The popularity of esports has grown exponentially over the last five or so years. In the early 2010s, there were just a few million hobbyists interested in a niche set of video game tournaments but today, it’s grown into a global viewership of hundreds of millions that’s aired on national television networks. 

Those that compete in esports competitions are often paid large sums of money in appearance fees, sponsorship deals, and prizes. Some of the largest tournaments boast total prize money in the tens of millions, more than many well-established sporting events. 

Despite the huge viewerships and large sums of money that are floating around the sport, many people dismiss esports competitors as not being true athletes. 

The same debate is common among other sports that are not physically exerting. Professional players of card games are not considered to be athletes by some, despite it requiring a lot of skill to play at a high level. Succeeding at games like poker requires players to think strategically and find an edge over rivals. The same is true about chess, it is a sport that is played sitting down, but requires players to exert huge amounts of brainpower to calculate the moves that their opponent could take and then develop an approach to beat them. 

But is this fair? Are esports players true athletes?

What Defines an Athlete?

Head to the Oxford Languages dictionary and look up the word “athlete”. You’ll find the definition as “someone that is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise”. If you don’t like that definition, check Merriam-Webster, it says an athlete is a person that is “trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games” though it also adds that these activities require “physical strength, agility or stamina”. 

An alternative definition from the Cambridge Dictionary has the same bit about being good at sport or physical exercise, but it adds “especially one who competes in organized events”. 

Do esports players fit these definitions?

Physical Exercise

It’s probably fair to say that playing most video games doesn’t require much physical exertion. That said, you’ll find that most esports players do incorporate physical exercise into their training regime. Sitting at a desk for long periods without being able to get up puts a great deal of strain on your body, so it’s important to build up your core muscles.

“Proficient at Sports”

Whether an esport is a sport is a completely separate debate, but given the fact that it has “sports” right in its name, let’s assume for this sake that esports are a form of sport. 

In which case, esports players definitely tick this box. Hundreds of millions of people play video games around the world, but only a select few are good enough to compete at the elite levels. 

Often, esports include public rounds where anyone can attempt to qualify for the next stages in the competition. We can most frequently see this in esports where the video game’s developer or the organizers of the sport that the video game replicates are involved. For example, Formula E’s esports tournament had three places open for players that qualified online.

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“Competes in Organized Events”

There’s not much to debate here. Esports are organized events, often put together by large organizations that have entire teams dedicated to making sure they run smoothly. Esports competitions are often held in stadiums just like other sports, with spectators, the media, and sponsors present. 

Without a doubt, esports players meet this part of the criteria. 

“Physical Strength, Agility or Stamina”

On the surface, esports players may not meet seem like they meet the criteria, but it may be worth a deeper look. 

There’s little strength required to click a mouse or press some buttons, but there is some agility required. Hand-eye coordination is imperative when competing at a high level, especially in games like Call of Duty and Fortnite where you’re required to move around the map quickly and make split-second decisions to shoot at your opponents while remaining accurate with your aim. 

Driving esports actually do require physical strength. Force feedback steering wheels that are often used for these games actually provide a lot of resistance when the player is turning their car. This requires physical strength, just like a driver would while in a real-life motorsport. 

Conclusion

Esports players are almost certainly athletes. Their competitions aren’t overly physically demanding, but there is a lot of agility required. Every other box is ticked without a doubt, making it pretty hard to argue that those that compete at the highest levels of professional video gaming are not athletes.