Summary of History of Esports

Summary of "History of Esports"

The video outlines the evolution of esports from its inception in the 1960s to its current status as a mainstream phenomenon. It highlights significant milestones in competitive gaming, including early competitions, the rise of arcade games, and the impact of technological advancements on the gaming landscape.

Key Historical Highlights

1960s:
- Spacewar! created in 1962; first competition held in 1972 at Stanford University.
1980s:
- The Space Invaders Championship by Atari in 1980 attracted 10,000 participants.
- Introduction of Twin Galaxies for tracking high scores, with records included in the Guinness Book of World Records.
- Starrcade TV show aired from 1982 to 1984, showcasing competitive gaming.
1990s:
- Nintendo held the World Championships in 1990, with a second championship in 1994.
- The release of Street Fighter II in 1991 sparked interest in competitive gaming.
- Quake tournament in 1997, often cited as one of the first esports competitions, where the winner received a Ferrari.
2000s:
- Major League Gaming (MLG) established in 2002, holding the first televised tournament in 2006 featuring Halo 2.
- The rise of consoles like Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2006 significantly boosted competitive gaming.
2010s:
- Launch of Twitch in 2011, revolutionizing the way esports could be streamed and viewed.
- By 2013, Twitch had over 43 million monthly views, leading to its acquisition by Amazon in 2014 for $970 million.
- Growth of esports teams and programs in universities and high schools.

Gameplay Highlights and Strategies

Competitive gaming has evolved through various genres, including arcade games, fighting games, and multiplayer shooters.
The importance of community and local competitions in the early days, transitioning to larger, organized tournaments.
Streaming platforms like Twitch have enabled broader access to competitive gaming, significantly increasing viewership and participation.

Key Tips Discussed

For aspiring competitive gamers, the video emphasizes the importance of community engagement and participating in local tournaments.
Staying updated with technological advancements and utilizing streaming platforms to build an audience and connect with other gamers.

Featured Sources and Gamers

The video mentions notable games and events but does not provide specific names of gamers or sources beyond the general historical context.

Notable Quotes

— 04:10 — « When something was in Time magazine it was like it was plastered everywhere. »

— 14:34 — « It was kind of like something you did because you were passionate about it, something you did because you loved it. »

— 19:11 — « It's what it was looking for the whole time. »