Overwatch is one of the most popular video games in the world right now. In fact, more than 22,000 people paid their way into the Barclays Center last month to watch people play the game. In addition to those 22,000 video game fans, another 300,000 people were watching online and even on ESPN.
The Overwatch League Grand Finals, a two-day event that culminated in two teams competing for a $1 million grand prize. The event proved that the Esports era is officially here — and millions of people are ready to participate, especially when it comes to Overwatch.
Roughly 155 million Americans play video games on a regular basis, but online gaming is much, much larger than the Barclays Center in New York and the rest of the United States. According to Variety, Korean artist and Overwatch superman Upboy even created a line of sneakers based on the heroes and villains of the popular video game.
The sneakers were showcased at the Overwatch Fan Festival in Seoul, South Korea. The sneakers are altered Nike Air Force 1s and each pair is equipped with the logos and color scheme of the Overwatch character they represent, including Genji, McCree, Mercy, D. Va, Ana, Zenyatta, Zarya, Soldier: 76, Tracer, and Lucio.
Sadly, the Overwatch Nikes aren’t available to purchase — yet.
As the online gaming community continues to grow, it’s important for everyone to be on the same page, as well. Here is an Esports glossary that should help:
- MOBA — MOBA stands for Multiplayer Online Battle Area. This is an extremely popular Esports genre that focuses on team play. Typically, MOBA games combine the elements of action games and strategy games.
- Streamer — A gamer who streams his or her play online. Streaming is a good way to start building a following and even a fanbase, allowing viewers to witness both a player’s skill and personality.
- Twitch — Twitch is a popular website for video game streaming. Also known as Twitch.tv, it lifestreams games and allows fans to interact with gamers they follow.
