What are Esports? What does it stand for and will there be a pilot event at Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games are home to some of the oldest and most widely played sports in the world.

From swimming to athletics, thousands of athletes will be heading to the West Midlands to compete this summer.

However there will be one new addition to the Games roster that will be altogether different.

Here’ s what you need to know about Esports, including what it is and how they will feature at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

When will Esports be played at the Commonwealth Games 2022?

The Commonwealth Esports Championships will take place at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham on 6 and 7 August 2022.

This is a pilot event and will be the first of its kind at the Commonwealth Games.

What are Esports?

In short, Esport stands for ‘electric sports’.

Esports are sports that are played on a video games console or computer and have the competitive element of two humans playing against each other, usually with spectators watching on.

British Esports, a not-for-profit national body established in 2016 to promote esports in the UK, give detailed descriptions of what Esports is on their official website

A spokesperson said: “It’s different from standard video gaming in that esports is competitive (human-vs-human) and usually has an engaging spectator element to it, like traditional sports.

“Esports tournaments usually consist of amateur or professional gamers competing against one another for a cash prize.

“Think of esports as competitive video gaming where skill and professionalism is celebrated. The pro gamers who play at this level know the games inside out, much like a professional footballer or athlete would in their respective fields.

“Professional teams usually have coaches, analysts and managers who help to get the most out of the players and organise strategies.

“Some games are played on consoles like Xbox One or PS4, while others are played using PCs. Matches can be online over the internet, or at a physical event (usually grand finals) if safe to do so, over a LAN connection.

“Matches can be viewed by spectators at a live physical event or over the internet via streaming platforms such as Twitch, which broadcast the games in real time online.”

What has the Global Esports Federation said about the Commonwealth Games event?

The announcement is exciting, and there is plenty of positivity ahead of the inaugural Esports event.

Leaders in Esports and the West Midlands have commented on the news that the inaugural Commonwealth Games Esport event will take place in Birmingham.

Global Esports Federation President Chris Chan said: “We are proud to establish yet another first for the world’s esports community. The inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championships comes hot on the heels of the first-ever Singapore 2021 Global Esports Games staged in December 2021, capturing more than 500 million views from around the world.

“The Commonwealth Esports Championships offers our community another exciting event in the global esports calendar. We look forward to welcoming the esports community to Birmingham in August.”

Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street said: “I am thrilled that the first ever Commonwealth Esports Championships will be staged this summer right here in the West Midlands.

“To put in perspective the sheer scale of the potential ahead of us, the first-ever Global Esports Games in Singapore in December 2021 attracted more than 500 million views from around the world. And with the West Midlands’s growing status as an esports hub, I am incredibly excited to see how we build on last year’s success.”