My Time at The Esports Observer in 10 Articles – The Esports Observer|home of essential esports business news and insights

At the time of publication, I have departed The Esports Observer after three years as a full time writer – the first the company actually brought on board. As TEO has grown from a niche outlet to a trusted source of esports business news and insights, I want to thank everyone who read and supported my work; as I’m sure you will continue to do for this publication’s talented writers both present and future. 

As I depart for my next chapter in esports, I wanted to leave with 10 articles that I consider to be my favorite pieces of work. These weren’t chosen based on current trends or how many hits they received (in fact some I hope get more attention than they did when first published). Instead, I chose these either based on the uniqueness of the subject matter, the crucial insights from the interviewees, or just to show how far esports has come, and where it might go next.

How an Unauthorized Asian Games Twitch Stream Hit 500K Viewers

When League of Legends was played as a demonstration event at the 2018 Asian Games, there was no way for China to watch its national team compete. Due to an odd TV licensing issue and YouTube being blocked in the country, live games were not broadcasted. Instead, when two L.A.-based streamers co-streamed the competition on Twitch, word spread, and soon hundreds of thousands were visiting their channel. As well as being an unbelievable story, this highlights what a disruption esports and online streaming can have on typical sports broadcasting models.

Opinion: Why Esports is Uniquely Positioned to Survive COVID-19

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, it was an uncertain time to say the least. For a while esports was the most watched live sport on Earth, and even though reports indicated that viewership and player counts were going up significantly, with inevitable recession looming there were also more events being canceled well into the future. I wanted to put head to where the industry was heading, and what everyone should expect. 

Top 10 Esports Team Organizations of 2019 by Competition Results

This article was a significant undertaking. I looked at every major esports competition in 2019, and assigned points to each team based on their performance in a multitude of games, whether it was in a league season or international tournament. Certainly, the final tally was questioned by some, but nevertheless the article showed which teams can consistently perform across multiple games, and has been cited in industry reports and by individuals. 

Opinion: Instant Success Doesn’t Exist in Esports. Let’s Stop Chasing It

I’ve been working in esports long enough to watch the announcement, launch, and decline of dozens of competition projects. Many of them shared one universal fault: promising above and beyond what the industry may have been capable of. Esports is an extremely fast-paced industry with many coming and going trends, and this often lends itself to ridiculous expectations. 

Three Things Mercedes-Benz Did Right in Communicating with the Dota 2 Audience

This event report covered the infamous ESL One Dota 2 Major, where one commentator’s ill-fitting line promoting the-new sponsor Mercedes Benz became an out of control meme. I looked at how ESL/Daimler controlled the controversy, how an automotive company could be integrated into the culture of Dota 2, and why social media can be a boon and a burden to brands.

‘Esports at the Olympics?!’ – Here’s What’s Missing From the Headlines

My favorite topic to cover at TEO was esports and its complex relationship with the Olympic movement. After reading the dozenth false article proclaiming esports would definitely be coming to the Summer Games, I explained how difficult, and perhaps even how unrealistic that would be. Even with the 2020 Tokyo games postponed and esports’ rise during COVID-19, the question of its inclusion is still far from answered.

LEC On Air Talent Team Give Their Take on Spring Split, Industry Growth

If you’ve read about where I will be moving on to after TEO, then perhaps this piece will come across a bit biased. Nevertheless, I think the League of Legends European Championship (LEC) has one of the best on-air talent teams in esports, and to have them speak their mind on the industry as a whole was a delight to listen to and share.

Cheating in Esports – How Is It Done, and How Is It Dealt With?

Foul play in esports is a topic as old as the industry itself, but few are aware of the complex web of technology and rules that exist to try and control it. There are some insights in this article that I still bring up in conversation. Did you know that ESL spends 10% of its technology budget on anti-cheat software, or that it has unofficially hired people to go into anti-cheat software communities?

You Cannot See Esports as Marketing,’ Says Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent

Available in both written and video form, this interview was recorded at the 2019 League of Legends World Championships. Once again there are some great insights in terms of the future of gaming and its place in pop culture. Can it really be argued that a gaming company will become the Disney of the 21st century? 

A Retrospective on Community-Created Esports

I think it’s extremely important for newcomers in the industry to learn where the most popular esports originated from, and why you can’t dismiss the power of the community. From the Half-Life mod that spawned the now 20-year old franchise of Counter-Strike, to newer games like PUBG and Dota Auto Chess, today the most played game in the world can still be born not from money and marketing, but out of indie programming and word-of-mouth. 

Source link