The time has come - after long years of being just a hobby for nerds, then growing into a multibillion industry with tournaments paying prize money bigger than some real athletes earn in a year now even the International Olympic Committee recognizes their status. Next year Olympic Esports Series (OES) will finally bring together e-athletes from around the world in Saudi Arabia to fight for the medals in many disciplines.
Seeing rapidly esports grows the officials, managers and even the athletes started to adopt many different techniques that made this sport so unique and helped it to blow up and find a niche. The two, virtual sports and traditional, began to merge in some ways, borrowing positives - and negatives - from each other. For example, betting culture is very popular in esports, same as with football or hockey, and involves a younger audience because of the lower entry threshold for the video games fans. The delicate psyche requires a responsible gaming lesson to know what gambling is and all the dangers that it holds before he can make an informed choice himself when he enters the required age. However, the vast majority of the borrowings are the positive ones.
The Gamer Body 2.0: More than just fast thumbs
Imagine a professional gamer. Got the picture? Good. Now throw it out the window. Today's elite gamers are looking more and more like their muscular counterparts from the traditional sports world. It turns out that good physical fitness isn't just for those who swing rackets and kick balls.
Suddenly, it's not enough to be able to hammer away at a keyboard at lightning speed. No, now you need squats and push-ups too. Because who knew that a toned body could be the difference between victory and defeat in Counter-Strike? Apparently, quite a few e-sports coaches.
Mental training: When ctrl+alt+delete is not enough
In the high-stakes world of esports, it's not just pixels that can crash. Gamers' brains are often on the brink of a mental blue screen of death too. But fear not! The sports world has a solution: mindfulness and meditation.
Imagine a bunch of hardcore gamers sitting in the lotus position chanting "om" before a tournament. It may sound like the start of a bad joke, but it's the new reality. Because when you can't rage-quit in real life, it's nice to find your inner zen master.
Team building: From LAN parties to climbing walls
Once upon a time, sharing a pizza and a 2-litre coke was enough to create a strong gaming team. Now, eSports organisations send their teams on wilderness survival trips. Because what says "teamwork" better than working together to build a bivouac while trying to remember which button was "crouch" in real life?
The strategic gamer: Sun Tzu meets Sunwell
E-sports strategists are now delving into classic military tactics and sports strategy. Suddenly, gamers find themselves studying Napoleon's campaigns to improve their Starcraft II tactics. Who knew that 19th century martial arts could be so relevant in a galactic conflict?
Gamer fuel 2.0: Goodbye Mountain Dew, hello quinoa
Nutrition has had a makeover in the gamer world. Out with the sugary energy drinks and in with smoothies and protein shakes. Suddenly, there are more vegetables in a gamer's kitchen than in the average canteen salad. And no, potato chips still don't count as a vegetable, no matter how creatively you argue.
Technology: Fitbit meets Fortnite
Data analysis is no longer reserved for nerds with thick glasses. Now gamers wear smartwatches that track everything from their heart rate to their salt levels, and yes, that's apparently a thing in the sports world. Soon we'll see gamers optimising their diet based on their kill/death ratio.
Superstar of the future: Half athlete, half gamer, all awesome
Esports and traditional sports with time become not that apart, and soon e-athletes would not only be selected by their stats in the virtual world, would have to pass a physical, as real ones have to. And even though they don’t need to run a marathon in a virtual world, good health is still a big plus for an athlete, regardless of the discipline they represent.
So next time you see a muscular bloke with a gaming headset, don't be surprised. It's just the sports hero of the future preparing to conquer both the digital and physical world. And who knows? Maybe one day we'll see the 100-metre dash and Dash (from Overwatch) as an Olympic event.
In this new era of gaming excellence, it's about mastering not only the game, but also yourself. So dear gamers, grab your protein shakes, roll out your yoga mats and get ready to game like never before. Because already tomorrow you might be gaming with your whole body!
