Video gaming, once thought of primarily as child’s play, is now big business. Organized, competitive gaming, colloquially known as esports, has undergone a major transformation in recent years, with an influx of big financial players into the industry and a surge of professional players, tournaments, sponsors and development programs.
The shift can even be felt in Lexington, where the more than $1 billion industry is beginning to take hold with the launch of the University of Kentucky’s comprehensive esports program in 2019.