E-Sports have been growing in popularity since the mid-2010s, with games such as Rocket League, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Madden, and NBA 2k becoming staples of the gaming world. However, the name “E-Sport” has been thrown around in some circles as “misleading” or “unfactual”. While yes E-Sports don’t have the physical effort or intensity, (At least in their eyes) I can argue that the general notion of E-Sports is wrong.

E-Sports, whether you believe it or not, does require the competitor to be physically well and fit. In the article “Nutrition for Gamers: Even E-Sports Players Need Fuel from Food”, they recommend a “high-protein diet with lots of fruits and vegetables.” They also stress the fact that competitive gaming is also a “full body workout that gets the heart pumping and releases cortisol.” This is because E-Sport players are still athletes in the sense that their brain is working hard and spending energy that needs to be replenished.

In fact, one could argue that competitive gamers need to put more effort into their health than other athletes. These players spend multiple hours sitting down and staying immobile. In order to combat this, gamers are buying feet fidgets to move their legs around. This has the same effect as shaking your leg, and studies have shown that people who bounce their leg lose calories and fat faster than those who don’t. Also, gamers need to keep their muscles strong so they don’t lose bodily strength after long sessions.

I understand that the physical requisites for E-Sports do not compare to sports like Basketball, Baseball, Football, and others. But, sports like Golf and Billiards do not require the physical strength of other sports, but they are still considered as such! That is why the term “sport” should not be bound to how much physicality is shown on the field, or in this case, the computer.

Thankfully, E-Sports are finally starting to overcome the stereotype. For the most part competitive gaming requires a different type of rigor that other sports don’t have. That is why E-Sports should be treated as real evaluations of skill and strength, even if it’s shown in a slightly different way.