Written by: Aarnov Adhikari - 23003, Grade XI
Posted on: 04 April, 2022
It is the 21st century and I'm certain that all of us have played computer games at least once in our life. We mostly play games for fun or to pass time and enjoy with our friends but what if gaming isn't only centered on having fun or enjoying but can also be taken as a career option.
On the surface, sports haven't altered all that much in the last two decades. Technology advanced, but the fundamentals of sports remained the same. However, if we dig a bit deeper, you'll see a new sport vying for a position in the world — esports.
The growing popularity of esports has created some viable careers. Even research has shown that playing video games can have benefits when it comes to certain cognitive systems related to visual attention and short-term memory. This is why so many people are considering finding their career path in this industry. There is even an expert that says that playing esports is much harder than playing regular sports. This statement can be criticized of course. However, we still can't deny that esports can be as competitive as any other sport.
Esports stars like the South Korean player Faker already make $2 million a year and some professional teams are even joining esports leagues. All of this goes to show that esports are becoming more and more popular and that they can create some of the most interesting and creative career paths. So without a doubt in terms of money esports can be compared to any other sports.
Living in a country like Nepal where even sports is taken as a bad career option; esports stand no position and also we know the mentality of the Nepalese parents. They say,” My son will be a doctor. My son will be an engineer.” whereas their children are not even interested in such professions. In Nepal, parents manipulate the future of their children to such an extent that there are even reports of suicide. However, popular esports organization DRS has been expected to have an earning of approx. $176,733 in 2 years which is a motivation for our country as most of the population of Nepal aren't even equipped with smartphones and other facilities. Also, this can influence the minds of Nepali parents, that playing games is not only about spoiling your child and hampering them but also can be later developed as a career option.
Well, esports isn't the only carrier option while we talk about gaming. Streaming, content creation and so many more come into consideration as a carrier option. Not only that streaming has been seen as a healthy source of income with multiple streaming platforms such as youtube, twitch, Facebook, etc.
All in all, I think esports is a great career option for people who are passionate about gaming but as the current situation in Nepal goes I believe that it will be fruitful only once gaming gets recognition from the government of Nepal taking the reference as esports being a part of Olympics 2022.
