Gaming in a Post Pandemic World

Gaming in a Post Pandemic World

The pandemic and its current resurgence in the form of Omicron has had a deep impact in the world of youth sports. As events got cancelled and seasons postponed it seemed the sports experience had forever changed. Yet we all know that live sports will regain their popularity, both at the professional and amateur levels. But one thing the pandemic accentuated will remain unchanged. It is the fact that sports are shifting to electronic form. 

Forget little league and soccer moms and dads. E-sports were already big, but got a bigger boost during the pandemic. The shutting down of youth sports plus remote learning found a young generation of techies ready to embrace escaping to their consoles.

This past November, Nintendo, the leading player in the space in terms of volume, sold 1.13 million consoles in that month alone. And PlayStation and Xbox only lagged because of a supply shortage. Meanwhile, a survey conducted by the Aspen Institute found that 19% of parents with kids in youth sports claimed their child was not interested in playing team sports in June 2020, a number that rose to 28% in September 2021. 

The impact is global. According to Statista, there are 2.4 billion gamers in the world. That’s a staggering 30% of the population. The new sports heroes are switching from LeBron or Brady to Kazooie and Banjo - the electronic counterparts. The stakes in e-gaming are growing and reaching pro levels. Prize money is in the 8 figures. E-sports stadiums are popping across the country and youngsters are cheering their favorite characters both in situ and remotely. Statista pegged the e-sports industry at $957 million in 2019 and estimates it will grow to $1.6 billion by 2024.

E-sports have an advantage over regular sports. They are a lot more affordable and do not require adult involvement or supervision. And for the most part, you can’t get hurt. All it takes is a console and hand-eye coordination. No travel, no pick up from practice. There are even online coaching platforms, like Metafy, which connect ambitious gamers with the top players in the space to help them up their game. And for the more competitive ones, whether you’re on PS4, PS5, Xbox or Switch, plenty of accessories like controller grip pads to make sure you have your device in control even if your hands are sweaty or oily from the nearby bag of chips. Because even though you can’t get a concussion or break your collarbone, getting trigger finger will ruin your game.

Will gaming replace physical sports?  Highly unlikely. Pundits believe it is not a zero-sum game. While it does consume some of youngsters’ leisure time, it has added to it and can sometimes be complementary. Some even see gaming as a place to start experimenting with e-sports that will eventually lead to adoption of the sport in the real world.

The cookie settings on this website are set to 'allow all cookies' to give you the very best experience. Please click Accept Cookies to continue to use the site.
You have successfully subscribed!
This email has been registered