In September 2018 a famous gamer named Ninja was featured on the cover the famous sports magazine ESPN.  This event sparked the controversial question: should video games be considered a sport?

 Even though large online organizations have already coined the term “esports” for competitive gaming, many people still disagree with this. But in this reporter’s opinion, yes, video games should be considered a sport. Just like any athlete who plays any other sport, pro-gamers spend most of everyday training.  Whether it is an individual skill or team synergy, pro-gamers are always practicing something.

One of the most basic aspects of a sport is competition, and video games are definitely competitive.  One of the most popular video games currently has about 250 million players, making gaming way more competitive than most other sports.  Gaming also requires lots of strategy to be successful. Extensive preparation is required at the high levels of gaming just like pro sports.  Teams will analyze the tactics of the other team to try and gain an advantage, just like football teams will watch film on their upcoming opponents.  

Another aspect that is closely related with sports is athletic ability.  Although it may not be obvious, gaming requires a certain skill set, just like any other sport. High levels of coordination are required to be successful at gaming. It may sound easy to push buttons on a controller, but pushing the right combination of buttons at the right time, sometimes simultaneously with a teammate, is not always as easy as it sounds.  Very fast reaction times are also required. Lots of times being quicker than your opponent is the difference between a win and a loss. Being able to quickly analyze certain situations and reacting faster than your opponent is key in most games.

Teamwork is another large aspect of sports that video games exhibit.  In traditional sports, many people have favorite teams they follow, and the same can be said about video games.  A majority of games are team-based, making teamwork a large aspect of gaming. Having the right team is just as important in video games as in any other team-based sport. Typically, each player will have their own specialized skill set to contribute to making their team better. Having the right combination of skills on a team is key for being successful.  Communication is another large aspect of teamwork while gaming. If you can not quickly and precisely communicate with teammates then they could easily make a costly mistake.

Entertainment is a huge sports staple as well. Sports should be both fun to play and fun to watch, and video games easily qualify for both. Many people worldwide play video games every day for the sole purpose of fun and entertainment. Some people enjoy just hanging out with friends to play video games for fun.  Video games are no different than any other sport in this aspect.

There is no reason why video games should not be considered a sport.  Video games exhibit almost every aspect that is closely related to traditional sports, therefore, they are a sport.