The Rise of the Video Game
Pretty boy rappers that be playing like yo Vega, I’ll knock your claws and mask off you old news like Sega
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Back in the day, parents told kids like me we were wasting our time playing video games like Madden, Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Donkey Kong. The point was, we would never be able to make a living from video games, so we needed to put our focus elsewhere in areas that mattered! As a result, few of us tried to find a way to make a career from video games. Back then, in the black community, we had even less access to the tools required to develop games, and honestly didn’t think about the fact that even in 8-bit mode there was more involved than the technology, for example, artists were and still are also an integral part of the video game industry.
Fast forward to today, there are opportunities for black and brown kids to make a living in game development because games include everything from graphic artists, who develop graphics, to DJs, who create video game soundtracks, to dancers, who add realistic movement, to the actors, who do voice overs. There are many ways to make a really good living in the video gaming industry as we stand at the precipice of a new age in which gamers are the celebrities and video gaming is a sport. Teams are popping up everywhere playing NBA, League of Legends, and more. This video gaming boom means even more opportunities for a career in the gaming world – in technology and art – as well as in manufacturing, playing, promotion, and sponsorship. There are even the opportunity cities to set up a new kind of arcade where professional gamers and their fans can gather to play and watch.
The Esports Revolution
The video gaming revolution is upon us – a place where professional gamers are paid, often quite lucratively, to play their favorite games to entertain others. Esport athletes, developers, and video game streamers, and others in the industry are developing, playing, and competing in video game tournaments and building profitable and productive careers with massive payouts.
Currently the esports economy worldwide is expected to reach more than $900 million which amounts to annual growth of nearly 40 percent. Of these millions, the bulk is generated from advertising and sponsorships weighing in at nearly $360 million. The million dollar threshold for esports events was crossed only two years ago, in 2017, when it reached $112 million. Today, the professional gaming industry as a whole exceeds $1 billion and shows no signs of slowing its roll. The massive flow of cash corresponds with the flood of online viewers which is estimated at more than 380 million.
Teams and online tournaments draw enormous audiences but much of the gaming industry growth is a result of the play of individual gamers. These players become celebrities as they steam their play online via websites like Mixer, Twitch, and others, online audiences numbering in the ten thousands watch. These celebrity players play from home and earn substantial paychecks through donations, subscriptions, and ad revenue, many claiming annual salaries of $100,000 or more. They earn even more if they partner with the streaming platforms or are feature players on the sites.
Viewers become ‘regulars’ hanging out on the sites daily, watching their favorites play, while chatting with one another. Among popular game choices are Call of Duty and Fortnite, but the most popular gaming celebrities have a fan following regardless of the games they play.
Video Game Development for the Future
The video games of the future are currently in development around the world, often by savvy imaginative developers who are earning their college degrees in video game development. These young creative developers have an easy in with the biggest gaming companies like Tencent, Sony, Microsoft, Apple, and Activision. Universities across the country are launching esports initiatives, among them, NCAA powerhouses – The Ohio State University and the University of Washington. These new esports programs are comprehensive and include both graduate and undergraduate degrees as well as specialty electives. Other colleges have been in the game longer, including Full Sail University (Florida) and the University of North Texas. At UNT, competition training is available, while Full Sail features business focused esports degrees and more, all of which are connected to esports.
Esports Arenas
The “and more” at Full Sail means The Fortress Arena where professionals play in a stadium packed with a live audience. The $6 million arena is home to the university’s 80 person varsity esports team, Armada. And while The Fortress Arena may be among the first university to offer stadium play, it certainly won’t be the last.
At the professional level, Activision Blizzard’s Overwatch League plays team matches in Blizzard Arena, the former studio of Johnny Carson’s Late Show. Now the teams are buying space in their home cities and renovating old facilities or building new stadiums, like the Comcast Fusion Arena in Philadelphia, the country’s first video gaming arena, for its team.
The Esports Wave
The wave on which esports is riding is the beginning of a new age for video gaming. With the growth of teams, arena play, streaming, and development, the growth of the industry shows no signs of slowing which means an ever-increasing boom for players and fans everywhere. Virtual communities are coming together. Imagine if while we were rethinking the physical world, we repurposed things like old strip malls with arenas to give the gamers a place to congregate and at the same time revitalized neighborhoods.
