When is an eSport not an eSport? | The Express Tribune
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ESports has long been derided as "not a real sport". But now, an Olympic-organised event is being dismissed by competitive gamers as not real eSports. Many long-time backers of big-money digital contests, which are edging their way towards elite-level recognition, are puzzled by the choice of games at the inaugural Olympics Esports Week that kicks off in Singapore on Thursday. Instead of well-established gaming titles, it will feature 10 simulated sports, among them archery, baseball, chess and taekwondo. Aficionados are concerned with the choice of virtual sports – that is, digital recreations of real-world events – rather than eSports, which are essentially video games played at an elite competitive level. With popular video games such as "Counter-Strike" and "DOTA 2", eSports has been booming over the past decade. It has penetrated pop culture and social media, its tournaments filling stadiums and pulling millions of online viewers. Ma...