Full Time...Video Gamer?

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Video games and gaming have been a huge industry almost from the very start. Since 2000 the industry has only seemed to grow exponentially. With updated graphics, new hardware, new software, and many more innovations the potential for video gaming can only go up. One particular area that has seen a massive rise has been in streaming. To someone like my parents, the concept doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Effectively people will watch streamers play video games and even donate real money to them. Top streamers like Tyler Blevins, better known as Ninja, reportedly make 6 figures a month from subscriptions, sponsorship, and donations. Not every streamer will have this success but it's certainly more achievable to the average person than something like the NFL may be. I never understood the huge craze behind streaming. I would see highlights on social media and pondered why people would pay to watch something they can find for free. Then I sat back and thought about ESPN+, the sports streaming service launched by ESPN. People pay a subscription fee to watch the best athletes do just that; be the best athletes. That's fundamentally what's happening on streaming services like Twitch. People pay to watch the best gamers be the best at gaming. The comparisons between high-level gaming and traditional sports have seen quite a rise the past few years meaning that the competitive and professional gamers aren't slowing down any time soon and will look to continue making strides into the future.

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