Is eSports for All?

eSports is taking the world by storm. In 2022, it is reported that the eSports market will surpass $1.5 billion in revenue and is also garnering the attention of professional sports leagues, olympic committees, colleges, and many local governments. eSports relevance continues to boom with the availability of virtual reality headsets and more global popularity for their most profitable games.  As the growth of the industry increases so does a disparity of access and representation amongst specific populations. The equity debate, still present in college sports and professional sports, is one of great value when discussing eSports. In this course, students will not only learn about the esports industry, they will also engage in the play experience and get a deeper insight into the esports ecosystem. In the course, students will play esports games as gamers but will also look at the experience as designers and critical thinkers.Students will explore financial, legal & ethical, philosophical, marketing, and operational issues surrounding the eSports industry and answer two question: 1) Is eSports for all? And 2) What can they do to ensure it is? Some thought provoking questions the course will prompt students to debate/consider are:

• Is diversity and representation limited by access?
• Which populations need more support?
• Is lack of regulation a contributing factor?
• Are there gaps or opportunities that should be considered as the industry evolves?
• Why do we find instances of sexual harassment and racism ever present in virtual environments?
• Who is to blame for the bias of an algorithm?

This course takes a look at current trends, controversies, global acquisitions and industry culture and introduces concepts regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.

Is eSports for all? A reflective prompt that will shape each course module to spark debate, innovation and strategy on how the eSports industry can be influenced.