Sony VS Microsoft for eSport dominance

Boy have eSports grown in the last few years. Sure, there've always been FIFA, Smash Bros or COD tournaments, but I feel safe in saying they've never had the social impact of some of the recent popular eSports... like... you know the one...

And now, given some of the announcements we've seen recently, it looks like both Sony and Microsoft are trying to steal a piece of that crowd. They're no longer content with allowing these popular games to grow and grow (to up to 90 million active users) away from their platforms. Both companies have striven to either secure exclusivity, or at the very least not be left behind.

Some titles that would seem to be consistent with popular eSports material are:

• Overwatch - PC, Xbox One, PS4
• Smite - PC, Xbox One
• Gigantic - PC, Xbox One
• Battleborn - PC, Xbox One, PS4
• Paragon - PC, PS4

It really looks like they've both made an effort to accommodate MOBAs on their consoles. Where exclusivity is concerned Microsoft seems to have the advantage, though of course quality will likely trump quantity - and that is where I wanted to get to: Is it too late? LoL and DotA 2 are by far the biggest games in the genre, one much more so than the other even, and no matter how much Microsoft or Sony flood the market with similar games for their consoles, they may not be able to compete with the popularity of the already established giants.

I'm sure a lot of you will think "lolmobas", or couldn't care less about eSports, but this is System Wars. They've gotta do what's best for their system, and that includes appealing to the insanely huge amount of MOBA fans out there enjoying gaming noton the consoles, just the same as it includes making an entry into VR or offering BC. This is something I've barely seen discussed over here. I want to know what you think.

(Perhaps, and this is just me wondering, Sony could take advantage of that licensed kb/m peripheral they've got going to bring LoL to the PS4, rather than attempt their own new entries?)

tl;dr: PS4 is getting mobas, XB1 is betting mobas. Will it make them money?

SMITE was a complete shock to me last year. I really hate DOTA 2 and LOL so I didn't have much hope for SMITE. Since it came out in open beta last year on xbone I've put 200 hours into the game. The Gods are really fun to play with and look good and the 3rd person camera really puts you in the action the way LOL and DOTA can't.

Xbox has been pretty far ahead of Sony in exports for a while with Halo, COD during their golden years and now games like Gigantic and SMITE. I usually don't care for gaming tournaments but I have found myself checking in on SMITE from time to time.

@mems_1224: The first time I tried LoL I wasn't able to get into it at all. I was expecting something that would immerse me even if just a little. Ultimately it seemed kinda pointless due to what I wanted out of games at the time (vast worlds, great plots, places in which to lose myself... LoL certainly isn't that). Through years of seeing it grow and having loads of friends play I started to see it as less of a typical videogame and more of a sort of... virtual chess? Digital Soccer? A sport. Its own set of rules, tactics, skill, a field with "lines" and "goalposts" of sorts. I don't feel immersed as a character like I wanted to at first, but as a player of a sport, just the same as when I box or play soccer with friends. Hell by understanding the game even watching others play is entertaining the way watching FCBarcelona play a soccer match is entertaining.

Perhaps by first enjoying Smite by feeling more immersed you'd then be able to enjoy other MOBAs? I dunno. I haven't tried Smite so I don't really know how it compares.

@kwns: Indeed Microsoft has an advantage in eSports compared to Sony, and from the looks of it it may just get bigger, but as you yourself say the PC community is massive, and recent years of PC dominance in eSports has left both kind of in the dust. Halo 5's tepid reception probably won't help either. At least to me it seems clear that they're banking on MOBAs to help them grow.

Feel sorry for the COD gamers having to play on PS4 now, when MS have unleashed the perfect Elite Controller for competitive play, now they have to use the useless Dualshock 4 and PSN

Well Sony is making a big investment in the fighting game community by backing and heavily advertising Street Fighter V. Their push in expanding the ever growing FGC scene earns them huge points in my books as it's the only competitive scene that is enjoyable to watch and be a part of personally.

Essentially, Sony has an entire esports genre in their pocket right now.

Haha, console esports dominance

Them some good PC eSport games you got there. Plus can play online free on PC.

PC dominates esports and always will.

@kwns: where did you see they were off to a bad start?

SMITE is a great game and I've heard alot of great things about Overwatch. I'm all for just a good competitive game, eSports or not. But since this is an eSports thread I'll run with the topic.

It's more than just the games that will decide whether XB1/PS4 will be a platform to attract eSports being played on them. It's proper Infrastructure, opportunity for competitors, the engagement of specatorship.(Is watching someone using a controller in Overwatch be fun to watch or easy to provide quality casting) all of which interests the sponsors to fund events, where it's the events generate the real reason why eSports has been on such a rise: Money.

And I'm not talking prize pools that's split between the players, coach and organization, but I'm talking gambling money. Gambling websites are dime a dozen. They are unregulated by any government, and are easy to access and operate. Now that these games have items in-game that are being actively traded for thousands of dollars, people are interested. I just think Sony & Microsoft know what they are getting into, or know why eSports have exploded in the first place. If they want the big bucks and audience, they--a public company--would have to facilitate this: set up regulations (even eSport on PC doesnt have a regulatory body even if it desperately needs one), get involved (banning players from their service that cheat through hacks or amphetamine, crackdown on people throwing matches). They become a huge stakeholder; Players are using their online service, under a Live/PSN account and playing on their platform after all.

I just dont think either company is up to the task. It's not gonna take off further than what Sony/MS have had in the past with Fighting games/Halo. And I dont think that's a bad thing, it just looks like a very 'Me too' approach to eSports, thinking it's just MOBA game = competitive glory, spectators, large scale events and prize pools.

There's also the fact that your average Xbox Gamer is about 10x more skilled and competent than your average Playstation gamer in all genres except fighting games. Playstation gamers have been too spoiled with linear corridor games riddled with QTE like Uncharted and the Order 1886 that they're lack the ability to game in a dynamic environment that isn't scripted or on rails. Like I said the exception is fighting games.

Sony will dominate EVO, Microsoft will dominate everything else

@ianhh6:

PS4 is the home of COD and the console exclusivity for SF5 is a big slap E-sports wise vs X1.

LoL , CS Go and Dota 2 for PC are far and beyond as of now in popularity , events and prize pools per year overall. Everything else is great but not that big. Some games getting there though slow and steady

EDIT : In short nothing can be compared to PC so there isnt anything like SONY vs MS for E-sport dominance. PC is the dominance in that area by astronomical miles.

None of those games will be successful they are not going to get people to leave CSGO, LOL & DOTA 2 to play them

I feel sorry for competitive players playing on consoles over pc's. PC's dominate the professional arena.

PC is by far the best in esports and it will continue to do this. Most esports games tend to be easy, you don't need a $400 console to play it. A PC is something that about 87% of households have, hence why these esports games tend to be low requirement to play

As far as consoles go, I don't see any of them doing too well. If I had to choose, it would be Ps4 because of the free soccer/car game they gave for free; I'll let you guess which one

Xbox is still charging for their "esports" games

Smite while free is mostly a PC thing.

I went to the MSG for the lol summer finals. My company gave me plenty of tickets for th event. Gotta say, it was something, to see games being shown in Madison square.. It is shocking to know where games have advanced. This is something consoles just can't match

>Console eSport dominance

whoever can throw the most money to get a sponsorship deal

PSN ate shit and they had to cancel the first MLG tournament or something, I forgot what it was but it was a large event.

I only care for one event in the year, and that's EVO.

Console e-sports? What?

PC is where its at. The absolute best players are there. If you play anywhere else, you're regarded as not good enough to compete with PC. Simple as that.

This is the impression I've been getting with these new MOBAs. It doesn't mean they won't be good, hell maybe they'll be awesome and we the people benefit from all this, but it seems like they've watched eSports grow and said "aw damn, let's jump on that train before it's too late".

People forget that there are FIA Certified Championships done through Gran Turismo Sport.

It's nowhere near the same scale but, it's as legit as it gets.

I'm just waiting for MS to eventually put mmos and mobas on xbox with proper mkb. game over for sony. the world will love xbox then.

Now this is a big bump!

Let’s see Sony has call of duty and street fighter, so yep look like MS already lost :(.

Not a fan of esports, but I never imagined Sony really getting into that industry. Sony mainly focuses on single player experiences. Microsoft definitely wins in Esports. I have a lot of friends who are into Esports and they hate sony for not having enough multiplayer games.

E-sports 🤮🤮🤮

@robbie23: SFV says hi. Having multiplayer doesn't make a game an eSport game.

That's quite the bump...

*posted in the wrong thread earlier*

5 years old thread, wooh

Is the e-sport scene shilling for F2P crap?

Console gaming dominates the fighting game portion of E-sports.

How did this necro thread not get locked sooner? I got this and so with that, thread bump by spambot.