What is the difference between E-sports, Sports, and Video games?

What is e-sports? It is not modern technology or even a fad. It is about the total change in the world of entertainment and culture, which is capturing a considerable amount of time and attention of the young target audience.

The term E-sports is short for Electronic Sports, known as professional competitive electronic video games. These virtual game platforms are created through electronic or computer systems and founded at every stage of human-computer interaction.

The competitive element underlies the very definition of e-sports: the challenge can be between a player and software or between simple players, arranged in singles or deployed in teams to conquer a common goal.

Are all videogames E-sports?

Not all video games can be considered e-sports, as games are a macro-category in which e-sports are also contained. Instead of competing on a soccer field, players compete in front of a screen. Instead of kicking a ball, players use a keyboard, mouse, or joypad.

Instead of challenging each other on a soccer field, players compete in front of a screen. Instead of kicking a ball, players use a keyboard, mouse, or joypad. This phenomenon has been overgrowing in recent years thanks to an ongoing enhancement of the Internet and a rapid evolution of technology and data transmission.

Socialization becomes a key factor in terms of fun and involvement or driving a person to use a specific video game, especially in the online context. In fact, the stereotype of the video game user cooped up in a room playing for hours in solitude or with a few friends due to the limited number of usable joysticks for the single console is mainly outdated.

E-sports are a phenomenon that has become a staple in today’s digital youth culture. The same is also the case with online casinos. You only need a few clicks to check out online pokies or any other type of game without necessarily going to the physical casino, perhaps accompanied by a few friends. Esports and online casinos have this in common: the ability to socialize with other players without the need to move from home.

Difference between E-sport and Sport

Another relevant aspect, which originates from the competitive nature of the activity, is the relationship with traditional sports, resulting in a transition of the concept of sport and athlete.

Despite the growing legitimacy and similarity of e-sports to traditional sporting events and competitions, there continues to be a debate about whether e-sports should be considered a sport.

Here is the definition from the European Sports Council: sports are defined as all forms of competitive activities or games that, through casual or organized participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical skills and abilities, providing enjoyment for participants, and in some cases, entertainment for spectators.

A sport is, therefore, defined as a polished competition based on physical skills, strategy, and organization. Specifically, a game is a sport if it meets four requirements:

• Require skill (as opposed to pure chance)
• Skill is physical.
• Require global popularity (widespread)
• Organizational and institutional stability

E-Sports require physical skills; in fact, manual dexterity is the most relevant physical skill for success; they are famous globally and involve organized competitions with specific roles and institutions, thus meeting the criteria of sport.

E-sports events occur in iconic arenas, receive media coverage, and have college scholarships, betting and doping scandals, significant tournaments, championships, teams, transfer fees, agents, and work visas.

The main argument against e-sports as a form of sport centers on its perceived lack of physicality. It is a modern, highly structured activity that requires the physical actions of the human body to decide a competitive outcome.

However, including a non-human component (specialized technical equipment) is considerable, but more is needed to reduce this activity to non-sports.

Difference between E-sports and Video Games

As previously mentioned, all e-sports are video games, but not all games can be classified as sports. To be defined as such, in addition to a structure through standard rules and an organization, there must also be competition, thus winners and losers, and they should also meet the institutionalization criterion.

Institutionalization means regulation, standardization, and the presence of official bodies that allow formal competitions, with all players having the same conditions, such as contracts or membership.

Many video games, for example, those produced by Nintendo, offer structured, organized, and competitive gameplay but need more well-developed institutional elements. They lack formal leagues, governance, and standardized ranking metrics. Others, such as Candy Crush for Mobile, lack competitive gameplay and, as a result, fail to meet a prerequisite of sports.

Video games, on the other hand, based on sports, such as FIFA, are to be considered e-sports only when the gameplay is online and for formal tournaments, events, and leagues.

Nevertheless, it does not matter that not all e-sports can be considered a sport. Indeed, the field faces dilemmas that can be addressed by scholars, educators, and sport management professionals, thus establishing a solid correspondence between e-sports and the sport management discipline.