Esports or Electronic Sports is a form of competition using video games. Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, individually or as teams. By the 2000’s, participation by professional gamers and spectatorship in these events through live streaming saw a large surge in popularity. By the 2010’s, esports was a significant factor in the video game industry, with many game developers actively designing and providing funding for tournaments and other events.
Over the last decade, gaming culture has become a huge part of mainstream culture. Some online gaming experts project the global gamification market will grow from $9.1 billion(2020) to $30.7 billion by 2025. How would you define gamification from an educational standpoint? Educational Technology Journal describes it as, “a developing approach for increasing learners’ motivation and engagement by incorporating game design elements in educational environments.” With goals of motivating students, encouraging changes in behavior and inspiring healthy competition or collaboration, it’s easy to see why a lesson-turned-video-game would appeal to students.