Esports Genres A Beginner's Guide

 ELECTRONIC SPORTS 

Esports, or electronic sports, have grown to become a global phenomenon in recent years. With millions of fans and players around the world, esports has become a major industry that is only continuing to grow in popularity. In order to better understand this unique form of competition, it is important to explore the classification of esports and how they are organized. 

Esports are electronic competitions involving amateur and professional players, individually or in teams, through organized #leagues, often with monetary prizes. Advanced university sports gained popularity towards the end of the 20th century, becoming a more organized form of sports, similar to traditional athletics.

The first esports event took place in 1972 when members of Stanford's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (AI) met to participate in the "Intergalactic Space War" Olympics.

Intergalactic Space War Lab! Olympic Games where they competed for a one-year subscription to Rolling Stone magazine. In 1980, a more specialized competition, "National Space Invaders," was held, where thousands of competitors vied for the highest score in a game created by the Japanese video game company Taito Taito. In 1982, the esports world took another step towards a more regulated environment when businessman Walter Day founded Twin Calaxies, an organization dedicated to tracking the top scorers in various arcade games.

Daphne Bavelier (2012) mentioned that, he challenges us to think of a more inclusive sport anywhere in the world. Regardless of our age, background, or physical abilities, anyone can play, compete, grow, and win in esports.

While Key Findings by Hannah Boquet (2025) referred that video game players are indeed creative individuals. They can navigate easily and quickly, while spending very little money.

Most of our children sit at the computer listening to music while surfing the internet and simultaneously chatting with their friends on Facebook. These are multi-application users.

Not all games are the same. We cannot compare the use of multiple devices at once to the impact of playing interactive games. Both have different effects on different aspects of cognition and attention.

Additionally, thrill-packed video games have varying impacts on minds. Despite children spending long hours in front of screens, video games have many positive aspects.

ESPORTS CLASSIFICATION 

There are several different ways to classify esports, including by genre, platform, and tournament structure. Each of these classifications plays a vital role in shaping the landscape of competitive gaming and offering fans a diverse range of options to watch and participate in. 

ESPORTS BY GENRE 

One of the most common ways to classify esports is by genre, which refers to the type of game being played. Some of the most popular genres in esports include first-person shooters (FPS), real-time strategy (RTS), multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), and fighting games. 

Each genre has its own unique set of rules and gameplay mechanics, attracting a different audience and player base. 

1. First-person shooters, such as Call of Duty and Counter-Strike, require players to eliminate their opponents using a variety of weapons and strategies. 

2. Real-time strategy games, like StarCraft and Warcraft III, focus on resource management and tactical decision-making to outmaneuver opponents. 

3.Multiplayer online battle arena games, such as League of Legends and Dota 2, involve teams of players battling against each other to destroy the enemy base. 

4. Fighting games, such as Street Fighter and Super Smash Bros., pit players against each other in one-on-one combat. Another way to classify esports is by platform, which refers to the device or system on which the game is played. 

 ESPORTS ACCORDING TO PLATFORMS 

The most common platforms for esports include PC, console, and mobile. PC esports are typically played on powerful gaming computers and offer high-quality graphics and performance. 

1.Console esports, such as PlayStation and Xbox, cater to a different audience and have their own unique set of games and tournaments. 

2.Mobile esports, played on smartphones and tablets, have also gained popularity in recent years, offering gamers a convenient and accessible way to compete. 

TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE 

Tournament structure is another important classification of esports, as it determines how competitions are organized and conducted. 

There are several different types of tournaments, including single-elimination, double-elimination, round-robin, and league formats. 

◇Single-elimination tournaments involve players competing in a series of matches until only one winner remains. 

◇Double-elimination tournaments give players a second chance after losing a match, allowing them to continue competing in the loser's bracket. 

◇Round-robin tournaments involve all players facing each other in a series of matches, with the player or team with the best record declared the winner. 

◇League formats, such as the Overwatch League and the League of Legends Championship Series, feature multiple teams competing against each other over a season, culminating in a playoff to determine the champion.

You can explore the following games suitable for new players, categorized by genre:

• Sports Games, Where you can choose your favorite team and compete in the virtual sports arena.
• Fighting Games, like Super Smash Bros., suitable for players who prefer direct combat.
• Battle Royale Games, like Fortnite, which offer various tournaments, such as the "Zero Build" mode, which may be easier for beginners compared to complex tactical games. There's also Overwatch, which offers a team-based combat experience.
• MOBA Games, like League of Legends, which are very popular in the esports world, but mastering them takes longer.
• Tactical shooter Games, like Counter-Strike are classics with a huge fan base.

TIPS  FOR GETTING STARTED RIGHT 

To ensure a fun and safe start, here are some important tips:
Join official gaming communities on platforms like Discord or Twitch. These communities are a great place to exchange skills and tactics with other players.
Rewatch matches of top competitors to study the strategies and tactics they use to win.
Start with local tournaments. Platforms like PlayStation Tournaments offer easily accessible events for new players, allowing you to develop your skills in a supportive community environment and progress through different levels.

BASIC GAMEPLAY MECHANISM 

While details vary from game to game, most battle royale games follow this general structure:

A level playing field

All players start with virtually no equipment or weapons and must find them immediately upon starting the game.

A shrinking safe zone:

The "safe zone" shrinks over time, forcing players into a smaller area and causing them to collide with each other. Staying outside this zone results in loss of health or defeat.

Gameplay Modes: 

Players can play solo, with a partner (duo), or in a small team (e.g., 3 or 4 players).

 POPULAR BATTLE ROYALE GAMES 

Here are some of the most popular games in this genre that might be a good starting point for beginners:

1. Fortnite: Featuring a building mechanic alongside combat, it's one of the most popular games and suitable for new players due to its fun gameplay.
   
2. Apex Legends: Focuses on teamwork where each player chooses a "Legend" with unique abilities.
3. PUBG: Battlegrounds: Considered one of the games that established the genre's popularity, it features a more realistic style.

In brief, the classification of esports plays a crucial role in shaping the competitive gaming landscape and providing fans with a diverse range of options to enjoy. By understanding the different genres, platforms, and tournament structures of esports, we can better appreciate the depth and complexity of this exciting and growing industry. 

Whether you prefer first-person shooters, real-time strategy games, or MOBAs, there is something for everyone to enjoy in the world of esports. So pick up your controller, keyboard, or touchscreen device and join the millions of fans and players around the world in the thrilling world of competitive gaming.

REFERENCES:

https://www.datapandas.org 

https://www.britannica.com/sports/esports

https://www.itu.int/itu-d/reports/statistics/2025/10/15/ff25-mobile-network-coverage/

 https://openknowledge.worldbank.org

https://data360.worldbank.org/en/indicator/ITU_DH_POP_COV_5G

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