You have probably heard – video gaming is quite a popular pastime these days. Not just as actually playing, but just watching. Yes, there is such a thing as watching other people play video games and driving a sort of visceral pleasure out of it. Well, there are many reasons why this is. If you choose to bet at GG.Bet, for example, you may be interested in making wagers on the outcome of esports.
To some people, this is the chief reason why they would watch sports or, in this case, esports, in the first place. It makes sense. Running a bet allows you to sort of feel more involved, but this is hardly it. Esports is about building communities, and by watching esports and rooting for a player or an entire team, you feel close to the action.
Why play and expend all this effort when you can relax, kickback, and enjoy the show? That is what most sports fans do anyway. Stadiums are packed, but not very many of the people watching are going to go to the incredible lengths that professional athletes do to deliver on an enthralling performance. The same logic goes into esports.
People feel closer to their teams and the players they support and like. There are different reasons to support these organizations as well. A quick example would be that some people are purely focused on a player whose performance is outstanding. You can think of League of Legends Faker or Dota 2’s Mind Control.
Both of these gamers have amassed a loyal following not because of their personalities but because of the way they have sought to push the experience of the game and what is possible as part of it. There are other reasons as well.
Bragging rights are an important factor in any competition. Fans may not be actively participating in a game, but they would TALK ANYONE’S EAR OFF if their team wins and the other lot’s team fails. That is just the “nature of the game.” Studies have repeatedly shown that people enjoy watching sports with fans of the opposing team.
Why? Because if on the off chance the other team ends up losing, you as a fan are bound to feel even happier now that you know that the fans next to you are probably miserable. It’s a surprising insight into what motivates fans mentally, but a very good explanation of why we watch esports.
There is a third reason still, and it’s simpler – it’s fun. You are watching esports allows you to meet with strangers. Yes, it’s a fact – competitions such as the Overwatch and Call of Duty Leagues are actually built on the premise that people will attend events in person and be willing participants as audiences.
But if you are not the most social person out there, that is no reason to worry as well, because you can still enjoy esports and do so socially. Streaming giants such as Trovo, YouTube Gaming, Facebook Gaming, and Twitch are there to allow you to bond over various esports events.
You can spam your emoticons, react to great plays, and generally keep the conversation going. You don’t have to even respond but watching all these people on stream react does make you feel like you belong, like you are among your people, and that you belong. Sure, this is a “tribal” way to describe it, but it’s a way that best captures the essence and joy of watching esports. If you haven’t discovered it yet, all you need is to get into the hobby by picking a video game that you truly enjoy.
