Global health crisis takes eSport learning to the next level

David Fortini

January 07, 2021

适应新常态意味着要跳出思维定势. eSports provide new opportunities for students to interact, learn, and have some fun along the way.

With the onset of the global health crisis, our “normal” way of living has changed. Schools and businesses have had to embrace a work at home model, creating environments where parents are in “lockdown” with their school age children who are remote learning in virtual classrooms, 由于学校仍然关闭. Home has become the place where we work, and learn, and play, all under the same roof. 欢迎“新常态”.

在这种社会隔离中, I’ve personally noticed the time my kids spend gaming is far beyond my initial estimates. Gaming has provided a way for them to socialize with friends, and has served as a substitute for in-person activities like playing sports, or going to lunch. The popularity of gaming was already skyrocketing prior to the current health crisis, but being at home has created a “perfect storm” that has exponentially increased the amount of time people spend participating in video games. 据威瑞森公司称，美国电信公司.S. video game usage during peak hours has increased by 75 percent since the lockdown measures went into effect.

In addition to gaming, eSports has also benefited from this new normal with an increase in uptake. Because the playing fields are virtual and can be played online without in-person contact, eSports have continued to be played through this difficult time, 而面对面的体育活动则受到限制. Traditional sports leagues have explored eSports as a new way to engage their fans during the health crisis, with numerous eSports competitions being shown on live TV to fill the hours of scheduled sports content that were cancelled in the wake of the health crisis.

This environment has also proven that gaming can generate significant revenue. For example, eSports in college and high school has become a billion dollar industry with 75 percent of eSports revenue attributed to advertising and broadcasting. 额外的收入来源，如订阅, and free-to-play models provide in-game upsell opportunities (such as upgrades and expansion packs) that allow developers to avoid upfront purchases. Partnerships with other entertainment sectors are another source of revenue, 就像最近的情况一样, when Fortnite partnered with the music industry to host an on-line rap concert which generated more than 27 million live viewers.

eSports in schools are projected to grow exponentially and are on the verge of going mainstream. 健康危机已经改变了电子竞技的未来. It provides an extracurricular alternative that students can participate in whether in-person, remote, 或者HyFlex学习模型. It offers a viable option to promote student engagement, and empower core learning values that can: 

• 培养社交技能、团队建设和协作能力
• Encourage strategic thinking, planning, and problem solving
• 提倡时间管理
• 管理成功和失败
• 促进STEM学习
• 扩大就业机会

Creating an eSports program requires an investment in the proper networking and computing technology that can benefit your whole school.  By providing students with access to the right technologies and infrastructure, schools can eliminate the need for expensive hardware platforms and still meet the high-performance eSports demands by delivering content using mobile/cloud-based platforms, 设备间的流. 其他学科，如科学, arts engineering, math, and technology labs also benefit from this improved infrastructure.

对我们中的一些人来说，电子竞技似乎是“非传统的”, but rest assured it’s become an innovative way to reach students in this digital age. eSports will continue to play an increasing role in student’s lives as a growing platform that promotes fun competition, 个性化的学习, 学生的参与度. An investment in eSports is an investment in student success.

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise can help improve your eSports program with services-oriented infrastructure and technology that empowers student success. Contact us.