Esports and the New Gaming Culture

December 1, 2020
Grades 7-12 Here, Steffens chronicles the meteoric rise of esports (electronic sports), "the national pastime of a new generation," with four chapters making a convincing case for the value of competitive gaming. The first chapter, "A Global Phenomenon," offers a general introduction to the most popular gaming genres, drawing readers in with dramatic accounts of esports competitions and giving specific numbers to the massive amount of interest--especially financial--in the field. Chapter two, "Inside the World of Pro Gamers," details the lives of individuals on competitive teams as well as "lifestyle gamers," who stream their playing online--an area further explored in "Building Esports Teams," the third section. Chapter four, "Esports in Education" argues for the practical value of esports in high school and college, linking video games to increased student engagement and giving suggestions on tying esports to curriculum. While the text is sometimes dense--with its abundance of detailed information on viewership and revenue--this makes it an excellent resource for young researchers and, maybe more importantly, a necessary read for skeptical teachers and parents.

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