Last summer over 12,000 fans were at Wembley Arena in London, shouting and cheering. Thousands more were watching online. It was esports, or competitive computer gaming.
Millions of people in the UK play computer games for fun. Some of them have become professional gamers, playing games as their full-time job. They practice for ten or more hours a day, five or six days a week. They do exercises like typing something and trying to type it faster and faster. They also study videos of other players and plan ways to beat them.
Are players athletes? Some say no. Esports players don't need to run, jump, throw or do big physical actions. At the moment, the UK government classifies esports as kinds of games, not as sports.
But others say yes: esports are sports. Players do need some physical skills, especially hand-eye coordination, reflexes, accuracy and timing. If darts, snooker and shooting are classified as sports, then perhaps esports should be too.
And they will be an official medal sport in the Asian Games starting from 2022. Next step: the Olympics?
For many esports fans and players, though, the most important thing is that esports are growing in popularity and importance.
A. But this wasn't a football, basketball or tennis match.
B. All like playing computer games.
C. It's not easy being a professional gamer, though.
D. But are esports really sports?
E. It is certain that esports will come into the 2024 Olympics.
F. In fact, China and South Korea do classify esports as sports.
G. If esports are not as important as sports now, they definitely will be in the near future.
