This content is brought to you in association with OMEN by HP.
Did you know that the hand-eye coordination of eSports athletes parallels that of table tennis players, or that data suggests eSports athletes can move their mouse up to 284 metres per hour? Were you aware that during game play, an eSports athlete's pulse is comparable to that of a marathon runner's—or that the stress levels faced by eSports players at international tournaments matches that of traditional athletes during similar events?
Despite misconceptions, the training schedules adopted by modern eSports athletes are equivocal to those undertaken by their physical counterparts—including nutrition advice, psychological coaching, and long-term health mentoring. The Next Gen Athletes, created by OMEN by HP, is an expert-driven short film that aims to heighten awareness of these important facts behind today's biggest eSports athletes.
A better comprehension of this by the wider world is important to eSports' future. Even in 2017, you don't have to look too far to find a lack of understanding of what it takes to be an eSports athlete from a major media outlet. This perception largely stems from the way people who play games have been portrayed by mainstream media for years: that we're indoors-dwelling, or out-of-shape. In the case of eSports athletes, that outdated notion couldn't be more wrong. Click here to see the full documentary.
Homegrown heroes
The UK eSports scene is currently in great shape, and it can be even greater. In November last year, the Ukie published its whitepaper on eSports in the UK, outlining how with the right infrastructure, understanding from the government and investment, the country can be a world leader in the field, building on years of incremental growth in viewership and interest. The potential audience in the UK is huge, and could reach 9 million people by 2019 according to Ukie's findings.
Investment in homegrown eSports talent is therefore incredibly important. The UK's burgeoning eSports events space is a vital stepping stone for new talent, where the aim of organisations like ESL and Gfinity is to create national heroes—players who UK viewers can get behind, and who motivate a new generation of eSports athletes by showing there's a viable route to becoming a pro themselves. This is how traditional sports have always attracted new talent and viewer interest.
Ukie also explained in its paper that there's still an awareness problem with eSports among the wider UK population, both locally and nationally. It's born out of a lack of education, and needs to be challenged if the UK is to reach its full potential as a world-leading force in eSports. That's what OMEN by HP's film, is about: showing that these athletes need to be treated as such, now and in the future.
What better way to tell that story than the verdicts of experts from traditional sports fields? The stats above show what enviable talents these athletes have, and the commitment required to succeed at a pro level should be celebrated on a national level in the UK. The Ukie whitepaper found that we don't champion our eSports achievements in the way that we should in this country. It has to start with highlighting the individuals, and understanding the teamwork, exercises and development that goes into their performance. HP spotlights and celebrates them.
World-class tech is just as important to the eSports pros of today and tomorrow as great physical health and long-term well-being. Having hardware that can keep pace with these players is essential, and the Intel core i7 processor alongside OMEN by HP is the quintessential pairing for the modern eSports athlete.
HP has a deep commitment to eSports and improving the perception of players. OMEN by HP will support the future of eSports, and the research it's conducting into esport athlete performance will both shed light into what these players can achieve while also showcasing their incredible skills.
