Kyle

The world of video games was already quietly becoming one of the fastest growing and lucrative communities in the entertainment industry in the years prior to 2020, but saw its stock completely boom throughout 2020 thanks in part to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns around the world leaving millions of people stuck at home with much more time on their hands than usual. The video game industry is now worth more than music and films put together, and one of the most blossoming communities within this industry is its professional strang, Esports.

Here’s everything you need to know about Esports.

What Are Esports? 

Put simply, ‘Esports’ is the industry term used to describe the communities involved with playing specific video games professionally. Essentially the goal of every gamer out there, Esports has established itself as a way for players to get paid to play games and carve out successful careers for themselves.

It’s important to remember that Esports is much closer to being an umbrella term for an industry, rather than a single entity. Just like how someone can’t really call themselves an expert or professional in every single real world sport, the same is very much the case for those in the Esports community. Each and every game within the industry its own style and its own scene, and enough diversity to really stand out from one another.

The popularity of video games has of course always existed, however the explosion in its standing as a hyper-competitive industry has largely come from the influx of investment from huge multinational companies. From teams and players being sponsored to the likes of Coca-Cola, Intel, Monster, DHL and Mercedes all hosting their own partnerships and events in either one game specifically, or an entire plethora of titles.

What Does A Game Need To Be A Successful Esport? 

The absolute key to success for an Esport is longevity, i.e. creating a game that people can play for years and years. Most of the biggest titles in the industry have been around for well over a decade, which is certainly a unique timeframe for a community as volatile as the world of video games.

The secret to this is blending together a simple premise and addictive gameplay features with a skill ceiling that allows players to sink hundreds of hours into and truly master. When you watch professional players play games like CS:GO or League of Legends, it’s almost like watching them play a different game to the mainstream, more casual types of players. That additional 1% is the difference between those who make money playing video games and those who only play games for the fun of it.

As a side note to the point above, it’s important to remember that the pros who play games as professionals do it literally as a living. Whilst gaming is so often seen as a recreational activity that players can dip in and out of and switch around if they don’t like their chosen title, Esports professionals have to grind their chosen titles for literally thousands upon thousands of hours playing almost every single day.

What Are The Most Popular Esports Games? 

As mentioned above, the Esports industry is heavily saturated by games that have been around for years, and who have been able to cultivate their own armies of fans and followers. Because most of the leading Esports games have been built alongside the growth of the industry as a whole and been around for years and years, their fans and followers are some of the most devout and passionate in the entire video game sphere.

In terms of overall player base and global recognition, it’s hard to argue against League of Legends still being the world’s most popular Esport title. The game boasts an active player count of over 250 million users, with an epicentre of popularity in China and South Korea especially, and its annual Worlds Championship is one of the most hyped up events in the Esports calendar.

In terms of first person shooters, there’s no debating the status of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive as the biggest Esport out there and still arguably the second biggest game in the industry. The game places so much emphasis on playing angles, holding positions and reading strategies in a much more enthralling way than the likes of Call of Duty, Apex Legends or Overwatch. High profile CS:GO matches regularly pull in over 100,000 viewers at a time on online streaming platforms such as Twitch.tv and the game houses possibly the most stacked events calendar out of any game available to pick and play.

The industry has also opened up the possibility of new titles emerging onto the scene and carving out a home for themselves though, and the likes of Fortnite, Valorant, Rocket League and Call of Duty: Warzone to come in and establish lucrative competitive scenes of their own.

 

GTA 5 Rockstar Games is a famous game publisher and its game, GTA 5, is currently one of the most popular games across the globe. Players are able to gamble at the Diamond Casino and Resort and have the option of playing in story mode or online mode.

One of the questions players ask is what casino games are best for making chips in GTA 5. The games inside the casino are all different so the winnings depend on the players. GTA online casino roulette, GTA online three-card Poker, or GTA online blackjack are all popular.

Laws restrict gambling features

The Diamond Casino and Resort is a playground for the ultra-wealthy to gamble, drink and commit a crime. However, players worldwide are discovering that they do not have access to the gambling feature. This is because over 50 countries have gambling laws that restrict these features of GTA Online. Governments around the world are looking at what constitutes gambling inside a game.

The laws do not apply in some of the biggest gambling markets, such as the U.S., Western Europe and Japan so it is not a disaster for Rockstar Games. It is possible to gamble legally in a number of states in the U.S. and more have voted to legalize online gambling during the recent election. Players can play games like blackjack, baccarat and roulette legally at an online casino such as Parx Casino in Philadelphia.

Debate in the gaming world about legality and monetization

There is also much debate going on in the video gaming world about legality and monetization. In GTA Online, players buy fake money but it is close to actual gambling because a real money value is assigned to the fake money. It will be interesting to see how governments are going to treat virtual economies in the future.

Streaming games to viewers is becoming very popular, with gamers presenting their thoughts and emotions constantly to viewers. Therefore, it is best to stream a game with high demand but not too much saturation if the goal is some real channel growth.

The GTA Diamond Heist

Since December, players have been able to take part in a GTA diamond heist, which is a complex criminal operation. Players work with the Cheng family to infiltrate the most secure building in Los Santos. This is a heist that is expensive in terms of time and resources. Players need to buy a retro arcade before they even start planning the mission. They have three approaches to choose from with multiple ways to execute them. A recent update adds five new heist vehicles, from a luxury sports car to a maxed-out hatchback.

Video games are a wonderful source of entertainment, and so are slot machines. However, there are disparities between the two, and these are the things we want to tackle today. Video slots vs video games: which games are more beneficial to you?

Entertainment Value

Slot machines today are not like the ones back in the 1980s. If you think about it, new online slots at GGbet offer a lot of entertainment value. They have storylines, different game modes and different betting modes.

What you get from video games is a storyline—you are in control of the game, and what happens to the player is based on your decisions. In video slots, the god of chance is the one in control. The result of each spin is random, and you can never predict what the outcome is going to be.

Both kinds of games offer entertainment value. In a video game, you get to kill monsters, collect coins, and then use these coins to grow your character. In video slots, you get the value of thrill—a reward if luck is on your side.

Both video slots and video games offer something—the unknown. In video games, you will never know when you would see a boss character, or what is going to happen should you decide to take on a mission. The same thing goes with slots today, you can activate some features, and you will never know what the results will be.

Financial Value

In terms of financial value, you can look at it in two ways. You can buy video games at a premium price, and this is going to unlock the entire game for you to play and finish. The problem is that once the game is over, there is nothing really interesting to keep you going. Furthermore, there is no financial reward for it.

One way to work around this problem is that you can play MMORPGs like DOTA 2. In games like this, you can collect stuff and then sell it in the market. The financial reward you get is in proportion to your effort or your luck.

Slot machines, on the other hand, require upfront payment on each round. The cost to play the game is significantly cheaper, as you can play at a cost of $0.20 per round. What makes video slots wonderful is that they award real cash.

On top of the winning spin, you also get the chance to win a jackpot, provided that you bet enough to qualify and that the game has a jackpot. If you choose video slots that have a progressive jackpot, there is more financial reward or value that you could look forward to.

Socialization Value

One thing that players love in the game is social value. In many games today, players have the ability to chat with each other. In games like Call of Duty, players can even use headsets to talk to each other.

While you cannot do this in video slots, you can chat in many other games like online live dealer games and poker. The socialization in slots happens in tournaments. In video slot tournaments, your goal is to climb the leaderboard. While you cannot speak to other players in online slot machines, you are still part of a community of players. If you manage to climb the leaderboards, you will be able to see your name at the top, and this gives you a sense of accomplishment.

Video slot tournaments are real-life events. People who find themselves at the top of the leaderboards are those who invested a lot of time and money, who also happened to get a good dose of luck.

Another socialization value you get from slots is that you can use your coins to earn VIP points. Like a VIP in an online casino, the money you deposit or play with earns you points. You belong to a special group of people, and you will get rewarded as you play longer.

Summary

Video slots or video games: what is better? Both are games that are meant to entertain. Both have entertainment value and socialization value. If you look closer, the slot offers more financial value than video games.

In terms of entertainment, we can say that it is a tie. From a socialization perspective, video games win over slots as they offer more direct ways to get to meet players.  You need to decide what matters to you. If money is something that motivates you, then you should certainly choose slot machines because they reward your bets directly.

 

Few people could have predicted Netflix’s hit, The Queen’s Gambit, would be such a success. Nevertheless, it surged past many popular series to make it onto the streaming service’s list of most-watched shows of 2020.

While telling a haunting story of a young lady with the odds stacked firmly against her, viewers were captured by the art of chess. Consequently, this game has seen a revival.

Perfect timing

2020 was an ideal year for a show like The Queen’s Gambit to premiere. This year has been unprecedented and different from any in living memory. This holiday season, folks who would typically be traveling across the country are remaining home because of the COVID-19 second wave, which it appears will be with us for some time to come.

After watching the 2020 Netflix-hit, many people started following chess championships and, not surprisingly, gambling sites have experienced a surge in the number of wagers on the game. Online sportsbooks offer betting options on a variety of sports all over the world, and the only thing a novice needs to start is to download a pa sports betting app and stack the odds in his favor. Pennsylvania recently legalized online gambling, and its launch has been a resounding success.

A family affair

Many families have dusted off their old chessboards to start playing this game of strategy once more. An entire new generation has been exposed to the concept of chess, and its teachings of constructive, critical, and predictive thinking are what they need to navigate our new normal.

Unlike many games, chess requires a lot of strategic thinking. It is based on the idea of war and when to advance troops and sacrifice important advantages, like territory and role players. Chess originated in Persia and is played in virtually every country worldwide. Two players start with a full army of chess pieces, with the object being to capture your opponent’s king by putting that piece into checkmate. This occurs when the king can no longer move on the board without being in direct danger of elimination.

Online chess

Thanks to cool tech upgrades, people are finding ways to play opponents located online. This spark of interest in the ancient game has brought people together to enjoy playing their new acquaintances on virtual boards.

Many people are visiting chess websites looking for chess hacks to improve their game and make them more formidable opponents. Even booksellers have reported increased demand for books about chess and how to play it.