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Technology, gaming, and esports today are transforming entertainment, education, and self-development into new frontiers. We would not recognize the benefits competitive gaming has on others if time could be turned back twenty years. 

Since its sudden rise, esports has been able to integrate further with the sports industry and has boosted its impact. As a result, esports has spawned many creations, from sports teams joining esports scenes to corporations investing in events and even medical studies showing the benefits of esports alone and in combination with other sports. If you take a look at the latest Esports news you will easily understand how vast and ever-growing the world of esports is. 

In this article, we will focus on how esports athletes compare to traditional athletes.

The Meteoric Rise of Esports

With only a few years in the industry, esports has a small portfolio compared to traditional sports, which have been around for centuries. Pacman, Ping Pong, and countless other first-generation arcade games have shaped the industry and content over the years.

As time progressed, Mario, Pokemon, and Tetris slowly developed competitive modes. The start was relatively quick, despite its size. It would be through these games that the industry would eventually develop and cultivate new generational esports titles across multiple mainstream AAA and multiplayer titles.

Each new game would start a ripple effect, inspiring many others to design and develop their own unique, exciting, and enjoyable titles. The never-ending cycle of evolution enabled the industry to consistently surpass expectations, attract audiences, and create games with millions of players, which led to a flourishing esports and gaming industry. But let us see how esports athletes compare to traditional athletes.

Traditional Athletes and Esports Athletes Train Equally Hard

Competitive gaming is not something you can do on a couch. The majority of professional gamers belong to an organization or team, which means that they often live in gaming houses or attend training facilities. Living together as a team enhances not only their bond but also their ability to practice together. Every. Single. Day.

The esports community knows that professional gamers practice – or scrim – daily for up to 10 hours. The team practices against other teams of a similar level, studies previous matches to find areas of improvement and analyzes the playstyle and strategy of their opponents. A coach guides pro gamers through their practice sessions, just as traditional athletes do. Coaches and managers often face enormous pressure to perform just like in traditional sports.

Despite this extreme schedule being frowned upon by some in the esports community, it displays how dedicated teams are to their chosen game. Due to the intense tournament and training schedules, some players quit playing competitively after a few years, choosing to stream or stop altogether.

It is often necessary for teams to maintain a regular gym routine to stay fit enough for competition. Do you recognize this scenario? Getting physically and mentally fit to compete is what the Olympics are all about, is it?

A Similar Mental Warfare to That Experienced by Athletes

While they may appear opposites, esports and sports have a lot in common. Each field requires different types of skills, one physical and one mental. However, there is one main similarity between esports players and athletes: both require high mental endurance. 

Yogi Berra, a famous baseball catcher during the early twentieth century, once said, “Baseball is 90% mental, and the rest is physical.” 

Similarly, Shaq suggested that ‘it’s all mental’ when discussing his swimming session with Michael Phelps.

Esports players and Olympic athletes may also have similar mental preparation, according to a study. According to the article, “esports professionals may have the same level of mental stamina as top Olympians.”

Strong Athletes are Essential for the Future of Esports

Besides understanding the game, players must be skilled to the core. Fast reflexes, memory, and sharp instincts are all needed throughout the game’s 20 – 35 minute duration. Taking on such an extreme sport requires enormous mental stamina, so, understandably, it can consume a person’s body. On top of that, esports is constantly changing.

The game constantly evolves with tweaks to various elements, sometimes changing its foundation altogether. For esports players, learning and studying would probably never end.

Esports, however, may not be mature enough yet to handle the routines of elite athletes. The industry is still young, and most esports haven’t reached the level of stability and discipline other sports have.

Future growth of the industry may require stronger training as the level of competition increases. Therefore, powerful athletes could be crucial to esports’ future.

Final Thoughts 

Sport and esports are both concepts that overlap massively, and their similarities outweigh their differences. Worldwide organizations are expanding the sports family to include esports beyond technicalities. And soon there will be more similarities between the two than differences.

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