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[PlayerPurple]

I've been thinking recently about the meteoric rise of esports, and how every major gaming company seems fairly well equipped to take a piece of that pie:

Activision

• Call of Duty
• Overwatch
• Hearthstone
• Starcraft
• WoW

Bandai Namco

• Tekken
• Soul Calibur
• Dragonball FighterZ

Capcom

• Street Fighter
• Marvel vs Capcom

EA

• Madden
• FIFA
• Apex Legends

Epic Games

• Fortnite
• Rocket League

Koei Tecmo

• Dead or Alive

Microsoft

• Titles
  • Halo
  • Gears
  • Killer Instinct
  • Quake
• Recently purchased Smash.gg
• Partnered with Facebook Gaming after killing Mixer.

Nintendo

• Titles
  • Mario Kart 8
  • Smash Bros
  • Splatoon
• All healthy communities despite slim support from Nintendo.

Sony

• Gran Turismo
• MLB The Show

SEGA

• Virtua Fighter reboot (focus on esports)

Take Two Interactive

• 2K Sports

Tencent

• League of Legends
• Valorant
• Upcoming Riot Fighting Game

Ubisoft

• Rainbow Six Siege
• For Honor

Valve

• DOTA
• Counter Strike

WB Games

• Mortal Kombat

The only major outlier here is, of course, Sony, who hasn't really made Esport-centric games since PS3.

While they have respectable scenes like MLB The Show and Gran Turismo, I think there are a number of things keeping them from being the mainstream esport titles that the above games are (such as GT tournaments not offering prize money).



Sony's biggest Esport successes in the PS4 era have come from third-party partnerships (like Capcom/Activision/Epic). While these are great, they might not be sustainable: for example, Call of Duty League recently switched its main platform from PS4 to PC + controller.



Anyway, what are your thoughts on Sony's spot in the esports scene? And with them promising more multiplayer-focused games on PS5, what are your Top 3 picks for Sony titles with the most esports potential?

 

[Rudius]

I want those games with online potential to play them offline.

• Twisted Metal​

• SOCOM​

 

[CaptainConlock]

Sony has the PlayStation Competitions series on YouTube than they livestream events of their own regularly. it isn't their own games, rather it's third-party stuff, but it's still operated on their own terms.

 

[DonJuanSchlong]

Ps3 definitely seemed to be the last they cared about multiplayer games. Some people love, others hate it.

 

[Captain Toad]

Esports are stupid. I can't believe people actually watch other people playing videogames.

 

[Fart Knight]

Thats one terrible list lol.

 

[Barakov]

Socom has the best chance, I think. But it's also the least likely to come back, ironically.

 

[Captain Toad]

No The Show? Seems like an obvious one along with Gran Turismo.

Still. Esports are lame.

 

[kyliethicc]

PlayerPurple They've had one since 2017. Its called GRAN TURISMO (e)SPORT lol.

Esports

Esports

www.gtplanet.net

Gran Turismo World Series - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And the other obvious one is MLB The Show.

 

[Clintizzle]

Console Esport players preferred the Playstation for games like COD. I think Sony is happy with just having marketing deals like that.

 

[Nezzeroth]

Esports are stupid. I can't believe people actually watch other people playing videogames.

It's as stupid as people watching any other sport. Watching football is not any smarter.

 

[Codes 208]

Esports are stupid. I can't believe people actually watch other people playing videogames.

I generally find more entertainment watching people do stupid shit in games than most other forms of media.

 

[IntentionalPun]

I don't personally care, but it is big business..

I don't really get it, but I did see a live League of Legends championship at PAX Prime one year.. it was kinda cool to see a crowd acting like they were watching a huge event, announcers were pros and pretty good.. and it was like the last year of booth babes too lol

 

[Captain Toad]

It's as stupid as people watching any other sport. Watching football is not any smarter.

Go Packers!

 

[PlayerPurple]

PlayerPurple They've had one since 2017. Its called GRAN TURISMO (e)SPORT lol.


And the other obvious one is MLB The Show.

I already mentioned both in the OP.

Will add poll options though.

 

[kyliethicc]

Maybe Knack 3 will be their huge multiplayer esport. PVP, battle royale, hundreds of Knacks.

 

[Unknown?]

No The Show? Seems like an obvious one along with Gran Turismo.

Still. Esports are lame.

Gran Turismo has active eSports though...

 

[kyliethicc]

I already mentioned both in the OP.

You didn't list them when listing publishers, which makes Sony look like they're missing what others have.

Halo and Gears are not esports lol like GT is.

I'd suggest you update your listing of the publishers with SIE and their 2 big ones.

 

[Captain Toad]

Maybe Knack 3 will be their huge multiplayer esport. PVP, battle royale, hundreds of Knacks.

The Internet. Where you can post the same joke you saw 1000 times on the same boards and walk away like you're so clever.

 

[kyliethicc]

The Internet. Where you can post the same joke you saw 1000 times on the same boards and walk away like you're so clever.

Its not clever its a shitpost meme ya prick

 

[Danjin44]

I can't believe people actually watch other people playing videogames.

I personally love watching fighting tournaments in EVO, especially when you see two highly skilled player got at it. You don't need to be expert at fighting games to feel the hype and most fighting game has great animation which makes them fun to watch.

 

[FatKingBallman]

I've been thinking recently about the meteoric rise of esports, and how every major gaming company seems fairly well equipped to take a piece of that pie:

Activision

• Call of Duty
• Overwatch
• Hearthstone
• Starcraft
• WoW

Bandai Namco

• Tekken
• Dragonball FighterZ

Capcom

• Street Fighter
• Marvel vs Capcom

EA

• Madden
• FIFA
• Apex Legends

Epic Games

• Fortnite

Koei Tecmo

• Dead or Alive

Microsoft

• Titles
  • Halo
  • Gears
  • Killer Instinct
  • Quake
• Recently purchased Smash.gg
• Partnered with Facebook Gaming after killing Mixer.

Nintendo

• Titles
  • Mario Kart 8
  • Smash Bros
  • Splatoon
• All healthy communities despite slim support from Nintendo.

SEGA

• Virtua Fighter reboot (focus on esports)

Take Two Interactive

• 2K Sports

Tencent

• League of Legends
• Valorant
• Upcoming Riot Fighting Game

Ubisoft

• Rainbow Six Siege
• For Honor

Valve

• DOTA
• Counter Strike

WB Games

• Mortal Kombat

The only major outlier here is, of course, Sony, who hasn't really made Esport-centric games since PS3.

While they have respectable scenes like MLB The Show and Gran Turismo, but I think there are a number of things keeping them from being the mainstream esport titles that the above games are (such as GT tournaments not offering prize money).



Sony's biggest Esport successes in the PS4 era have come from third-party partnerships (like Capcom/Activision/Epic). While these are great, they might not be sustainable: for example, Call of Duty League recently switched its main platform from PS4 to PC + controller.



Anyway, what are your thoughts on Sony's spot in the esports scene? And with them promising more multiplayer-focused games on PS5, what are your Top 3 picks for Sony titles with the most esports potential?

PlayStation Competition center

 

[kyliethicc]

Also Street Fighter 5 never came out on Xbox, and big 3rd parties like CoD use PS4, so I bet Sony is focused on making the biggest games use PS4 vs Xbox.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

esports culture is the worst

 

[PlayerPurple]

Console Esport players preferred the Playstation for games like COD. I think Sony is happy with just having marketing deals like that.

Unfortunately, PlayStation is no longer COD's Esport platform.

 

[kyliethicc]

esports culture is the worst

Totinos fortnite training room

 

[bitbydeath]

Warhawk

 

[yurinka]

There are only like around a dozen games who have a decent big eSports audience or revenue to be worth to dedicate some effort. Only a few of them are huge. Most of these games are on PS4/5 and in many of them PS4 is the platfor where they play, so Sony don't need to create their own eSports game because they have several 3rd party games already generating this money for Sony.

In addition to this, I think it's a more or less saturated scene where it's very difficult to enter with a new game.

 

[CaptainConlock]

Also, edit for the list: Epic owns Rocket League which has a sizable eSports presence.

 

[PlayerPurple]

Also, edit for the list: Epic owns Rocket League which has a sizable eSports presence.

Great catch! Updated.

 

[Arkam]

Esports... pass. I love me tournaments and competitive games, but cannot stand Esports and the way they are presented.

 

[PlayerPurple]

Esports... pass. I love me tournaments and competitive games, but cannot stand Esports and the way they are presented.

^I don't understand the difference.

 

[Arkam]

^I don't understand the difference.

Epsorts brings all the bad aspects of other professional sports, broadcasting and social media. You can have game competitions without all that insincere veneer.

Game competition - Just needs a group of players, HW and the game(s)
Esports - Needs the above PLUS - a dozen other people to make a buck and add nothing.

 

[namekuseijin]

Esports is just like regular sports: sheer crap

I actually began gaming not to bother with sports in the first place

 

[dionysus]

Other than League of Legends, what other esports are actually big?

Quote about what I mean.

While only around 6,000 people were allowed in attendance, the Final match broke the viewership records set by last year's Worlds. Across 21 platforms and streams in 16 different languages, the Grand Final game saw an AMA of 23 million. This puts the event head and shoulders above other large-scale esports events like the Overwatch League Grand Final, which had a 1.55 million AMA.

 

[Azurro]

I think I'm getting old, because I just roll my eyes at the idea of cheering for people playing a videogame and actually making an event out of them. I just imagine all the pro gamers as being these unhealthy fat blobs with dorito dust in their fingertips that haven't taken a shower in days.

Ok, old man rant over.

 

[PuppetMaster]

Gran Turismo is already a major esports game.

 

[Alexios]

The rise? What? Haven't esports been a thing since the likes of Starcraft and DOTA, so long as the game in question gains traction and has the underlying quality and longevity to warrant that to happen?

Who is getting ready for esports at this point? Granted many companies every so often make this or that esports wannabe game but more often than not fail given it has to happen organically by its quality and there's no recipe for that no matter how many streamer options and bonuses you add.

 

[TheThreadsThatBindUs]

I personally don't give a shit about competitive gaming and I certainly don't want Sony of all publishers spending precious first party development bandwidth on pandering to that market.

Not all publishers need to be represented in every area. Never heard of the saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none"?

I'd much rather different publishers in the industry focus on their own unique specialisations in gaming genres. Makes for more diversity and higher quality games across the board.

 

[devilNprada]

Esports are stupid. I can't believe people actually watch other people playing videogames.

people watching other people play video games has been a thing since all the broke kids at the arcade.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

The best esports game on planet earth is low skill level Fortnite.

Epic should have leaned into that.

 

[D.Final]

The best esports game on planet earth is low skill level Fortnite.

Epic should have leaned into that.

The revolutionary game..

 

[Redlancet]

Bleeding edge its doing well

 

[Hudo]

Wait, isn't GT Sport THE esports game for Sony? I thought it is quite popular.

 

[Aion002]

Maybe a Socom game, focused on the multiplayer, with some PVE modes...

The 3rd party deals like CoD, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter that Sony has are a great way to help third party studios and promote the PlayStation brand.

I think that Sony should only try to make an esport game if that game has no direct competitor... Doing a Fortnite or an Overwatch clone would be a waste of resources.

 

[sunnysideup]

I like playstation because it focuses on single player games.

 

[shaddam]

Honestly I dont see the problem. People still playing cs 1.6 and cod2 as an esport

 

[Bo_Hazem]

Gran Turismo's eSport is the most decorated eSport of all gaming, back by FiA instead of nerds in red and green hair.

 

[HellforLeather]

Honestly almost any of those games could be turned into esport contenders (not with the games already released, with a new entry aimed at esports).

As someone who doesnt pay attention to esports at all, it seems fairly random as to which games seem to catch on a big enough competitive following to become an actual esport though.

 

[dezzy8]

I’m still upset that Sony hasn’t released a SOCOM yet. Especially with the success Ubisoft has with R6. Sony has the perfect IP to follow that blueprint. Easy money in the bank.