

You know that you are Miles Kilo, a EuroCorp agent with a special augmentation chip that gives you superhuman abilities. Quiet moments can build tension in games that tell great stories or at least deliver effective payoffs, but Syndicate isn't such a game. Syndicate moves forward in fits and starts, grinding to a halt just when it seems things might finally get awesome. Every whirr and every click is belabored. You look around as the machine ever-so-slowly rises into the air and then ever-so-slowly examines your innards. You watch as straps bind your wrists in place. Developer Starbreeze squeezes out as many minutes as it can out of this unskippable scene (not to mention, the ones leading up to it). Consider this scenario: For narrative reasons, you find yourself strapped into a fancy machine-the kind that appears in so many science fiction games. If only this attention to detail were applied to the rest of the campaign, which is characterized by momentary thrills broken up by pointless puzzle-solving and stretches of nothing that grind the pace to a halt. This is the future, cool and indifferent, and Syndicate does an impressive job of transporting you there. The atmosphere is both gorgeous and emotionally disconnected. Elsewhere, walls of text scroll down transparent green computer terminals, and countless objects are identified in your heads-up display. In a rainy courtyard shoot-out under the rising skyscrapers of New York City, you're struck by the hazy blue lighting and how it contrasts with the craggy industrial pipes and pillars that surround you. You are a digitally enhanced agent of a megacorporation fighting for domination, and every aspect of the presentation reinforces this notion. That popular League of Legends tournament from 2017? It generated $5.5 million in ticket sales.Īfter the shooting, EA Sports canceled the three remaining Madden Classic qualifier events to review safety protocols for competitors and spectators, according to a release issued by the gaming company.By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot'sīut such form it is: Syndicate is slick, moody, and in total command of its near-future vision. Teams and event organizers also benefit from tickets sales for these competitions. That means the world’s very tip-top players can easily earn seven figures in a year. Since its inception nearly 30 years ago, the EA Madden Franchise has sold more than 130 million units, totaling more than $4 billion in revenue.ĮSports players, not unlike traditional athletes, can rake in big money: Tournaments can boast millions of dollars in prize money, which is typically split between the players on the winning teams. Madden 19, the game featured at the tournament in Jacksonville, is part of the long-running EA Madden Franchise. That’s a lucrative market, not only for the players, but for brands and video game producers as well. By 2019, that number is expected to surpass $1 billion. NACE championships dole out thousands of dollars in prize money, which is put towards scholarships for the winners.Īccording to research from Newzoo, eSports revenue will reach $906 million worldwide in 2018.

More than 50 colleges have varsity eSports programs, recognized by a governing body called the National Association of Collegiate Esports. Frank Franklin II/APĬolleges have even gotten in on the action. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, center, poses for photographs with gamers at the NBA 2K League draft in April, 2018.
CYNDICATE ESPORTS PROFESSIONAL
During the draft, 102 professional eSports players were selected, with all of the pomp and circumstance normally reserved for players on the court. In fact, this April, the NBA held a draft for the launch of its new eSports league centered around the basketball-themed NBA 2K game franchise. In July, ESPN and Disney XD announced they secured a multi-year deal to broadcast the Overwatch League, a brand-new international league with 12 franchises centered around the incredibly popular multiplayer first-person shooter came, Overwatch.Īccording to research from Newzoo, 588 major esports events were held in 2017.Īs hard as it may be to imagine for devotees of traditional sports leagues like the NFL or the NBA eSports, at its highest levels, functions in a similar way. The 2017 League of Legends World Championship drew more than 80 million viewers, making it one of the most popular eSports competitions ever. Tournaments and other events can attract viewing crowds that rival most traditional professional sports outings.
