Sports: How Video Games Can Fill the Void
How Video Games Can Fill the Void
Eli Fishman, Incoming Co-Sports Editor
Published June 17, 2020
The ballpark doesn't smell of hot dogs and cracker jacks, sneakers are not squeaking on the court’s hardwood floor, and the ice is not flying off the heels of skates at the arena. Many Americans are currently in an unprecedented time during which there is no way to experience live sports as one typically would as the summer sports season is ushered in.
To fill this void, people have taken to a new sport, only this one is played sitting down using a controller. In wake of COVID-19, the video game business, specifically the world of esports, has exploded in popularity. Video games sales spiked 45% in the first week of quarantine, according to a recent Nielsen report. People have found video games as a replacement to sports, and a great way to have time consuming fun.
“Video games replaced sports by being similar in competitiveness,” explained Jalen Hardy, ‘22, a baseball player for Columbia High School (CHS). “It's an escape from reality, [and] helps make social distancing be more social and a little less distant.” Matthew Motiwalla, ‘22, agreed, and said, “It’s an easy and entertaining way to pass time during quarantine while also being able to interact and socialize with others.”
Published June 17, 2020
The ballpark doesn't smell of hot dogs and cracker jacks, sneakers are not squeaking on the court’s hardwood floor, and the ice is not flying off the heels of skates at the arena. Many Americans are currently in an unprecedented time during which there is no way to experience live sports as one typically would as the summer sports season is ushered in.
To fill this void, people have taken to a new sport, only this one is played sitting down using a controller. In wake of COVID-19, the video game business, specifically the world of esports, has exploded in popularity. Video games sales spiked 45% in the first week of quarantine, according to a recent Nielsen report. People have found video games as a replacement to sports, and a great way to have time consuming fun.
“It’s an easy and entertaining way to pass time during quarantine while also being able to interact and socialize with others.” - Matthew Motiwalla, '22
“Video games replaced sports by being similar in competitiveness,” explained Jalen Hardy, ‘22, a baseball player for Columbia High School (CHS). “It's an escape from reality, [and] helps make social distancing be more social and a little less distant.” Matthew Motiwalla, ‘22, agreed, and said, “It’s an easy and entertaining way to pass time during quarantine while also being able to interact and socialize with others.”
Motiwalla and Hardy are among the masses who have primarily turned to sports games, such as “NBA 2K” (Basketball) and “Madden NFL” (Football). “They have helped me still experience sports in some way,” Charlie Stamn, ‘21, said.
Another substitute for live sports has been esports. Like live sports, viewers can watch their favorite gamers play video games, often on live streams. The esports business has skyrocketed during this time. According to the popular streaming platform Twitch, over two billion hours of live video games were played in March 2020 alone. It's the “only sports entertainment for me,” Hardy said.
One popular form of esports during this time has been tournaments featuring professional athletes facing off, typically in tournament style play. Major League Baseball (MLB) organized a tournament where one player from each team played an entire virtual season as their own team, facing off against other players in the popular game “MLB The Show.” The tournament aired on ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, and MLB Network. The National Basketball Association (NBA) organized a similar tournament, which also aired on ESPN. These events received national attention from gamers and sports fans, and have demonstrated how video games can positively impact a wounded society. “It was fun and entertaining,” Hardy explained. The players “were actually taking the game seriously,” he said.
Video game companies have also tried to grow new audiences and acquire more gamers. Many games are incorporating new levels, modes, and promotions. Epic Games, a popular video game company, has carried out an extremely successful promotion, where each week a pre-released game is made temporarily playable for no charge. Their games are also on sale for as much as 75% off, and their website traffic has shot up 113.8% according to similarweb.com.
Another substitute for live sports has been esports. Like live sports, viewers can watch their favorite gamers play video games, often on live streams. The esports business has skyrocketed during this time. According to the popular streaming platform Twitch, over two billion hours of live video games were played in March 2020 alone. It's the “only sports entertainment for me,” Hardy said.
One popular form of esports during this time has been tournaments featuring professional athletes facing off, typically in tournament style play. Major League Baseball (MLB) organized a tournament where one player from each team played an entire virtual season as their own team, facing off against other players in the popular game “MLB The Show.” The tournament aired on ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, and MLB Network. The National Basketball Association (NBA) organized a similar tournament, which also aired on ESPN. These events received national attention from gamers and sports fans, and have demonstrated how video games can positively impact a wounded society. “It was fun and entertaining,” Hardy explained. The players “were actually taking the game seriously,” he said.
Video game companies have also tried to grow new audiences and acquire more gamers. Many games are incorporating new levels, modes, and promotions. Epic Games, a popular video game company, has carried out an extremely successful promotion, where each week a pre-released game is made temporarily playable for no charge. Their games are also on sale for as much as 75% off, and their website traffic has shot up 113.8% according to similarweb.com.
“I think that the game companies are doing a good job balancing new content releases during this time,” Motiwalla explained. “It certainly helps them remain successful and [keep] their consumers happy.” When the history of the pandemic is written, one of the many notable storylines will be the role that video games played in the healing of a nation longing for sports and entertainment during a time of boredom.
Designer: E.Walden
Designer: E.Walden
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