We are in an age full of millennial and technology. A world that has been changing and developing the way it operates to suit the user. Everything is done and found online these days, and eSports is at the forefront of these technologies.
An industry that started as online communities trying to be the best at what they are passionate about has now become one of the greatest spectator sports of its time.
The Real Stars eSports Multi Gaming Organization, better known as TRS eSports, started in late 2014 as an idea that Adrian Smit from Bosmont had.
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“Imagine playing video games for money. After about an hour of Google, YouTube, reading articles and posts, my mind was blown! Just a few months earlier a Chinese eSports team by the name of Newbee had won more than five million dollars at an international professional gaming tournament in the USA. Is this something that happens locally? Is it even possible for a casual gamer to reach and grab onto a dream like this? Well, there was only one way to find out,” said Smit.
Smit said that the team is a dedicated group of eSports enthusiasts with years of experience in the eSports scene founded in 2014 and going stronger than ever in 2018, with the goal to be at the forefront of eSports growth and development in South Africa.
Their aim is to bring awareness to an entertainment industry that our country can be at the head of, bringing recognition to the scene on par with the likes of America, Europe, and Asia.
“TRS eSports is more than just a team of gamers competing to be the best, but rather communities for anyone that may be interested in learning about the industry and perhaps even an entry point for South African investors looking for a foothold before the growth of eSports gets out of hand,” he said.
According to Smit, today the eSports industry is near the billion dollars a year point. With eSports tournaments having huge prize pools of up to 25 Million dollars. So the only question remaining is…where is South Africa in all this, and do we even have access to any of it?
South Africa introduced the VS Gaming League, Telkom Digital Gaming League, ORENA, Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), and lots more. The prize pool of over 1.5 Million Rand for the 2017 VS Gaming League and more than a million rand the year before, the country has to have had a rapidly growing industry.
“We started as a group of casual gamers, and now with dedication, years of practice, and an iron will, we have skillfully crafted some of the best players competing in the most prestigious eSports leagues in South Africa.
“We provide anyone that may be interested in becoming an eSports athlete with the necessary coaching and training to compete at the very top via our TRS Academy program at absolutely no cost.
“We are also an ethical and diverse group with no discrimination against race, sex, religion, culture or beliefs. We strive to maintain the highest standard of what eSports organizations should be, with good sportsmanship, and a friendly and open nature,” explained Smit.
