Might Mainstream Wrestling Enter Into the Digital Domain?
Football, basketball and ice hockey have all enjoyed a considerable presence within the digital community since the early days of the Internet. Many of these sports now enable players to join virtual leagues in order to compete for sizeable prizes as well as to remain occupied when physical games are not being played. The appeal of such options certainly cannot be denied and yet, some sports have not yet been able to break through the digital barrier in order to cater to a highly interactive fan base. Wrestling can be included within this list and yet, things might soon be about to change. Why could wrestling represent the next big thing within the e-sports community and why might such a move represent an excellent idea for the entire industry?
The Growing Prevalence of E-Sports
We first need to highlight the fact that online sports are often intended to cater to a more tech-savvy generation (generally those between the ages of 18 and 35). This is why it makes a great deal of sense that digital sports platforms have remained a popular industry ever since the days of dial-up Internet.
Furthermore, the hardware and software associated with electronic sports has also advanced at a breakneck pace. Artificial intelligence, three-dimensional gameplay, VR headsets, and real-time communication between players all signify that the experiences themselves have literally taken on a life of their own.
The main issue with wrestling is that the mechanics are not at all similar to other sports. Not withstanding tag team matches, there are really no clubs or leagues to speak of. It is not likely that users will be able to modify the traits of an individual character, as these very same traits serve to define the character in question. This is why developing certain games might be challenging. While the notion of wrestling-themed scratch games is certainly reasonable, can the same be said for main events such as Wrestlemania or SummerSlam?
All About Branding and Popularity
While there are indeed hurdles that the entire industry needs to face, it should still be only a matter of time until we begin to witness wrestling e-sports leagues. Perhaps these could be based upon specific decades or even different franchises within the world of wrestling itself. When we remember that the associated graphics and gameplay should be truly amazing, it is perfectly logical to assume that developers will be keen to take advantage of such a lucrative (and untapped) marketplace.
As the digital age continues to progress, it is also highly likely that more fans will be turning to the digital domain in order to keep up with the latest wrestling news as well as to watch live matches. This is why the notion of wrestling as an e-sport is not as outlandish as it may initially appear.
Might we begin to witness such an option in the next 12 months? Although only time will tell, it is not unreasonable to imagine that some games are already in the works.
