Has The Move To Next-Gen Seen A Rise Of Console-Specific Esports Tournaments?

The arrival of a new console generation is usually met with raptures of applause and hype from everyone from gamers to journalists and can, in some instances, have even wider-reaching consequences. There’s an argument to suggest that such a profound move with the arrival of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 and their immensely powerful hardware should have impacted esports tournaments and signaled moves from one platform to another, but whether that has been the case remains to be seen.

Some tournaments have become essentially reserved for the PC platform and probably will never move over to the consoles, even with next-gen hardware. A good example of this has been the long-established Counter Strike: Global Offensive tournaments and leagues that have been based on PC for as long as the game’s inception, and considering the simple fact that CS:GO is only on PC, it doesn’t look like that Valve’s game will make the move to consoles. However, in the case of those games that are more popular on consoles than PC, such as EA’s FIFA with its Global Series, it would seem unlikely that EA would make the move to computer, given the fact that they have over the last few years built up a platform and following on Xbox and PlayStation.

In contrast with those hardcore PC and more established games, such as the aforementioned CS:GO, titles that have long been advocates for console tournaments such as Call of Duty have now made the move into the PC sphere in a bid to capitalize on the platform’s versatility. The Call of Duty League has been playing on console for at least the last two console generations with advertisements for the tournament memorably being plastered on the dashboard for the Xbox 360, which came at a time when PC esports was reserved for the now-established staples that were previously discussed. However, even with much more powerful hardware on the part of the ninth console generation, things have changed. Call Of Duty has now moved onto the PC, most likely as a result of changes in component power and the evolution of peripherals. Controllers are still allowed, however. 

Technological changes have also had other effects on the COD League, too. For instance, with the increased prominence of game streaming services such as Twitch and Facebook Gaming, the likes of the Call Of Duty League have now been given increased visibility and, therefore, viewership which has in itself made it more attractive and prominent, so much so that bookies are now offering betting and odds on the Call Of Duty League, as well as other esports events. For example, to win the Stage 3 Major outright, the field of teams is massive, with twelve separate ones competing, and the field is rather close. This is reflected in the top four teams all having odds of 10/1 or shorter thanks to the likes of the Dallas Empire at 10/1, through the New York Subliners at 7/2 and the odds-on favorites Atlanta FaZe at 7/4. 

It’s definitely fair to say that for any tournaments and games to move between platforms is dependent upon what platforms they already exist for, how established the league is on a given platform and how popular the move would be. The transition from console to PC is arguably the more likely outcome of any transition given the open-source nature of gaming PCs over consoles as well as the wider player base and the better accuracy that a keyboard and mouse can provide over a controller, or so PC gamers will tell.