Plenty Sport : EZINE 15 INTERACTIVE GAMING | Page 3

1

ISSUE № 15, AUG 2015

THE “SPORT” OF INTERACTIVE GAMING.
companies were accumulating game subscribers in the millions. The concept of freeto-play quickly developed as an alternative,
with revenue generation occurring from in
game “add ons”. Games now such as Final
Fantasy allow clients different platforms beyond video game consoles using a single set
of servers. The ability to now apply stunningly realistic graphics is now the norm.
A major transformation in the gaming industry took place in 1974 when the first graphic
virtual world from a first-person perspective
became possible. Players were not only able
to view a maze in which characters roamed
but it was also the first networked game, in
which players at different computers could
visually interact in a virtual space. This
quickly led to the concept of massively multiplayer online games with the launch of such
games as Dark Age of Camelot and
Everquest Online Adventures just to name a
few. By 2001 3D imagery followed and some

In the sporting arena E-Sports is now a billion dollar industry and there are now profes-

has recognized its popularity and have been

sional gamers in the mix. In fact, gamers are

putting on the FIFA Interactive World Cup

now being issued athlete visas by the United

(FIWC) every year since 2004.

States. This marriage of technology and sport

In T&T a number of groups exist such as the

is one that has been embraced by athletes

TTIFC and the Gamers Association of TT

such as Lionel Messi, Andrea Pirlo and Paolo

that are advocating the growth of the local

Maldini.

gaming community and actually various tour-

Interactive or Virtual Gaming has been

naments have been happening over the past

around in T&T ever since the advent of gam-

10 years. From a global perspective making a

ing consoles like the first Nintendo gaming

living in this billion dollar industry is very

systems. the EA Sports FIFA game series has

much a reality.

provided some of the most realistic graphics
and virtual football is so popular that FIFA