The computer simulation football game FIFA has been around since 1993, over 27 years, and a whole generation of people have, at some point, played the game with friends both in living rooms and across the internet.
It’s so popular now that there are approximately 250 million players worldwide who log in and play FIFA, which FIFA themselves estimate is one in every twenty-five people of the entire world’s population.
The Rise of eSports
eSports like FIFA are now so popular that there are professional leagues, millions of streamers watching games, and betting companies have even opened up services to allow you to bet on fifa esports games as they happen, just as you would with traditional games.
FIFA and other online games, like League of Legends, attract players from all backgrounds and abilities, with professional players able to gain brand deals and sponsorships from many companies. Many of the big football clubs actively recruit professional gamers to play for them, sending them to fan events and dressing them in full team kit as brand ambassadors to reach a new generation of sports fans.
Why should you play?
Playing video games has a reputation as a bit of a waste of time. There is an incorrect belief that no good can come from regular video game indulgence, but this simply is not true. Especially when it comes to sports games.
Here are four reasons why playing video games can be great for the mind and the body.
Video Games for All
The world of online video gaming can be a tricky one to navigate. Still, studies are finding more and more that there really is something for everyone, and even the most socially outcast people are finding their ‘tribe’ within the gaming world.
This tribe can even translate out into the real world with many conventions, including gaming, as a big part of the events. An Eastbourne-based convention, Wyntercon, even has the tagline “It doesn’t matter what world you come from, you’re welcome in ours”.
The Variety of Games
There are video games, sports and otherwise, to suit all kinds of interests. From the fantasy lead League of Legends to the football-inspired FIFA and even the medical inspired games such as the very silly Surgeon Simulator! Studies have even found that surgeons who play video games more than 3 hours per week make 37% fewer mistakes than those who don’t!
Promoting Leadership
Team games have been known for many years to promote good leadership qualities in young people and adults who play regularly. The skills required to develop a good team online, and the thinking on your feet needed to get your team out of trouble, often translate into stronger neuropathways that are useful in the office environment that players will find themselves in in the ‘real world’.
