Video: E-sports take off in New Zealand

  • 02/10/2016
Video: E-sports take off in New Zealand

First of all, if you're questioning the merits of this story and this sport, the man known in the online world as "Puni" has a message for you.

"It's on par with sports in terms of reaction speeds, in terms of the skillsets that you need in the game, so I definitely think that e-sports should be treated as at least a sport," says Puni.

"A lot of these players they're the top 0.02 percent of players on the whole server, relative to others."

This particular tournament is the New Zealand Gaming Championship.

Teams use skill, tactics and teamwork to win popular online game League of Legends, and if sport is about the top two inches, these players have it covered.

The winners of the NZGC will get to mix with the best in the world. They'll earn a spot in the World Final in the United States, with millions of prize money up for grabs, with e-sports now generating more than $600 million in revenue.

"Prize pool for Worlds was $1 million; it's ridiculous - $1 million for playing computer games," Puni adds.

"Who'd have thought 10 years ago everyone would've been playing computer games. That's not a career choice, but now if you're good enough it definitely can be."

It's also an unlikely spectator sport.

Cameron Russell experienced the world finals in Korea two years ago and says the atmosphere matched that of a Rugby World Cup final.

"Ten people on a computer screen versus 30 players on a rugby field," says Russell, "you look at both of them and the younger generation has so much passion and appreciation of the highest level of play here in exactly the same way as they do for professional sports, and that is honestly what blew me away and inspired me to push it here."

Kiwis get their chance to experience gaming live later this month, albeit on a slightly smaller scale.

The NZGC's hexagon will be moved to MOTAT for the live final, in front of a crowd of 500 people, and a growing broadcast audience.

Newshub.