Online gaming the possible future of social competition

As internet speeds increased globally, computer-based gaming evolved from Minesweeper and Solitaire to multiplayer, open world arenas that seem like wondrous unexplored universes. South Africa is slowly catching up, and as the coronavirus alters the way we see the world, so too has casual competition taken a new form.

Emerging as the leading force to unite the gaming community in South Africa is Esports League South Afrca (ELSA) and its West Rand-based head, Petrus du Randt. “The industry is very much in its infancy, but it is growing at a fast rate. Within the last eight years the growth of e-sports has been getting a lot of fresh interest,” said Petrus, who has been at the helm of ELSA since late 2018.

Breaking away from its former classification as a ‘mind’ sport, e-sports has come to include all genres and interests – from sports simulation games like the FIFA series, first-person shooters such as Call of Duty and Rainbow Six: Siege and every other gaming classification that ‘noobs’ might find otherwise perplexing. Petrus stresses that they strive for a welcoming environment though, saying, “We aim to create a platform to give everyone a chance at e-sports, and experience the thrill and excitement of the scene”.

Supported, among others, by tournament director Skip Oosthuizen and social-media guru Fabio Viveiros, ELSA is growing the preference for a digital experience from the ground up. Top e-sports players are generating income previously unheard of in the digital space, and Petrus hopes to produce the next prodigy. The digital world is being brought to fore. Petrus encapsulates ELSA’s vision, stating, “We are a lot more than just hosting, but introducing new gamers and existing ones to a more in-depth world of e-sports as a career.”