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Much in the same way that traditional athletes regularly endorse sports drinks and attire, more and more esports athletes and teams are striking up sponsorship deals with computer equipment brands.
What, exactly, does an esports athlete actually need a keyboard or mouse to do differently? We sat down with Dell’s general manager of consumer and small business, Ben Jackson, to find out.
What, in your view, separates gaming from esports? If anything?
I don’t necessarily think esports and gaming are separate. I prefer to think of esports as an extension of gaming. Esports is basically the evolution of multiplayer gaming into professionally run events that attract the best players of a game because they want to prove they are the best.
Think of it like playing a traditional sport, like cricket. You and I can grab a few friends, head down to a park and play recreationally. But some cricket players want to prove they are the best, so the Big Bash League is formed, and Australia’s top cricketers compete professionally to prove they are the greatest.
That’s what esports is in relation to gaming. Gfinity Elite Series, therefore, is like the Big Bash of gaming. It is a league that allows the best players of a game to compete against each other to see who comes out on top.
What behaviours truly separate the esports pros from ordinary gamers?
Esports pros play and understand the game at a much higher level compared to ordinary gamers. Like traditional professional athletes, they train for hours each day to perfect their skills in a game, studying all aspects of it to be the best.
With that said, like traditional sports there is nothing to stop an ordinary gamer becoming an esports pro. Sometimes it just comes down to natural talent, but if an ordinary gamer puts in the same amount of hard work that an esports pro puts into a game, then they can become just as good.
How important is good equipment and peripherals to competing at the highest levels?
Good equipment and peripherals are extremely important for esports professionals competing at the highest levels. Esports professionals need gaming equipment that is going to be reliable in pressure situations, and that is going to respond instantly and as expected.
If you give a professional rugby player a cheap, dodgy pair of boots, their feet are going to be sore, they might not get as much traction on a slippery surface, they won’t be playing at their best. It’s the same with esports players, just the equipment we are talking about is a mouse and keyboard.
What makes a gaming keyboard a gaming keyboard? What would an esports athlete need for it to do differently than a normal keyboard?
The type of keyboard an esports athlete uses depends on their personal preferences, but there are similarities in which keyboards they use. Generally, a gaming keyboard features mechanical keys because they can be pressed faster, which is important for the lightning fast reflexes required for esports competition. Gaming keyboards tend to be made from more premium materials so they are more durable and ergonomic for intense gaming sessions.
Same for a gaming mouse?
Once again, a gaming mouse comes down to the personal preference of the athlete, but there are similarities. A gaming mouse is generally designed more ergonomically so it fits better in the player’s hand. As an esports athlete, you want to be as comfortable as possible when you’re up on the stage playing for a championship. A gaming mouse also has more sensitivity control, so players can be more accurate with their movements. Most gaming mice will have programmable buttons so important buttons can be hit without needing to move around the keyboard too much.
And for a gaming headset?
The most important aspects of a gaming headset are comfort, sound quality and microphone quality. When you’re wearing a gaming headset for a long time, you want to forget it is even there so you can focus entirely on the game. Sound quality is important so you can hear important visual cues in the game, like when the other team reloads or throws a grenade. Finally, a gaming headset should have a great microphone so communications between team members come across crystal clear.
What do you think makes esports a compelling viewing experience?
Viewing esports shares many similarities with traditional sports. It’s a compelling experience because gamers get to watch the best players of a game competing against each other. We are in awe of their skill and how they seem to have a mastery over every mechanic available in the game. Further, esports are fast-paced because in-game tools allow cameras to quickly cut to where the action is.
How well do you think esports is recognised in Australia? What needs to change? What changes have you noticed?
Esports is slowly gaining mainstream recognition in Australia. Last year we saw the Adelaide Crows become the first traditional Australian sporting organisation to purchase an esports team, and the Essendon Bombers followed suit. The A-League has just launched its own esports league too with players signed by the A-League’s traditional teams.
Remember also, one of Team Australia’s Overwatch World Cup matches was broadcast live on free-to-air television, a first for esports.
These are progressive steps for esports in Australia, but we’re not yet at the level of mainstream recognition that we want to be. A greater focus on esports events taking place in front of live audiences in an arena is something we want to see more of. It’s one of the reasons we jumped at the opportunity to partner with Gfinity Esports Australia.
Where do you see esports in five and ten years from now?
Esports is growing at such a fast rate that it’s hard to see where it will be even one year from now. Ideally, five to ten years from now esports will be on par with traditional sports. Fans will flock to arenas to watch their local teams, matches will be broadcast on local television, maybe we’ll even see esports results reported on morning and evening news broadcasts.