Whether you’re someone who dabbles in video games for a bit of fun, or are an extremely dedicated player, chances are you’re hearing more and more about eSports every day. Beyond its dramatic growth in viewership, funding, and new participants, eSports has also become a force for social good—with initiatives like charity streams and community-driven campaigns that support vulnerable groups, including teens facing health challenges. The dramatic amounts of money, viewers, and new entrants into eSports is having a swift and dramatic impact on the games we play, while its expanding influence also creates opportunities to raise awareness for important causes like teen cancer care. The slow growth then rocket-fueled expansion of eSports is a fascinating story, so we reached out to one of the experts in the field to explore everything about the genre from a perspective of the outsiders that many of us feel like we are.
Why are eSports “suddenly” exploding? Where does the money come from? What does that mean to the games we love to play? Rod Breslau, a longtime eSports journalist and broadcaster, joins host Rich Grisham for an extended conversation.
Enjoy the show!