ESports will be arriving in the living rooms of millions Friday with the debut of "ELeague." Airing every week on TBS, "ELeague" is a 10-week "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" tournament where 24 teams will compete for a $1.4 million prize pool. For those curious about competitive gaming, here is a handy primer ahead of the first "ELeague" matches.
Before getting into the ins and outs of "ELeague," a quick rundown of eSports in general is needed. ESports is a blanket term for all competitive gaming. There are multiplayer online battle arena, or MOBA, games such as "DOTA 2," "League of Legends" and "Heroes of the Storm. There are professional leagues for first-person shooters such as "Call of Duty," "Counter-Strike" and "Battlefield." "FIFA" is played competitively. Fighting games "Street Fighter V," "Super Smash Bros.," "Mortal Kombat" also fall under eSports.
ESports, for the most part, have yet to develop into separate sports like the NBA, NHL or NFL. Riot Games publishes "League of Legends," but also serves as the administrator for tournaments. The "League of Legends" Championship Series is the highest professional tier featuring the best teams competing for the biggest prize pools.