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More than just a game

Daniel Knowles: international correspondent, The Economist

The line between video games and spectator sports will blur

Action-packed

VIDEO-GAME sales soared in 2020 as people sought ways to cope with being confined at
home. But even when they are allowed to go outside again, will they want to? The
launch in November of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X, the next generation of
video-game consoles, led to sales being rationed to cope with demand. With them come
a host of new games, including the latest titles in blockbusting series such as “Call of
Duty” and “Assassin’s Creed”—more good reasons to stay indoors.

It is not just the usual model of selling games that executives hope will do well in 2021.
The past year also saw a boom in the viewership of e-sports—that is, teams playing
video games professionally for spectators. Even before the pandemic, games such as
“Counter-strike” (a counter-terrorism shooter) and “League of Legends” (a fantasy
strategy game) could fill stadiums with spectators. The virus gave them a bigger boost.
As traditional sports such as football and baseball shut down, e-sports—which can be
played from home—were shown on terrestrial television for the first time in many
countries. Formula One teams and English Premier League football clubs even