People often think of esports and traditional sports as opposing things, which makes sense at first glance since the games tend to appear quite different. If somebody sees an esports tournament where players are playing Dota or CS2 and then compares it with a game of tennis or a game of soccer, the differences are obvious.
Crossover in the industries does come in the form of video games that focus on sports, and there are esports teams that focus on games that are based on soccer or baseball, for example, as sports simulation games are still some of the most popular out there – some people may enjoy watching a 90-minute game of football or a 12-minute game of FIFA equally.
Sports fans may do a bit of digging and find there are many online games that they find appealing, including esports titles.
Online Slot Games
Thousands of slot games on the market mean that people can usually find something based on their hobbies, or variations of their hobbies. Sports fans may be drawn to games that have sporty imagery or gameplay that replicates their favorite games, whether that means soccer, tennis, American football, or any other sport.
Slot makers are known for having a sense of humor at times and creating some original ideas, there’s even a sports-themed game called Zombie FC which tells the story of a zombie soccer team, something that you can’t replicate in real life!
Companies offering slot games also provide gamers with specific offers aimed at this demographic, here are some online slots offers aimed at sports fans allowing them to try out certain slot games if they want to. Variations of slot games are almost endless so sports fans may just as easily find themselves trying out the ancient history slots or fruit-themed games too. Sports slots are just one option for sports lovers.
EA Sports FC 24
EA Sports FC 24 replaced the FIFA title after an issue with naming rights, but it is still a similar game that can be appealing to those who like sports. On a Venn diagram of traditional sports games and esports, this is probably the biggest area of crossover, and we’ve seen esports teams launched to play FIFA (now FC 24) by some of the biggest teams in the world. Premier League soccer teams actually have esports teams that compete against one another.
The launch of FC 24 also saw the launch of something called FC Pro, a program that allows players to compete in a 1v1 format and facilitates a journey to the World Championships tournament. Players can enter each week and have to win a certain number of games against ranked opposition to potentially win a way into competitive tournaments from EA and partners.
FC 24 players can choose between lots of gaming modes such as career mode, which don’t have to be played online or competitively.
Dota 2
Watching Dota 2 for the first time, you’d be forgiven for thinking it has no appeal to the traditional sports fan and has more in common with something like Lord of the Rings due to the heavy fantasy elements.
The appeal for sports fans may stem from the teamwork and tactical element, as Dota 2 teams are split into different roles with their specific physical attributes and other skills and flairs, a bit like any other sports team.
Lovers of the art of working together as a team to achieve a victory may be drawn to something like Dota 2.
Rainbow Six Siege
Siege is spectacularly popular and the Six International is already being discussed and causing speculation in the industry in preparation for 2024’s tournament.
Siege splits two teams into attacking and defensive gameplay modes, and both take their turns at defending a bomb site or trying to plant a bomb defuser in the spot in the attacking mode. Another way to win is by killing all of the other team’s players so there are multiple tactics and strategies, just like real-life sports.
The matchups are played in a “best of” format so there are numerous rounds, and there are some similarities with traditional sports games once again, which may draw people from a more traditional sporting background. Players need to work as a team and come up with strategies and tactics rather than aimlessly trying to button mash. Different operators in the game have different things to offer players and can be used to good effect, and the heavy strategic element could be compared to a lot of team sports.
Conclusion
People like sports games for all sorts of reasons and the same can be said of esports, where players may be drawn to the mythical nature, the element of strategy, or the fact that teams work together to try and become the victors. More esports players have roots in traditional sports than some people might think, and the two can work together.