Esports – a term that lots of people have heard somewhere. But, many don’t know what’s behind it. Is it just a sport simulation, or is there more to it?

In fact, Esports is the term used for competitive gaming. It has its own community, which has been growing constantly for years. Internationally, professional teams have been attracting more and more big sponsors.

Large competitions are hosted around the world and people travel across countries and even continents to watch or compete. Players are offered scholarships that support them in their careers and allow them to study and play from home while focusing on becoming the best.

But the best at what?

Esports is not about casually gaming with friends, it's part of a professional and competitive environment. Players participate in online leagues and tournaments, but also offline events and world championships for a variety of games. Here in Luxembourg, the number of players is lower because it's a small country.

However, we do have a few big names that have performed on big stages. For example, C1 Esports have made a name for themselves as an established competitor in multiple games. They feature successful rosters in games such as Rocket League and Counter Strike. Even though the founding members were from Luxembourg and Austria, their current rosters feature players from all over Europe, which brings me to my next point.

Why doesn't esports grow in Luxembourg?

While Luxembourg has its own esports federation, the market here is small. Most clubs that have players compete for them barely have any income, and a lot of players don't earn anything at all. Those that manage to rival the best are usually signed by a foreign team and compete abroad.

This counts for most team-based games, like League of Legends, Counter Strike and Valorant. Just like C1 Esports eventually moving on to compete on bigger stages than Luxembourg’s, many prodigies are looking to sign for an organisation abroad.

Is there hope for the Luxembourgish esports scene?

Yes, there is, and the reason for it is simple. The biggest esports in Luxembourg is a non-team-based game: FIFA. While the game has a small competitive community internationally, it is by far the biggest competition here in Luxembourg. It’s a game you play alone against another player, so you need fewer players to host a competition.

Games like League of Legends, for example, are 5 versus 5, so you need a lot more players to fill the spots for a tournament. In FIFA, and other 1 versus 1 games, things are different. Players like Ivanilson have performed on the biggest stages in the world, and they played against the best FIFA players internationally.

How could things improve from here?

The government announced that it would support the Luxembourgish esports scene, but there has barely been any activity since then. There were some small competitions a few years ago, but most of the activity died down during or after lockdown. Another thing that needs to change is public opinion on esports, and maybe video games in general.

Esports is not just a sport simulation; even FIFA is not played like real football – and it's a game about football! Every game has its own community, and it shouldn't be taboo to be a part of those communities and to compete, even if it's on a lower level. There are so many opportunities for jobs, sponsorships and competitions that are being missed out on, and I think that's a shame.