The “information superhighway” is by now a fact of life, not only in developed countries but almost everywhere on the planet. Is there any surprise that our computers come in many shapes, with various sizes of engines? The “engine” of a desktop, laptop or mobile computer is its CPU and hardware, while its windscreen, as it were, is a touch screen. That’s a nice, tidy analogy, isn’t it? The thing is that this comparison is completely true, not just metaphorical.
Today everybody understands that going online is all too much like moving about and traveling in the real world.
Whips Cruising the Internet
If we’re comparing our electronic, Web-ready devices (most of them “mobile” these days) with vehicles and with our experience of mobility in general then obviously the same enthusiasm people feel for their physical “rides” or cars — and for those who drive hot rods, their “whips” — applies to laptops, smartphones and tablets. Perhaps people who play computer games show this comparison to be true the most.
Now, on top of that, gamers play game titles that involve plenty of action, motion, sports, and even literal driving themes. So, it is quite clear that the ideas we have for mobility and action are shot through the ways we use computers and mobile devices. E-sports are among the most popular online pastimes emerging in the new global Internet culture.
Anything Can Be an E-Sport
The interesting thing about the e-sport phenomenon is that the hardware involved (electronic devices) as well as software (apps, mobile ready websites) are universal keys to unlock any kind of hobby, pastime, or form of athletics —making it a new kind of game that can be shared across time zones, borders, and languages.
Leaving aside serious sports like football, soccer, tennis and race-car driving, or even warfare games like first-person-shooters, the versatility of computer gaming and e-sports is demonstrated even by casual games like bingo. Online bingo and the even more popular mobile bingo sites are massive hits in countries like the UK and elsewhere. Players make them into full fledged sporting contests during tournament events.
This is an interesting example since there was a clear bridge formed by new media technologies between the bingo halls that had been commonly found in just about any British town and the tremendous choices that people have now for Web-based bingo apps and sites. How do people find online communities to join? That’s simple: they use bingo guide sites to discover games to play and the best bingo sites to join. As you can see, the e-sports model is self-contained, which gives people ways to play games without much need for outer conditions and complex equipment.
