The narrative covers the history of competitive gaming, also known as Esports, from its origins in the 1970s to the present day. It begins with the first official video game competition in 1972 at Stanford University, where gamers competed for high scores in the game "Space War." The 1980s saw the rise of Esports, with events like the Space Invaders Championship and the emergence of famous e-athletes like Billy Mitchell.
The 1990s marked the birth of modern Esports, with the Nintendo World Championships, the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), and the growth of multiplayer games like Street Fighter 2 and Quake. The early 2000s saw the rise of online gaming, with games like Counter-Strike and Halo, and the establishment of professional gaming leagues like Major League Gaming (MLG).
The narrative also highlights the impact of live streaming on Esports, with the launch of Twitch in 2011, and the growth of prize pools in major tournaments. Today, Esports is a multi-million-dollar industry, with top players earning significant amounts of money and competing in front of large audiences.
The narrator argues that Esports is a legitimate form of competition that requires skill, strategy, and teamwork, and that it has become a significant part of popular culture. They also encourage viewers to explore local tournaments and competitive gaming communities, and to support emerging talent in the Esports scene.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The first official video game competition was held in 1972 at Stanford University.
2. The competition was for the game "Space War" and the prize was a year-long subscription to Rolling Stone magazine.
3. The first major Esports event was the Space Invaders Championship, held by Atari in 1980.
4. The event attracted over 10,000 aspiring professional gamers.
5. The 1980s saw the growth of Esports with games like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Street Fighter.
6. The first famous e-athlete was Billy Mitchell.
7. The Street Fighter 2 game was released in 1991 and revolutionized the fighting game genre.
8. The game introduced real-time player vs player combat and competition.
9. The Nintendo World Championships were held in 1990 and tested gamers' skills in Super Mario Bros, Rad Racer, and Tetris.
10. The Evolution Championship Series (EVO) was founded in 1996 and hosted Street Fighter Alpha 2 and Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo.
11. The year 1997 saw the first nationwide online tournament, Red Annihilation, for Quake.
12. The tournament was held at E3 and spectators could watch online from their homes.
13. The winner of the tournament, Thresh, was awarded John Carmack's personal Ferrari.
14. The late 2000s saw the rise of professional gaming with the growth of online streaming and communities.
15. The early 2010s saw the introduction of Twitch live streaming and the growth of Esports as a mainstream phenomenon.
16. The prize pools for major Esports tournaments have grown significantly, with the Dota 2 International tournament reaching $25.5 million in 2020.
17. The League of Legends tournaments sell out arenas and have large online viewership.
18. FaZe Clan and Cloud9 are examples of professional gaming organizations that sponsor teams and players.
19. The International 2011 Dota 2 tournament had a prize pool of $1.5 million.
20. Ninja made almost $10 million in 2020 from Esports.