Sports are usually the domain of grass fields or athletics tracks but a growing sport in the digital domain is set to capture the attention of Launceston in the coming weeks.
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The City of Launceston Council, in partnership with Launceston business GameForge, is hosting a League of Legends tournament during Youth Week for gamers of all skill levels.
GameForge owner Nicholas Alcorso said he was wrapped to see an esports event come to Launceston given the growing popularity of the event worldwide.
"Esports has always been very popular, it's probably becoming more mainstream over the last couple of years ... people are accepting now," he said.
E-Sports in general have exploded from being a cornerstone of nerd culture and into the mainstream with overseas leagues featuring multi-million dollar prizes and contracts for star signings.
In 2019, the world witnessed the first Fortnite world cup which was won by 16-year-old Kyle Giersdorf, also known as "Bugha" online, netted $3 million in prize money.
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The world cup final event, held at Arthur Ashe Stadium was supported by a capacity crowd.
League of Legends is arguably the most well-known format within esports alongside Fortnite, World of Warcraft and the FIFA series.
In North America, E-Sports has gone to new heights recently after Hu "SwordArt" Shuo-Chieh was signed to a $6 million contract over two years by TSM.
Mr Alcorso said Launceston was home to a passionate gaming community and was a perfect esports hotspot.
"What I see of the local scene is an amateur scene but keen amateurs, they want to have fun ... but they want to play these games in a social setting," he said
Launceston Council acting mayor Danny Gibson said that the council was excited to be supporting this new age initiative.
"Video games can be great entertainment and great fun, and competitive esports gaming is increasingly popular across the globe," he said.
"Who knows? We may even have a future League of Legends World Champion in our midst."
The two-day video game tournament is open to young people in Launceston between the ages of 15 and 20, who are invited to form teams of five players each to battle it out for medals.
The event will be held at GameForge on May 1 and 2 with entries still open for players interested in participating.
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Adam Daunt
Sports reporter at The Examiner. Focus on basketball and netball but occasionally rolls the arm over for some cricket coverage in the summer. Previously from Adelaide with a stint in Byron Bay. Get in touch: adam.daunt@examiner.com.au.
Sports reporter at The Examiner. Focus on basketball and netball but occasionally rolls the arm over for some cricket coverage in the summer. Previously from Adelaide with a stint in Byron Bay. Get in touch: adam.daunt@examiner.com.au.
