sliverstorm
Novice
This weekend and the next, two of the world's largest ESports events are occurring back-to-back. If you've ever wanted to try watching ESports, but have either been unsure of how/where to start or simply been intimidated by the thought of trying to watch a game you know nothing about, there is no better time to jump in than right now. EVO (fighting games) and The International (DOTA 2) are the World Cup equivalents for their respective genres, and are loaded with exciting matches and beginner-friendly commentary.
EVO (fighting games)
EVO is an international fighting game tournament featuring every type of fighting game under the Sun. The best players from around the world are in attendance to participate in games like Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom, Super Smash Brothers, Injustice, Killer Instinct, Tekken, and more!
Relative to other fighting game tournaments, EVO commentary is geared towards new viewers, so there's no better time to jump into fighting games.
Streaming Schedule via Shoryuken/TeamSp00ky
For those new to streaming ESports, simply type in the URLs at the top of the schedule to be taken to the Twitch page hosting the live video. The video will begin playing automatically.
The International (DOTA 2)
DOTA 2 is a team-based action real-time strategy game in which each team drafts a lineup of 5 unique heroes, each with their own set of skills and powers, and then proceeds to fight one another with the ultimate goal of destroying the opposing team's 'Throne'--a structure located in the opposing team's base.
In my opinion, DOTA 2 is the closest ESports analogue to football (American or European). The teams are fun to root for, and the game, though seemingly complex, can be understood and appreciated thanks to simple in-game metrics like number of kills, amount of experience, and amount of gold.
By prize pool size, The International is the largest ESports tournament in the entire world by a wide margin. The winning team will receive $4.8 million, and over $500,000 will be awarded to the team that comes in EIGHTH--more money that most ESports players could make if they attended every single tournament for their game of choice and placed nothing but first for an entire year. The awarding of the final prize will be a historic moment in gaming, and it would be impossible not to be excited knowing that teams in the grand final will be sitting down to play one best-of-7 for over $3 million.
Playoffs are going on now, with the main event occurring next weekend.
Valve's own International web page has all the game schedules, as well as links to the live videos and archives of previously played matches. They even have a special highlights wrap-up that shows all the best bits of the prior day's matches! It is the best ESports website I have ever seen and a perfect jumping-off point for new viewers:
http://www.dota2.com/international/watch
A Final Note
I don't play fighting games, and I don't play DOTA 2. This has not stopped me from enjoying watching both of these games played at a highly competitive level over the years. Just as not every football fan has to play football, not every ESports fan has to be a participant in the game that they follow. If you're not sure if ESports are for you, watch a bit and find out! It's free, you can tune in or out whenever you like, and there's no better time than now to give it a try.
EVO (fighting games)
EVO is an international fighting game tournament featuring every type of fighting game under the Sun. The best players from around the world are in attendance to participate in games like Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom, Super Smash Brothers, Injustice, Killer Instinct, Tekken, and more!
Relative to other fighting game tournaments, EVO commentary is geared towards new viewers, so there's no better time to jump into fighting games.
Streaming Schedule via Shoryuken/TeamSp00ky
For those new to streaming ESports, simply type in the URLs at the top of the schedule to be taken to the Twitch page hosting the live video. The video will begin playing automatically.
The International (DOTA 2)
DOTA 2 is a team-based action real-time strategy game in which each team drafts a lineup of 5 unique heroes, each with their own set of skills and powers, and then proceeds to fight one another with the ultimate goal of destroying the opposing team's 'Throne'--a structure located in the opposing team's base.
In my opinion, DOTA 2 is the closest ESports analogue to football (American or European). The teams are fun to root for, and the game, though seemingly complex, can be understood and appreciated thanks to simple in-game metrics like number of kills, amount of experience, and amount of gold.
By prize pool size, The International is the largest ESports tournament in the entire world by a wide margin. The winning team will receive $4.8 million, and over $500,000 will be awarded to the team that comes in EIGHTH--more money that most ESports players could make if they attended every single tournament for their game of choice and placed nothing but first for an entire year. The awarding of the final prize will be a historic moment in gaming, and it would be impossible not to be excited knowing that teams in the grand final will be sitting down to play one best-of-7 for over $3 million.
Playoffs are going on now, with the main event occurring next weekend.
Valve's own International web page has all the game schedules, as well as links to the live videos and archives of previously played matches. They even have a special highlights wrap-up that shows all the best bits of the prior day's matches! It is the best ESports website I have ever seen and a perfect jumping-off point for new viewers:
http://www.dota2.com/international/watch
A Final Note
I don't play fighting games, and I don't play DOTA 2. This has not stopped me from enjoying watching both of these games played at a highly competitive level over the years. Just as not every football fan has to play football, not every ESports fan has to be a participant in the game that they follow. If you're not sure if ESports are for you, watch a bit and find out! It's free, you can tune in or out whenever you like, and there's no better time than now to give it a try.
