Theoretically, Esports tournaments should not be affected by spectator cancellations. After all, thanks to the Internet, games can be held remotely. Due to the corona virus, this also seems to be the only alternative, but is it a good solution?

In regular Esports tournaments, all conditions are closely monitored. All participants use the same devices, differing only in their peripherals, such as mouse or keyboard models. The events take place over LAN connections, so delays are not a problem and monitoring possible cheating is relatively easy.

The question of fairness of Esports online tournaments.
Almost none of these circumstances apply to remote tournaments via the Internet, where players participate from home. While most professional players likely have a strong gaming PC to play on, driver compatibility and even build issues can quickly make the difference between winning and losing.

Then there are the typical lags. Esport events logically rely on good internet connections. However, it can’t be guaranteed that everyone has access to one. Distance also plays a role. A national tournament in the US can involve players who live thousands of miles apart.

Vice President of Product Development at Esports service company Popdog Avi Bhuiyan had this to say on the subject:

“There are a lot of things you can’t control when you play competitions online. In the LEC and LCS and other major leagues, there are usually uniform, fixed computer accessories to prevent players from having tampered devices. There are actually a lot of things that people can do with their peripherals to manipulate the outcome of a game. Further, there is a risk to the servers.”
These different conditions can give one player an obvious advantage over another. While it doesn’t matter much in casual and even some competitive games, a lag rash in a game of Overwatch League, for example, can mean the difference between life and death. Fans watch tournaments to see how skill decides the outcome – not luck.

The current state of affairs also has a direct impact on industries that are closely tied to the world of Esports – first and foremost, the betting industry. It’s difficult to bet on the outcome of games when factors other than skill and the rules of the game affect the results.

Fans vs. investors

With so many event cancellations, remote tournaments are currently the only way for Esports leagues to stay in touch with their fans. Other sports leagues do not have this option. While social media can be used for this purpose, Esports has a head start right now compared to other competitive sports.

In fact, many traditional sports have launched, fun tournaments to replace their regularly scheduled competitions – for example, the F1 series and NASCAR. While these are great ways to stay relevant, they are not nearly as attractive from a financial perspective.

Many investment opportunities that normally arise during an Esports event series are not currently possible. For example, the terms of sponsorship agreements cannot be met and investments already made in planned events can only be partially recouped.

This means that purely remote events have a much greater impact on the financial side of the industry than the fans and players themselves. This could have longer-term implications – because despite its expansive growth, the Esports industry itself is still quite young. This means that investor confidence in its stability is at risk, and future growth is somewhat more uncertain.

A small ray of hope
The real-world effects of the current situation cannot yet be measured. They will depend on how long the COVID-19 pandemic makes normal events impossible. The current replacement events, which often feature semi-pros, popular streamers, and even celebrities, are a great way to keep fans interested. Even if they don’t offer the same opportunities as regular events.

In the long run, not having regular events will have a negative impact on the financial support of the Esports industry, slowing its growth. Online events are a great way to bridge the gap while regular events can’t happen. However, in the long run, this will not work. There are too many uncertainties that can affect the results of the events.

Nevertheless, thanks to online tournaments, we have the opportunity to enjoy Esports content in the safety of our home. The Hearthstone Grandmasters 2020 or Fortnite Daily Duo Cups, for example. We say: Game on(-line) and stay healthy!

Overwatch

Overwatch is a computer game by Blizzard Entertainment (Diablo 3, World of Warcraft) and a first-person shooter with individual fantasy elements. The game was released in May 2016.

In Overwatch, the player must choose between 21 unique characters, which can be freely selected in a loosely held classification system (offensive and defensive class, support unit and tanks).

A character’s three to four different abilities can be controlled and activated through the mouse and keyboard. The game modes already vary from scoring points to cargo hauling. Team play is required in both modes, as each character takes on a specific role in the battlefield (e.g. heal teammates, provide backup, or secure defensive lines).

The name Overwatch derives itself from a fictional elite military unit that came together when robots tried to subjugate humanity in a near future. Individual characters are associated with this unit in the game, while others oppose it. It is not yet known whether the storyline will continue in multiplayer.

Brawl

Brawl is a game mode in which time-limited rule variations of the well-known modes are drawn. Sometimes completely new game modes are used in Brawls.

Rule variations include, for example, the restriction to certain heroes or classes, changes to the cool-down times or certain cards. New game modes that have been playable so far include a soccer game and a PvE mode.

Usually, Brawls are restarted as Brawl of the Week every Tuesday at 22:00 UTC and are then playable for a week. On certain occasions, such as – Season al events, Brawls may also be playable for a longer or shorter period of time.

The game mode is comparable to the card chaos from Hearthstone and was activated for the first time in the beta phase on March 22, 2016 through a patch.

Actions

• Arcade: More health, shorter skill and ultimate cooldowns, and faster resurrection after death.
• Girl Power: Female heroes only.
• Head’s Up!: McCree, Genji, Hanzo, and Widowmaker. Only head hits count.
• High Noon: High Noon on Route 66, only head hits with McCree count.
• Highly Offensive: Only offensive heroes. Limit is two of the same hero per team.
• Junkenstein’s Revenge: Soldier, Hanzo, Ana, Mc Cree only (1 each). The first co-op PVE mode in Overwatch. Part of the – Season al event Halloween Horror.
• Justice rains from Above: Only Mercy and Pharah playable.
• Moba Watch: Only unique heroes per team. No hero switching allowed.
• Mystery Heroes: Upon death, you will be resurrected as a randomly selected Hero.
• Overly Defensive: Only defensive heroes. Limit is two of the same hero per team.
• Show Your Support: Support Heroes only. The limit is two of the same Hero per team.
• Super Shimada Bros: Welcome to Hanamura. Only Hanzo and Genji are playable. Shorter skill cooldowns, longer ultimate cooldowns.
• Tanks A Lot: Tank heroes only. Limit is two of the same hero per team.
• The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Only McCree, Reaper and Roadhog playable.
• We’re all Soldiers now: Only Soldier: 76 playable on control cards.
• Lucioball: Lucio only: Soccer mode, 3 vs 3.
• Yeti Hunt: Five meis against a yeti that has the characteristics of Winston.

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