike with hero abilities found in the likes of League of Legends or Overwatch.

Call of Duty is a long-running popular first-person shooter (FPS) game first published by Activision in 2003, with many sequels released since. The games have popular single-player modes, with gamers able to defeat computer-controlled enemies to defeat missions, but the esports side sees teams of 4v4 compete with one another.

A classic multiplayer first-person shooter game featuring two teams – Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists – who must play against each other. In the most popular mode, the Terrorists must plant the bomb and the Counter-Terrorists must disarm it. There’s also the option to defeat all the opposing team’s players. The first team to win 16 rounds wins a specific game. At the end of each round, players are rewarded for good performance with in-game money to spend on weapons in future rounds.

This Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game published by Valve features two teams of five players, and each team’s objective is to destroy the other’s Ancient (located in their base). Each player chooses and controls a ‘hero’, and throughout the game, they work to level up by collecting XP and gold in order to become stronger, and to do so faster than their opponents.

The original Defense of the Ancients (Dota) was a mod for classic strategy game Warcraft 3, which also influenced separate MOBA League of Legends.

Hearthstone is an online collectible card game, launched by Blizzard Entertainment in 2014. There are two players in the game and each player has a hero with a unique power.

The goal of the game is to reduce the health of the other player’s hero to zero by taking it in turns to play a card  from their playing deck (such as a minion, spell, weapon, or hero card). It features many characters and themes from the online game World of Warcraft. Hearthstone is one of the slower-paced 1v1 esports out there, with players able to spend time thinking before making a move, like chess.

League of Legends features two teams of five players who battle each other, with the ultimate objective of destroying the other team’s Nexus before theirs is destroyed.

Each player selects a champion and seeks to collect gold and XP in order to level up their character. Along with Dota 2, it’s one of the most popular Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games out there, and was first launched by Riot Games in 2009.

GAMING AND ESPORTS TERMINOLOGY

Esports features a variety of unique words and phrases that are commonly used during competitive matches and broadcasts.

This guide will help you understand gamer lingo and jargon.

This can refer to the level of aggression displayed by computer-controlled NPCs when attacking player characters. ‘Pulling aggro’ means getting close enough to the computer-controlled enemy to get them to attack you.

Aggro can also refer to implementing an aggressive style of play in esports, in order to put pressure on the opponent.

The character that each player selects and controls in a game.

A method of sneaking around or behind an opponent without them realising until it is mostly too late (e.g. if the opponents are occupied elsewhere). It’s usually used to describe a game-winning play, such as sneaking into the enemy’s base to destroy it, without the opposing team realising in time.

A player feigning weakness or sacrificing themselves in order to lure an opponent into a situation in which the feigning player (and their team) can then overpower and kill the opponent.

The maximum amount of games to be played within a match. Matches are usually played as best-of-three or best-of-five games and the team who wins the most games (2/3 or 3/5 for example) are the winners of the match.

Computer-controlled players which real-life players can play against in games. They allow players to practice and are often good for beginners to play against.

Usually a tree-shaped diagram that represents the format followed by an esports tournament. Different tournaments follow different bracket formations. A bracket stage is one stage in a tournament.

A stream or video that showcases an event or match, and generally is live.

A spell, ability or effect that results in a positive increase in a character’s power. Buffs can be obtained temporarily mid-game or are permanently made as part of an upgrade by the game’s developer.

Where a team does not participate in a round of a tournament, and is given a direct pass into the next round. This could be because the team they were due to play has been banned.

Short for bring your own computer. Used when people are encouraged to bring their own gaming device to a LAN event, to play in-person with others.

A player whose character can deal a large amount of damage to opponents or who plays a key role in the teams’ success. The idea is they are the one making a difference and mainly carrying their team to victory.

The currently active area of play in a Battle Royale game. The circle is often surrounded by a type of gas or area that can be deadly upon prolonged exposure. The size of the circle gets smaller as the game progresses, bringing all players’ characters closer to one another as they reach the late-game.

All of the events that are happening in a title across the year – i.e the Dota 2 Circuit, which would include Majors, Minors, and The International.

A player’s ability to perform well under extreme pressure or in an important part of a match, and the ability to win when winning previously seemed impossible. For example, being one person against four, and defeating them all, is a clutch.

Where competitive tournaments take place amongst college/university students.

Shortened version of saying ‘composition’, and can describe a specific group of in-game characters chosen to form a team.

The piece of technological equipment specifically used to play games on, but not a computer. For example, a PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch are all games consoles.

A shortened way of saying ‘difference’, it describes when the enemy team has an advantage – i.e ‘healer diff’ means that the enemy healer is better than the other.

A simple way to say that when you lose twice in an esports tournament, you are eliminated. It’s a format when two brackets (upper and lower) are used in a tournament. In the upper bracket, teams play against each other until there is a single winning team at the end.

If a team loses a match in the upper bracket they will drop to the lower bracket, where they get a second chance by playing another team. If they win this match, they can progress through the bracket. However, if they lose this game too, they will be eliminated from the tournament.

The early stages of a round/game within a match. In some games, the early game ends at a specific time or after a specific move.

The finances of a team and their ability to purchase items or weapons in-game.

A matchmaking system like that used in chess – it uses players stats and performance across games to determine a rating. If they win a game, their elo rating goes up, and if they lose, their rating goes down. This rating is used to match them with players of similar skill levels.

The elo system is named after its creator Arpad Elo, a Hungarian-American physics professor.

The playing of video games competitively (usually through tournaments and leagues) by professional or amateur gamers (either as individuals or teams) in front of spectators and sometimes for prize money.

It’s short for ‘electronic sports’, though that term is not really used in full anymore.

Coming up on the enemy from behind and/or the sides to gain an advantage or element of surprise over them when attacking.

Giving up or conceding defeat within a specific game or battle, or even an entire match.

Stands for ‘Good Luck, Have Fun’ and is normally typed at the start of an online match to your team and/or opponent.

The foundation level of esports tournaments. Grassroots tournaments are usually where most players and talent will generally start out, with the best climbing up to more professional levels.

The on-screen display that shows essential information about the player’s character and the game (e.g. character’s health, time left, weapons list, game progression, character abilities, or a mini-map of the surrounding area).

The ‘health’ of a character. A player’s character begins with a certain amount of HP (such as 100HP) and every time they are hit, their points go down. Once all their points have been depleted the character dies.

Can either refer to an individual that is leading a broadcast (like a presenter), or a game server that is the central point for players to play the game.

The player who is responsible for deciding team tactics in the game and who issues instructions to other team members to follow. They’re akin to a team captain in traditional physical sports.

Making successive kills in the game without dying. Killstreaks are often rewarded with extra powers or in-game currency.

Another way of saying ‘leaderboard’. A basic competitive structure that allows people to be able to climb or drop in relation to their space on the ‘ladder’.

Local Area Network – generally people hold ‘LAN parties’ and events to allow gatherings of people to come together on a network and play multiplier games together. Popular LAN events in the UK include Insomnia Gaming Festival and Epic.LAN.

The latter stages of a game. In some games, the late game begins at a specific time or after a specific move. At this stage in MOBA games, characters may be more powerful than they were at the start of a game, and a mistake or successful move can more likely result in a respective loss or win.

Moving up to a higher level of the game and being rewarded with extra powers, abilities, strength, and/or weapons. Players need to complete tasks within the game and acquire XP or gold to help them level up and get stronger. For example, moving from level 1 to 2 will result in a small increase in stats.

What a player is able to see on the map. If something is ‘out of LOS’ it means that it is obstructed and can’t be seen.

Two olevels a tournament can be, with major being the bigger and professional events, whereas the minors are at a slightly lower level. Counter-Strike has well-known major tournaments.

The settings or areas for esports games, where the action takes place. Can be thought of like a pitch in traditional sports. Many games have multiple maps on which the game can be played. Maps differ in style and layout and may require different strategies to win.

The group of maps (in-game areas) that a specific tournament will use. Can also refer to the maps a team has practised on.

Short for Metagame – this is the currently considered most effective styles of play, strategies, character choices, or team compositions for playing and winning a game at the highest level. A game’s meta can change if a new character or items are released, for example.

The middle stages of a round/game within a match. In some games, the mid game begins and ends at a specific time or after a specific move.

Most Valuable Player – normally voted for by casters or other players, but it is the player that has shown they are invaluable to the team throughout a match or tournament. The equivalent in traditional sports is a player of the match.

When a character or item (e.g. a weapon) is purposely weakened by the game developers in a game update. It is the opposite of a buff.

A way that you can build up contacts and relations with people in the industry. Companies host networking events, but you can also reach out to people on your own accord.

Networking can also be used to describe a network of PCs.

Abbreviation of non-player character – in-game characters that are controlled by the computer and not by human players. They can usually interact with and assist players’ characters throughout the game.

An esports event that takes place in a venue, such as a stadium, arena or theatre, with all players present in-person and connected to the game via a LAN (Local Area Network).

An esports event that takes place remotely, with players connecting to the game via the internet from different locations around the world.

Shortened way of saying ‘organisation’. An esports team organisation fields teams of players to compete.

A character, weapon or ability in a game that is considered by many to be too powerful and in need of an adjustment, or nerf (the act of being weakened by the game developer).

Beneficial characteristics (such as abilities and powers) of a character or feature within a game.

The period before the match where both teams decide which characters/heroes/champions/maps they would like to play, and which they want to ban from the game, so the opposing team cannot pick them. This phase can also be known as a draft in some titles.

The ping (or latency) of a player is how fast they can send a command to the game and have the game (or its server) display what happened. Read our article on all things Ping, Latency and Lag!

A knockout stage of a competition played after the end of a league’s regular season or group stage of a standalone tournament, to determine the event’s champion.

Teams usually play in best-of-three or best-of-five matches at this point, as they play in quarter finals and semi-finals etc.

The total amount of money that is to be split amongst the winners of a tournament.

A game in which players compete against other players. It’s the opposite of Player vs Environment (PvE), a term used to describe playing against the computer.

A programming algorithm built into some games that generates random numbers for variables within the game. For example, certain events happening (like finding a rare item) or for determining how abilities or weapons affect opponents’ characters, or the chance of landing a critical hit on an opponent.

The main scheduled league competition for an esport in a specific region (e.g. North America). During the regular season, all teams in the league will usually play a group stage tournament. At the end of the regular season, the top teams will usually then enter the playoffs to find the outright winner. In most esports, there are two regular seasons per year – Spring and Summer. Some also have a Winter and/or Autumn season too.

When a character reappears or revives in the game after having been killed.

The line-up of players that an esports team will be fielding for a season or for a particular event. Roster sizes can vary per game, with substitutes usually being allowed too.

When a player/team attacks the other player/team quickly and causes as much damage as possible before the opposing player/team can react and defend themselves.

A practice match between two teams, and are generally used to prepare for an upcoming fixture.

This can have two meanings in esports. The first being what you use to play games on (the physical layout of your PC system and accessories, or console for example), and the other being the space of time at the start of a match where the teams can prepare to begin – generally referred to as the ‘setup phase’.

Casting an ability with precise aim and timing to hit an enemy. Because of the skill involved in hitting a targeted skillshot, a player who has a high skillshot rate can be seen as a skilled player.

The opposite of a skillshot is an instant cast ability on an area or target, which activates as soon as a key or mouse button is clicked, and a specific/correct aim may not be needed.

In-game cosmetic items that can be purchased by the player and used to change the appearance of a character or their weapons. They are usually purely aesthetic and do not affect a character/weapon’s performance in the game. Some skins are rare and can be valuable, and in some titles they can be used as in-game currency or can be traded.

When a player repeatedly uses the same action or item against an opponent, or repeats the same thing in a chat box over and over again.

The entrance of a player (or weapon/item) into the game arena/map at the beginning of a game, or a respawn point during a game.

Watching a match whilst it is taking place. In some games you can spectate your team in-game when you die, or others can come in and watch the match without being a player.

Spectating can also be a term used to describe people watching esports, whether in-person at an event, or online watching a livestream.

Another word for an esports tournament season – for example the British Esports Student Champs has a Winter Split and a Spring Split.

When a group of players work together, standing near one another closely, to attack the opposing team or to defend a base.

A live video broadcast, or livestream, on a platform like Twitch or YouTube.

A role/position of a player in an esport team that plays characters, or in a style, that helps teammates, usually by buffing them (i.e. powering them up), for example through healing, improving their damage or defenses.

This can have multiple meanings in esports, but the main one is used to describe the people involved in a production or stream (broadcast talent or on-screen talent such as casters or commentators, observers, and producers). Sometimes pro players are referred to as talent too.

A tough and resilient character who can take a lot of damage. The character is used to lead attacks and to also shield other team members from attacking forces.

Refers to a game (e.g League of Legends is an esports title).

A competition or series of competitions between a variety of individuals/teams for a prize.

Being unpleasant to other players in a game through voice or match chat. This is looked down upon in the industry, and can result in bans if people are found to be toxic.

Insulting another players gameplay or abilities. While some trash talk can be mild and used for fun on broadcast, there are different levels of trash talk, and some can be toxic. Extreme trash talk can be looked down upon in the industry, and in-game slurs and insults can result in bans.

A popular livestreaming platform that gamers use to watch and broadcast esports competitions.

A character’s most powerful ability. When used at the right time, it could help win the game for a team.

How much a character (and the player controlling it) can see. Some games like League of Legends will have a ‘fog of war’ – areas that are blacked out. Players do not have vision of these areas, unless they use items like wards.

Mostly used in RPG, MOBA, and MMORPG-style games, XP are points that are scored upon completing certain actions throughout the game (e.g. killing creeps/minions). Hitting certain amounts of XP allows a player’s character to level up (and in doing so, gain new abilities, powers, or weapons).

A tactical move that forces the opposing players into a particular area where they cannot escape or that is advantageous to you to get the kill.

Someone who provides commentary on a broadcast. Can be different variations of a caster, including a ‘colour caster’ (Someone that provides further details and information when commentating on a match), ‘shoutcaster’ (another word for caster), or ‘play-by-play caster’ (They provide running ‘on-the-fly’ commentary as the match is taking place).

Someone who creates written or video content (Can range from Journalists to YouTubers)

Someone who controls the in-game cameras for esports broadcasts. You can have one observer, but you can also have multiple capturing different angles of play.

Shortened version of saying professional; and relates to a professional esports player.

The home of many gaming and esports jobs. If you want to get into the industry, Hitmarker is the place to start looking.

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