The Rise of Esports
From arcade high scores to professional gaming
Competitive gaming evolved from Space Invaders tournaments to million-dollar leagues, turning players into athletes and gaming into spectator sport.
Overview
Before esports had a name, it had players. Space Invaders tournaments in 1980. Street Fighter II arcade rankings. Doom deathmatches over LANs. Quake competitions with real prizes. The competitive impulse existed from gaming’s beginning—it just took decades to become an industry.
Fast facts
- First major tournament: Space Invaders Championship (1980), 10,000 participants.
- Fighting game scene: Emerged around Street Fighter II (1991).
- FPS competition: Doom LANs, Quake tournaments (mid-1990s).
- Professional leagues: CPL, PGL launched late 1990s.
- Modern esports: Became billion-dollar industry 2010s.
Arcade foundations
Competition was built into arcades:
- High score tables: Public bragging rights.
- Line culture: Winner stays, challenger plays.
- Local heroes: Known players at favourite machines.
- Twin Galaxies: Referee organisation, score verification.
The 1980 tournament
Atari’s Space Invaders Championship:
- Over 10,000 participants across US.
- Regional qualifiers, national finals.
- Media coverage, mainstream attention.
- Proved competitive gaming could draw crowds.
Street Fighter II revolution
SF2 created fighting game competition:
- Arcade culture: Regulars, rivalries, rankings.
- Tournament organisation: Structured competition emerged.
- Spectating: Crowds watched skilled players.
- Documentation: Early match videos, strategy guides.
PC competition
FPS games enabled new formats:
- Doom: LAN parties, informal competition.
- Quake: First major online tournaments.
- QuakeCon (1996): Annual gathering, competition centerpiece.
- CPL (1997): Cyberathlete Professional League, cash prizes.
StarCraft phenomenon
South Korea embraced esports first:
- PC bang culture: Internet cafes as social hubs.
- Television coverage: Dedicated channels for gaming.
- Professional players: Salaried, celebrity status.
- Infrastructure: Leagues, teams, sponsors.
Prize money grows
The late 1990s established professional viability:
- CPL tournaments offered $15,000+ prizes.
- Sponsors recognised marketing value.
- Players could (barely) earn livings.
- Foundation laid for 2000s explosion.
Legacy
The seeds planted before 2000 grew into modern esports. Every million-dollar tournament, every packed arena, every streaming broadcast traces back to arcade high score tables and LAN party deathmatches. Competition was always there—it just needed infrastructure.