Editor: Dal Yong Jin (Professor, Simon Fraser University)
Proposal Submission Deadline: January 31, 2019
It was not long ago when ESPN launched its own eSports vertical on ESPN.COM. ESPN—which had previously rejected eSports for its own program—suddenly jumped on the eSports bandwagon, which was considered another step toward mainstream acceptance of professional video gaming. ESPN’s entry into the eSports world fulfills the convergence of digital games, sport, and media, which means that eSports is the intricate interrelationship among these three, previously separated, elements.
The growth of eSports has already been related to new media, including cable channels, Internet TV, online streaming services (e.g., Twitch), and social media (e.g., YouTube and Facebook). For example, Twitch is the fourth-highest website in peak Internet traffic in the U.S. and offers gamers a multitude of live-streaming gamecasts to choose from–the most popular channel featuring multiplayer online battle arena games.
Consequently, eSports has become a global sensation that attracts thousands of spectators to live events held at arenas and other venues around the world. In the early 21st century, competitive player-versus-player digital game play has been a heavily promoted feature of overall gamer culture. Global youth, ranging from mid-teens to mid-twenties, have participated in eSports as either professional players or fans. Many ICT corporations, including game firms and advertisers have utilized eSports as one of the most lucrative businesses, which means that eSports has been working towards the commodification of gaming spectatorship.
This edited volume explores the recent surge of eSports in the global scene and especially analyzes people’s understanding of eSports. It documents its history and discusses the reasons why eSports has become a global phenomenon. Then, it explores why many global game players and fans play and enjoy either online and mobile gaming in professional game competitions. It attempts to offer a new perspective by identifying the major platform to enjoy eSports, between broadcasting and smartphone, and therefore, its implications in global youth culture. By analyzing these unexamined or less-discussed agendas, this book will shed light on the current debates on the growth of global eSports culture.
Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Transformation of Cultural Perceptions of Competitive Gaming:
- The Experience Economy and the Marketing of Early 1980s Arcade Gaming Contests
- The Institutionalization of eSports
- eSports Industry/ platforms
- Political economy of eSports
- Commodification of Professional Players
- Convergence of Gaming and Media
- Broadcasting eSports
- eSports and Twitch Culture
- Mobile eSports
- eSports Players: Gender
- Spectatorship and eSports
- From Starcraft to League of Legends
- Submission Procedure
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before January 31, 2019, a 1-2 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by February 28, 2019 about the status of their proposals. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by June 30, 2019. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.
Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word document) to:
Dr. Dal Yong Jin
School of Communication
Simon Fraser University
E-mail: djin@sfu.ca