By Kate Zuritsky | 07/10/2025
We all know gamers, right? It’s not uncommon to find them glued to a gaming chair, eyes locked on a glowing monitor. But what used to be a fun hobby for many players has exploded into professional competitions and a global phenomenon.
“Esports provide many benefits,” says Dr. Brittany Jacobs, Associate Professor and Department Chair for the esports program at American Military University (AMU). “The most apparent benefits are the skills associated with working in teams. Collaboration and conflict management are two key skills that can be developed through esports.”
The competitions can range from single elimination brackets to round robins and high-stakes invitationals. “Esports are played in organized competition formats, and gamers can compete at the recreation level, all the way up to the professional level,” explains Dr. Jacobs.
So, what is esports and what makes the esports world so popular? Why does it appeal not just to gamers, but also to educational institutions, the military, and the corporate world?
What Is Esports?
“Esports are formally electronic sports, probably better known as video games,” says Dr. Jacobs. “Esports are played on computers or video game consoles, like Xbox® or PlayStation®, and this platform becomes the digital sporting field.”
Esports turn everyday gaming into an organized, competitive sport with gamers battling it out in esports tournaments and leagues for large cash prizes and brand sponsorships. “Much like traditional sports, gamers train for their esports and the best of the best are compensated for their performance,” Dr. Jacobs adds.
The esports industry is experiencing unprecedented growth. According to Esports Insider, there are over 30,000 gamers who compete for over 1,000 teams across the globe. Statista estimates that the revenue from esports will reach $4.8 billion this year and by 2029, the number of esports athletes will reach 896 million users worldwide.
In fact, the esports industry is projected to reach a market volume of $5.9 billion by 2029, fueled in part by esports betting and a booming gaming community.
What Is an Esports Tournament?
Esports tournaments are video game competitions where gamers battle each other for major prizes and sponsorship deals from companies like Red Bull® and Coca-Cola®.
These tournaments are almost as popular as the championships played in physical sports, especially among kids and teens. But instead of local teams playing in national championships, esports competitors fight it out for international titles and recognition on a global stage.
“The League of Legends World Championships is one of the biggest esport events in the world. Running this event alone requires hundreds of staff,” says Dr. Jacobs.
A Look at Esports History
Esports began to take shape in the early 1960s with the creation of Spacewar!, one of the first multiplayer computer games. This game involved two players controlling spaceships and battling each other using real-time strategy.
In 1972, Magnavox® debuted the very first home console, the Magnavox Odyssey. It was soon followed by the Atari® Video Computer System (later rebranded as the Atari 2600), launched in 1977.
The first official esports competition reportedly took place in 1972 at Stanford University, where video game players competed in Spacewar! during the Intergalactic Spacewar Olympics. Sponsored by Rolling Stone magazine, the winner received a free one-year subscription to the magazine.
Console Gaming and Early Online Competitions
Both the Atari 2600 and Nintendo® Entertainment System (NES) played a pivotal role in the sudden rise in the popularity of playing video games. Plus, arcade hits like Pac-Man®, Super Mario Bros® and Street Fighter® helped the video game industry really take off.
In 1980, the Atari National Space Invaders Championship attracted thousands of professional players, making it one of the first large-scale video game tournaments in history. Then, the ‘90s brought exciting developments in the industry as video game companies invested in high-tech graphics, multiplayer options, and created wildly popular online games like Doom® and Duke Nukem®.
Global Growth and Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas
The early 2000s are widely seen as a turning point for electronic sports and the gaming community. Major technological advancements – such as broadband internet connections and the rise of multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) – allowed game developers to expand their reach, driving international competition.
Suddenly, the esports sector boomed, with popular esports games like League of Legends®, Counter-Strike®, and Dota 2® helping esports and competitive gaming achieve mainstream success. By the early 2010s, online platforms like Twitch® and YouTube® Gaming gave the industry and professional gamers an even greater boost, with over $1 billion in revenue and attracting hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.
Esports Competitions
Esports have single-handedly revolutionized the way esports fanatics follow, watch, and interact with video games. These global competitions are hosted by some of the most famous video game companies in the world and attract millions of viewers as well as global brands.
The Most Popular Esports Games
“When you consider the esport sector, there are numerous genres that a gamer might participate in and each game falls into a different genre of esports,” observes Dr. Jacobs. “The most common genres include multiplayer online battle arenas, real-time strategy, sport simulations, first person shooter games, and battle royales.”
Esports encompass various games across different genres like puzzles, battle royales, and simulated sports. According to Esports Charts, the 10 most popular games right now are:
- Mobile Legends®
- League of Legends
- Counter-Strike
- Valorant®
- Arena of Valor®
- PUBG Mobile®
- Fortnite®
- Apex Legends®
- Battlegrounds Mobile India
- Dota 2®
Esports tournaments take video games to the next level – it’s like a gamer version of an athletic championship. Professional players gather in a packed arena or stream online to massive audiences, going head-to-head to win prize money and brand sponsorships.
“Esports athletes often work in a team environment, so participating in an esports team leads to skill development in many areas,” says Dr. Jacobs. “From communication to conflict resolution, the best esports teams work well together and can amplify their teammates’ strengths.”
Major Esports Events
When it comes to esports tournaments, there are a few standouts that are the most prestigious and popular. Such tournaments attract the best esports athletes, top sponsors, and the largest prize pools and include:
- The League of Legends World Championship (also known as the Worlds)
- The Overwatch Champion Series (the OWCS)
- The International
- The Esports Entertainment Association (ESEA)
League of Legends World Championship
Hosted in major cities around the globe, these esports league tournaments bring together 17 of Riot Games’ best League of Legends professional esports teams who compete over the course of two months for the coveted Summoner’s Cup by Tiffany and Company®. It is one of the biggest electronic sports competitions in the world.
Overwatch Championship Series
The Overwatch Champions Series is a global tournament where top esports gamers compete in Blizzard’s exhilarating first-person shooter game, Overwatch 2®. Evolving from the Overwatch League, this action-packed, high-stakes event highlights the importance of teamwork and strategy. These qualities are displayed during the Grand Finals, which keeps everyone on the edge of their seats.
The International
Pushing the boundaries of the esports prize pool is The International, which is one of the biggest esports tournaments in the world. Tournament organizers bring together 16 teams – 80 players total – who battle it out for the top spot in Dota 2.
The prize is crowdfunded by in-game purchases made by players and fans. In 2024, Team Liquid walked away with $2.6 million, proving that teamwork, resilience, and emotional intelligence pays off.
“Esports players develop emotional intelligence from working in these tournament settings,” explains Dr. Jacobs. “They also develop resilience, which is needed to bounce back from hard losses or not being selected for teams and self-regulation. They have to maintain composure while making complex decision in high-stress environments.”
E-Sports Entertainment Association
The ESEA is a stepping-stone to professional leagues. It gives players a chance to test their skills and knowledge in Counter-Strike leagues and matches.
Teams who win these matches may be promoted into higher leagues and get invited to tournaments. Designed for aspiring pros, professional esports organizations help create a clear path for players from amateur play to expert-level esports competition.
“Most esports athletes develop hand/eye coordination, advanced game knowledge, and significant problem-solving skills,” explains Dr. Jacobs. “Also, high-level esports athletes engage in both physical and mental training. It enhances their physical and mental well-being, further enabling the development of these skills.”
Is Esports a Legitimate Career Path?
If you’ve ever dreamed about becoming a professional athlete in traditional sports or coaching an Olympic team, joining the ranks of elite esports players might be your modern-day equivalent. The esports career path is real, but it’s also very competitive.
“Working in esports is a legitimate career path, and you can make a career from your video gaming passion,” notes Dr. Jacobs. “The revenue in the worldwide esports market is anticipated to grow even higher. With this market growth, opportunities to pursue education in esports have also grown.”
You can train day and night, but without the right mix of skills, strategy, and mental toughness, it could be a difficult career path. Luckily, you have other options in esports besides video game competitions.
“The great thing about a career in esports is that there are numerous paths to explore,” notes Dr. Jacobs. “From shoutcasting and streaming to team and player management, people looking to work in esports have the opportunity to determine their interests and apply them to the esports setting.”
If you’re interested in pursuing esports as a career path, there are some important educational steps you can take. “Many academic programs – business, IT, and sport management – now offer concentrations or certificates in esports,” explains Dr. Jacobs. “There are also academic degree programs in esports where a student could complete a bachelor’s degree.”
The skills and knowledge required in esports can easily translate into many different academic disciplines besides traditional gaming. “Esports can integrate with academic departments in numerous ways,” says Dr. Jacobs. “From the business management perspective to the coaching and player development perspective, there are numerous avenues through which esports connect to academic learning.”
Majoring in business? Explore marketing, sponsorships, and event management. Computer science programs may teach young adults about game development and network security.
Similarly, shoutcasting and content creation could easily tie into a communications degree, and psychology programs may teach students about team dynamics and mental performance.
How Has Esports Influenced the Military?
Esports have long been tied to military services, which use video games, esports teams and tournaments to attract and engage new recruits. Through streaming platforms and competitive events, military service branches can connect with their target audiences where potential recruits already spend a lot of their time.
Esports also provide servicemembers with transferable skills that easily translate into military training goals. Plus, esports can help veterans transition to civilian life by providing an outlet, connections, and maybe even additional skills that could help with a career in game development or shoutcasting.
“We often hear of teams doing ‘team building exercises,’ which might include things like a ropes course,” says Dr. Jacobs. “Esports offer the same team-building opportunities. In the military, many environments are also team-based, creating a direct translation of the benefits garnered from esport participation to military life.”
The Bachelor’s Degree in Esports at AMU
Dr. Jacobs notes that the growth of esports and the clear interest of students led to the development of an online Bachelor of Science in Esports. “This degree program is unique in that all the core courses are esports-specific,” she adds. “AMU is one of the first educational institutions to offer this degree.”
This academic program covers topics such as an introduction to esports, the business of esports, and esports media and production. Other courses include esports player development and contemporary issues in esports.
“AMU offers two concentrations: business management concentration or coaching and player development,” states Dr. Jacobs. “All students complete an externship in esports, which allows them to apply what they have learned in class to the esports industry.”
The AMU esports program is the first esports program to receive specialty accreditation from the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). “What’s great about this accreditation is that it externally verifies the quality of our esports program,” Dr. Jacobs adds.
For more details, visit AMU’s health sciences degree program page.
Xbox is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation.
PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Inc.
Red Bull is a registered trademark of Red Bull GMBH.
Coca-Cola is a registered trademark of the Coca-Cola Company.
Magnavox is a registered trademark of Curtis International, Ltd.
Atari is a registered trademark of Atari Interactive, Inc.
Nintendo is a registered trademark of Nintendo of America, Inc.
Pac-Man is a registered trademark of Kabushiki Kaisha Bandai Namco Entertainment.
Super Mario Bros. is a registered trademark of Nintendo of America, Inc.
Street Fighter is a registered trademark of the Capcom Company, Ltd.
Doom is a registered trademark of ZeniMax Media, Inc.
Duke Nukem is a registered trademark of Gearbox Enterprises, LLC.
League of Legends is a registered trademark of Riot Games, Inc.
Counter-Strike is a registered trademark of the Valve Corporation.
Dota 2 is a registered trademark of the Valve Corporation.
Twitch is a registered trademark of Twitch Interactive, Inc.
YouTube is a registered trademark of Google LLC.
Mobile Legends is a registered trademark of Shanghai Moonton Technology Company, Ltd.
Valorant is a registered trademark of Riot Games, Inc.
Arena of Valor is a registered trademark of Tencent Holdings, Ltd.
PUBG Mobile is a registered trademark of Krafton, Inc.
Fortnite is a registered trademark of Epic Games.
Apex Legends is a registered trademark of Electronic Arts, Inc.
Tiffany and Co. is a registered trademark of Tiffany, LLC.
Overwatch 2 is a registered trademark of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.