Weird Moments From the World of Esports

Video games have come a long way over the last decade. While they used to be considered a waste of time, nowadays it’s hard to argue this when pro players are making millions of dollars. 

Esports are becoming a serious and respectable field, similar to live sports. The scene is attracting massive corporations as sponsors and there are full-fledged teams of skilled gaming pros. 

The entire ecosystem is becoming more widespread and legitimate. Even a site like Bet365 that traditionally offered sports odds is now catering to Esports and offers a $100 bonus for new customers. There are also many Esports tournaments every year that attract some of the best gamers in the world, so we get to see people from every background come together in these competitions.

Video gamers can be an eccentric bunch at times, and thus we have seen plenty of strange and unusual moments in this world. Here are just a few of the many memorable moments and tales from the world of Esports. 

Showing Off With Weird Controllers

In the competitive gaming world, controllers can be a controversial issue. Especially in the fighting game scene where certain types of controllers can provide unfair advantages by allowing easier or quicker button inputs. Normally the competitions will decide for themselves which controllers are allowed.

Occasionally to “troll” their opponent or just have a laugh, players bring in weird or novelty controllers. This of course normally gives them a disadvantage, which makes it even funnier when they beat their opponents and make a mockery of the serious professional atmosphere in the process. 

In 2018, during a Guilty Gear Xrd Rev2 tournament in Canada, a player that goes by the name “Initial T” made a statement when he showed up for his matches with a steering wheel controller. These types of controllers are made specifically for racing games, so naturally it brought a lot of press in the Esports community with everyone getting a good laugh out of it.  What’s impressive is he managed to win many of his matches at this event and finished in the top 8 overall. 

 

 

In a 2016 Super Smash Brothers tournament, another player decided to bring some comedy into the event when he showed up with his novelty fishing controller. The weirdly shaped and unorthodox controller certainly couldn’t have helped him, but he managed to win anyway, much to the enjoyment of the announcers. There have been many more silly examples over the years and it has become somewhat of a meme at this point to show up to these events with ridiculous controllers.

 

 

Banned Live at an Event, TWICE

Unfortunately, there have been several cases of people cheating in Esports. With so much on the line, including life-changing prize pools, players can resort to desperate means to get an advantage over the competition. While many have tried, one gamer in particular named Forsaken from India has proven to be one of the most reckless cheaters. 

The first time he was caught was particularly comical. During a live Counter-Strike:GO tournament with his team, he had his account banned in full view of the audience. In the middle of the match, his monitor showed that the Valve Anti-Cheat software had detected that he was using aiming assistance bots, banning him on the spot while thousands of people watched the live stream. For his first offense he was banned for six months. 

The second time he was caught was in 2018. Again, during a live competition Forsaken was caught and banned, this time in a much more dramatic fashion. During the match, the judges had suspicions that he was cheating again. As they swarmed his computer, Forsaken desperately tried to delete the cheating software, right in front of the judges until they had to effectively physically restrain him. After it was proven that he had cheated, he faced a lifetime ban but was ultimately sentenced to five years. 

 

The Rage Quit Competition

Rage quitting is an act that is normally frowned upon and considered toxic in the professional gaming world. Pro Esports players try their best to keep cool and calm, even in the most frustrating of moments. The popular game Dota 2 has caused its fair share of outbursts over the years, so much so that it has spawned its own hilarious competition for the best rage quit.

During the Dota 2 tournament, organizers put aside a time slot for fans to come up and show what they can do. The results were enjoyed by Esports fans everywhere and will live on as memes in the gaming industry.