ABSTRACT
Esports has experienced an incredible rise in popularity. In common parlance, it has been established as a specific form of sporting contestation, while the academic debate on whether or not esports constitutes a “real” sport continues. Concerning the compatibility of esports and traditional sports, several scholars doubt that actions taking place in virtual space can be captured by the concept of traditional sports. In the last decades, however, research on subjective experiences of virtual actions in esports has provided reason to believe that although comparison of physical performance occurs virtually between avatars, it may well be experienced as a real physical performance by players. From a sociological point of view, the distinction between analogous and digital worlds is interesting, as, in modern society, a significant part of everyday communication happens via digital media. This chapter addresses the question of whether the distinction between esports and analogue sports will increasingly dissolve as social interaction becomes increasingly digital.
