Esports v Gaming: What’s the Difference?

The sphere of esports is developing at a rapid pace. More individuals are entering this sector as professionals, while brands see strong economic potential in this industry. A growing number of companies are seeking to market themselves, through sponsorships, ranging from sponsoring or even owning entire teams to sponsoring individual players or providing team equipment.  

One indication of the growing popularity of esports is the fact that the betting industry is also taking note. In fact, sites that offer information about betting -  for instance, Match Center available not only in the UK, but in many other countries such as Match Center SE and Match Center CZ - will show that there is huge interest in betting on esports. 

There is still some confusion, however, among general sports lovers and the wider public. Isn’t esports just the same as playing video games? In fact, although there are some similarities, esports is a very different beast to the regular video gaming industry. 

Understanding Esports 

Esports stands for 'Electronic Sports' which are usually multiplayer games played between teams of professionals, for a large audience. Most esports players focus on one game and aim to build up their skills in that area.  

These professionals practise on a daily basis to learn new tactics and enhance the team's efficiency and coordination. They regard themselves as professional athletes and participate in leagues and tournaments. In fact, most esports teams employ their own facilities, trainers, dietitians, and even private cooks to keep their players in peak shape. 

Money, prestige and competition drive these players to be the best esports players they can be. And some of the top tournaments offer outlandish prizes. The International 2021, for example, was worth upwards of 40 million dollars in prize money. The increasing amount of money involved in esports is also persuading many companies to take an interest so they can reach this new audience. 

Understanding Gaming 

Gaming, by contrast, is all about sheer fun and amusement. Gamers play for their own pleasure or to entertain others, through sites such as Twitch, the most popular streaming provider.  

This form of gaming is entertainment designed to amuse an audience.  Some streamers have thousands of people watching them play in real time. Most of Twitch's most prominent players were not particularly highly rated esports players or had never been an esports professional.  Those that stand out in gaming do so due to their personality, capacity to engage with their audience, and ability to generate interesting material, rather than their gaming prowess. 

What Makes a Game an Esport? 

There is lots of crossover between esports and regular gaming when it comes to games, although some games, such as Dota 2, CS:GO and League of Legends, are better known as esports games. Essentially, the way that the games are played makes all the difference. 

  • Competition – the essence of esports and the key difference from standard gaming. Esports professionals are not playing for fun or to entertain others. Winning is their job and their obsession. 
  • Technical Skill – professional esports players demonstrate a high degree of skill in their play and are likely to display techniques and skills that ordinary players and streamers will not be able to match. 
  • Multiplayer – typically, although not always, esports are multiplayer events, played by teams. This certainly applies to all of the main three esports tournaments. Most standard video gaming is based around solo gaming, whether that is streaming or regular players enjoying a game in their leisure time. 

It is clear that the gameplay standards that esports professionals reach and the circumstances in which they play are far removed from those of streamers or regular players. However, one of the main appeals of esports is that technically, the same games can be played by ordinary fans and spectators. 

In some cases, it is even possible for regular players to work their way up through the ranks to become professional players, which isn’t always the case in most sports. It is this degree of interactivity between gaming and esports that makes the entire sector such an exciting one and explains why it continues to rapidly expand.