So esports, or electronic sports, have arrived. Want proof? Recent ABC telecasts aired Overwatch videogame matches on Saturday mornings – prime time for major sports specials – and the esports industry hit $1 billion in revenue in 2019. The fanbase is also projected to beat the NBA’s by some 100 million viewers in 2020. So what is this esports thing? Esports involve videogame players competing in various games for bragging rights and money with fans rooting for their favorites, a lot like traditional sports.

Laura Levy, Georgia Tech’s resident expert in esports, sheds some light on this phenomenon and shares research efforts focused on this growing ecosystem. These include projects on the mental and physical health of players, technologies to support viewers and players, and how esports might be a definitive way to get the kids immersed in STEM.

Laura Levy: https://lauralevy.science/