E-Sports as a Cultural Phenomenon By - Khushi Raviya
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Nov 02, 2025
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About This Presentation
This presentation on “E-Sports as a Cultural Phenomenon” explores the emergence and global significance of competitive gaming as a distinctive cultural and social practice. Beginning with a clearly articulated research question and hypothesis, the PPT frames e-sports not merely as entertainment ...
Slide Content
E-Sports as a
Cultural
Phenomenon
Presented By - Khushi Raviya
Cultural
Phenomenon
Presented By - Khushi Raviya
Personal Information
●Name : Khushi Raviya
●Enrollment No : 5108240029
●Roll No : 10
●Batch : M.A. Sem- 3 (2024-2026)
●Paper 205A: Cultural Studies
●Submitted To : Smt. S.B.Gardi Department of English M.K.B.U.
●Date : 08/10/2025
●Name : Khushi Raviya
●Enrollment No : 5108240029
●Roll No : 10
●Batch : M.A. Sem- 3 (2024-2026)
●Paper 205A: Cultural Studies
●Submitted To : Smt. S.B.Gardi Department of English M.K.B.U.
●Date : 08/10/2025
Table of Contents
●Research Question & Hypothesis
●Introduction
●Defining the Phenomenon
●The Cultural Significance of E-Sports
●The E-Sports Ecosystem
●The Cultural "Servicescape"
●The Power of Community and Social Identity
●The Imperative for Regulation - Addressing the Harms
●The Imperative for Regulation
●The Indian Context: A New Era of Legitimacy
●Case Study: The German Bundesliga
●A Nuanced Picture: Challenges and Debates
●Economic Scale and Audience
●The Blue Whale "Suicide Challenge"
●Learning Outcomes
●Conclusion
●Research Question & Hypothesis
●Introduction
●Defining the Phenomenon
●The Cultural Significance of E-Sports
●The E-Sports Ecosystem
●The Cultural "Servicescape"
●The Power of Community and Social Identity
●The Imperative for Regulation - Addressing the Harms
●The Imperative for Regulation
●The Indian Context: A New Era of Legitimacy
●Case Study: The German Bundesliga
●A Nuanced Picture: Challenges and Debates
●Economic Scale and Audience
●The Blue Whale "Suicide Challenge"
●Learning Outcomes
●Conclusion
❖Research Question:
❖Hypothesis:
To what extent does formal state recognition and regulation
(as seen in India's 2025 Act) influence the perceived
legitimacy and social acceptance of e-sports as a cultural
phenomenon?
The implementation of formal regulatory frameworks that
distinguish and promote e-sports (e.g., India's 2025 Act) will
lead to a statistically significant increase in its perceived
legitimacy and social acceptance among the general public,
compared to periods or regions without such frameworks.
❖Hypothesis:
To what extent does formal state recognition and regulation
(as seen in India's 2025 Act) influence the perceived
legitimacy and social acceptance of e-sports as a cultural
phenomenon?
The implementation of formal regulatory frameworks that
distinguish and promote e-sports (e.g., India's 2025 Act) will
lead to a statistically significant increase in its perceived
legitimacy and social acceptance among the general public,
compared to periods or regions without such frameworks.
Introduction
E-sports has undergone a meteoric rise, evolving from a global
cultural and economic powerhouse. It is no longer just about
playing games; it is a complex phenomenon that is reshaping
entertainment, forging powerful online communities, and
challenging our very definition of sport. However, this rapid
growth created a regulatory grey area, blurring the lines
between legitimate competitive gaming and harmful online
betting. The recent Promotion and Regulation of Online
Gaming Act, 2025 in India marks a pivotal moment, formally
recognizing e-sports as a legitimate sport while banning
predatory money games.
E-sports has undergone a meteoric rise, evolving from a global
cultural and economic powerhouse. It is no longer just about
playing games; it is a complex phenomenon that is reshaping
entertainment, forging powerful online communities, and
challenging our very definition of sport. However, this rapid
growth created a regulatory grey area, blurring the lines
between legitimate competitive gaming and harmful online
betting. The recent Promotion and Regulation of Online
Gaming Act, 2025 in India marks a pivotal moment, formally
recognizing e-sports as a legitimate sport while banning
predatory money games.
Defining the Phenomenon
❖E-Sports:
●The activity of playing computer games against other people on the
internet, often for money, and often watched by other people using the
internet, sometimes at special organized events.
●E-sports have become a major industry, as some of the top gamers around
the world battle each other in a wide range of games.
●E-sports is now a huge spectator sport.
(E-sports)
❖E-Sports:
●The activity of playing computer games against other people on the
internet, often for money, and often watched by other people using the
internet, sometimes at special organized events.
●E-sports have become a major industry, as some of the top gamers around
the world battle each other in a wide range of games.
●E-sports is now a huge spectator sport.
(E-sports)
The Cultural Significance of E-Sports
●Mainstream Acceptance: Integration into major multi-sport events
like the Asian Games and the Olympic Virtual Series.
●Educational Recognition: Universities worldwide now offer e-sports
scholarships and varsity teams, legitimizing it as a skill-based activity.
●Media & Entertainment: E-sports themes are prevalent in
mainstream media, while platforms like Twitch have created entirely
new forms of entertainment and celebrity.
(McCauley)
●Mainstream Acceptance: Integration into major multi-sport events
like the Asian Games and the Olympic Virtual Series.
●Educational Recognition: Universities worldwide now offer e-sports
scholarships and varsity teams, legitimizing it as a skill-based activity.
●Media & Entertainment: E-sports themes are prevalent in
mainstream media, while platforms like Twitch have created entirely
new forms of entertainment and celebrity.
(McCauley)
The E-Sports Ecosystem
●A Complex Network of Value Co-Creation
●E-sports is a business ecosystem comprised of interdependent actors:
●Audience & Consumers: The central driving force.
●Professional Creators: Players, streamers, shoutcasters.
●Endemic Stakeholders: Game publishers, pro teams, tournament organizers.
●Non-Endemic Stakeholders: Mainstream sponsors (e.g., cars, fashion).
●These groups interact to co-create value. (Chikish)
●A Complex Network of Value Co-Creation
●E-sports is a business ecosystem comprised of interdependent actors:
●Audience & Consumers: The central driving force.
●Professional Creators: Players, streamers, shoutcasters.
●Endemic Stakeholders: Game publishers, pro teams, tournament organizers.
●Non-Endemic Stakeholders: Mainstream sponsors (e.g., cars, fashion).
●These groups interact to co-create value. (Chikish)
The Cultural "Servicescape"
●Where Culture Happens: Online and Offline Spaces
●The Servicescape is the environment where the e-sports experience unfolds.
●It is a hybrid space, including:
●Online: Platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and in-game social hubs.
●Offline: Live arena events, LAN parties, and e-sports bars.
●This is where media engagement, communication, and community building
materialize.
(McCauley)
●Where Culture Happens: Online and Offline Spaces
●The Servicescape is the environment where the e-sports experience unfolds.
●It is a hybrid space, including:
●Online: Platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and in-game social hubs.
●Offline: Live arena events, LAN parties, and e-sports bars.
●This is where media engagement, communication, and community building
materialize.
(McCauley)
The Power of Community and Social Identity
●Building Digital Tribes: Fandom and Belonging
●E-sports fosters powerful communities that provide a deep sense of belonging and identity.
●Social Identity Theory: Fans derive self-esteem from their affiliation with teams, players,
and the broader community.
●These "digital tribes" develop their own unique norms, values, language (slang), and rituals.
Fostering Social Capital and Wellbeing
E-Sports as a Source of Connection and Support:
●Social Capital: Participation helps build valuable social networks based on trust and shared
norms.
●Active Participation: Engaging as a player, streamer, or community organizer is a
significant predictor of building social capital.
●Wellbeing Outcomes: The connections built through e-sports show a positive relationship
with social connection and subjective wellbeing.
(McCauley)
●Building Digital Tribes: Fandom and Belonging
●E-sports fosters powerful communities that provide a deep sense of belonging and identity.
●Social Identity Theory: Fans derive self-esteem from their affiliation with teams, players,
and the broader community.
●These "digital tribes" develop their own unique norms, values, language (slang), and rituals.
Fostering Social Capital and Wellbeing
E-Sports as a Source of Connection and Support:
●Social Capital: Participation helps build valuable social networks based on trust and shared
norms.
●Active Participation: Engaging as a player, streamer, or community organizer is a
significant predictor of building social capital.
●Wellbeing Outcomes: The connections built through e-sports show a positive relationship
with social connection and subjective wellbeing.
(McCauley)
The Imperative for Regulation - Addressing the Harms
Why the Bill Was Needed: Curbing the Negative Impacts
●Addiction & Financial Ruin:
Online money games are designed to encourage compulsive play.
This has led to devastating personal savings loss and pushed families into debt and distress.
●Mental Health Crisis:
The stress from severe financial losses has been linked to depression and, tragically, suicides.
The bill aims to prevent these outcomes by banning exploitative platforms.
●Illegal Activities & National Security:
Platforms have been misused for fraud and money laundering.
Investigations have revealed use for terror financing, posing a direct threat to national security.
(PIB Bill, 2025)
Why the Bill Was Needed: Curbing the Negative Impacts
●Addiction & Financial Ruin:
Online money games are designed to encourage compulsive play.
This has led to devastating personal savings loss and pushed families into debt and distress.
●Mental Health Crisis:
The stress from severe financial losses has been linked to depression and, tragically, suicides.
The bill aims to prevent these outcomes by banning exploitative platforms.
●Illegal Activities & National Security:
Platforms have been misused for fraud and money laundering.
Investigations have revealed use for terror financing, posing a direct threat to national security.
(PIB Bill, 2025)
(PIB Bill, 2025)
The Imperative for Regulation
●Closing Legal Loopholes:
-Gambling is restricted by law (e.g., Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023), but the online domain was a
regulatory grey area.
-The bill ensures the same standards of law apply in both physical and digital spaces.
●Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023:
• Section 111 penalises unlawful economic activities and cybercrimes.
• Section 112 prescribes punishment for unauthorised betting and gambling.Offenders face a minimum
of one year imprisonment, extendable up to seven years, along with fines.
●Encouraging Healthy Alternatives:
-The bill deliberately promotes positive digital engagement.
-It provides a clear legal pathway to support:
-E-Sports: Recognized as a legitimate competitive sport.
-Social & Educational Games: Encouraged for skill-development and safe recreation.
(PIB Bill, 2025)
●Closing Legal Loopholes:
-Gambling is restricted by law (e.g., Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023), but the online domain was a
regulatory grey area.
-The bill ensures the same standards of law apply in both physical and digital spaces.
●Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023:
• Section 111 penalises unlawful economic activities and cybercrimes.
• Section 112 prescribes punishment for unauthorised betting and gambling.Offenders face a minimum
of one year imprisonment, extendable up to seven years, along with fines.
●Encouraging Healthy Alternatives:
-The bill deliberately promotes positive digital engagement.
-It provides a clear legal pathway to support:
-E-Sports: Recognized as a legitimate competitive sport.
-Social & Educational Games: Encouraged for skill-development and safe recreation.
(PIB Bill, 2025)
The Indian Context: A New Era of Legitimacy
❖Formal Recognition and Promotion:
●India's Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 creates a clear
national framework.
●It explicitly promotes e-sports by:
●Mandating the creation of guidelines and standards for tournaments.
●Establishing training academies and research centers.
●Launching incentive schemes and awareness programs.
●This represents a significant state-level endorsement of e-sports as a cultural and
economic asset.
(PIB Bill, 2025)
❖Formal Recognition and Promotion:
●India's Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 creates a clear
national framework.
●It explicitly promotes e-sports by:
●Mandating the creation of guidelines and standards for tournaments.
●Establishing training academies and research centers.
●Launching incentive schemes and awareness programs.
●This represents a significant state-level endorsement of e-sports as a cultural and
economic asset.
(PIB Bill, 2025)
Case Study: The German Bundesliga
❖How Traditional Sports Clubs Embrace E-Sports:
●Traditional football clubs face a paradox: upholding tradition while innovating for "tomorrow's fans."
●E-sports is a key strategy to reach a younger, digitally-native global audience.
●Clubs manage this tension through strategies like separation (initially detaching the e-sports brand)
and proactive communication with traditional fans.
The "Sportification" of E-Sports
❖ Adopting the Structures of Traditional Sport:
●E-sports is undergoing sportification adopting professional structures from traditional sports.
●Evidence from the Bundesliga:
●Employment of coaches (head, assistant, fitness, mental).
●Focus on structured training, psychology, and nutrition.
●Long-term goal to build a value chain "similar to the one we know from football."
●This process enhances its legitimacy as a serious competitive pursuit. (Hammerschmidt)
❖How Traditional Sports Clubs Embrace E-Sports:
●Traditional football clubs face a paradox: upholding tradition while innovating for "tomorrow's fans."
●E-sports is a key strategy to reach a younger, digitally-native global audience.
●Clubs manage this tension through strategies like separation (initially detaching the e-sports brand)
and proactive communication with traditional fans.
The "Sportification" of E-Sports
❖ Adopting the Structures of Traditional Sport:
●E-sports is undergoing sportification adopting professional structures from traditional sports.
●Evidence from the Bundesliga:
●Employment of coaches (head, assistant, fitness, mental).
●Focus on structured training, psychology, and nutrition.
●Long-term goal to build a value chain "similar to the one we know from football."
●This process enhances its legitimacy as a serious competitive pursuit. (Hammerschmidt)
❖The Dark Side and The Legitimacy Debate:
●Cultural Challenges: The culture struggles with toxicity, homophobia,
and misogyny, which can alienate participants.
●The Legitimacy Debate: The question "Is e-sports a real sport?" is a
cultural debate that reveals resistance to legitimizing digital spaces as
sites of meaningful human endeavor.
●Addressing these issues is critical for the culture's long-term health
and inclusivity.
A Nuanced Picture: Challenges and Debates
(McCauley)
●Cultural Challenges: The culture struggles with toxicity, homophobia,
and misogyny, which can alienate participants.
●The Legitimacy Debate: The question "Is e-sports a real sport?" is a
cultural debate that reveals resistance to legitimizing digital spaces as
sites of meaningful human endeavor.
●Addressing these issues is critical for the culture's long-term health
and inclusivity.
A Nuanced Picture: Challenges and Debates
(McCauley)
Economic Scale and Audience
●The Numbers Behind the Culture:
●Rapid Revenue Growth: The industry has experienced explosive growth, with revenues
projected in the billions of dollars.
●Massive Global Audience: The audience numbers in the hundreds of millions
worldwide.
●Key Markets: North America, China, South Korea, and Europe are leading, with India
emerging as a major marke
E-Sports vs. Traditional Sports: Partners, Not Rivals
●Empirical evidence shows complementarity, not substitution.
●Data from Spain: A higher proportion of video gamers practice traditional sports and
attend live events than non-gamers.
●Interest in e-sports often enhances interest in traditional sports, appealing to a
broader spectrum of recreational interests.
(Chikish)
●The Numbers Behind the Culture:
●Rapid Revenue Growth: The industry has experienced explosive growth, with revenues
projected in the billions of dollars.
●Massive Global Audience: The audience numbers in the hundreds of millions
worldwide.
●Key Markets: North America, China, South Korea, and Europe are leading, with India
emerging as a major marke
E-Sports vs. Traditional Sports: Partners, Not Rivals
●Empirical evidence shows complementarity, not substitution.
●Data from Spain: A higher proportion of video gamers practice traditional sports and
attend live events than non-gamers.
●Interest in e-sports often enhances interest in traditional sports, appealing to a
broader spectrum of recreational interests.
(Chikish)
The Blue Whale "Suicide Challenge"
A sinister online "game" originating in Russia,The "Blue Whale challenge" was
reported to be an online "suicide game" aimed at teenagers which set 50 tasks
over 50 days. The challenge was alleged to be linked to numerous deaths
around the world. But little about the "game" was quite as it seemed.
The first tasks were fairly innocuous: "Wake up in the middle of the night" or
"Watch a scary film". But day by day, the tasks grew more sinister.
●"Stand on the ledge of a tower block."
●"Cut a whale into your arm."
●The final challenge? A demand that the user kill themselves.
The 2015 suicide of Russian teenager Rina Palenkova, which was mythologized
in online forums where teens discussed depression and suicide, often using
blue whale imagery.
(Adeane)
A sinister online "game" originating in Russia,The "Blue Whale challenge" was
reported to be an online "suicide game" aimed at teenagers which set 50 tasks
over 50 days. The challenge was alleged to be linked to numerous deaths
around the world. But little about the "game" was quite as it seemed.
The first tasks were fairly innocuous: "Wake up in the middle of the night" or
"Watch a scary film". But day by day, the tasks grew more sinister.
●"Stand on the ledge of a tower block."
●"Cut a whale into your arm."
●The final challenge? A demand that the user kill themselves.
The 2015 suicide of Russian teenager Rina Palenkova, which was mythologized
in online forums where teens discussed depression and suicide, often using
blue whale imagery.
(Adeane)
●Understand e-sports as a major cultural force, not just a game.
●See how online and offline spaces create strong e-sports
communities.
●Recognize how e-sports is becoming a professional sport
('sportification').
●Identify the risks of online gaming and why government regulation
is needed.
Learning Outcomes
●See how online and offline spaces create strong e-sports
communities.
●Recognize how e-sports is becoming a professional sport
('sportification').
●Identify the risks of online gaming and why government regulation
is needed.
Learning Outcomes
Conclusion
E-sports has firmly established itself as a transformative cultural
phenomenon that extends far beyond mere entertainment. It
represents a complex ecosystem that fosters global communities,
forges new identities, and generates significant social value through
its unique digital and physical spaces. The formal recognition and
regulatory frameworks now emerging, such as India's 2025 Act,
alongside its ongoing 'sportification' through traditional sports
structures, confirm its legitimacy and enduring presence. While
challenges remain, e-sports has undeniably evolved from a niche
interest into a permanent and influential force in 21st-century
culture, fundamentally reshaping how we understand sport,
community, and digital engagement in the modern era.
E-sports has firmly established itself as a transformative cultural
phenomenon that extends far beyond mere entertainment. It
represents a complex ecosystem that fosters global communities,
forges new identities, and generates significant social value through
its unique digital and physical spaces. The formal recognition and
regulatory frameworks now emerging, such as India's 2025 Act,
alongside its ongoing 'sportification' through traditional sports
structures, confirm its legitimacy and enduring presence. While
challenges remain, e-sports has undeniably evolved from a niche
interest into a permanent and influential force in 21st-century
culture, fundamentally reshaping how we understand sport,
community, and digital engagement in the modern era.
References
Adeane Ant. “Blue Whale: What is the truth behind an online 'suicide challenge'?” BBC, 13 Jan 2019,
https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-46505722. Accessed 7 Oct 2025.
Chikish Yulia. “eSports: A New Era for the Sports Industry and a New Impulse for the Research in Sports (and)
Economics?” ResearchGate, pp. 477-508,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332781901_eSports_A_New_Era_for_the_Sports_Industry_and_a_New_Impuls
e_for_the_Research_in_Sports_and_Economics. Accessed 7 Oct 2025.
“E-SPORTS | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary.” Cambridge Dictionary, 1 October 2025,
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/e-sports. Accessed 7 October 2025.
Government of India. “Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025.” PIB, 21 August 2025,
https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/aug/doc2025821618101.pdf. Accessed 7 Oct
2025.
Hammerschmidt Jonas. “New media, new possibilities? How esports strategies guide an ambidextrous understanding of
tradition and innovation in the German Bundesliga.” Journal of Media Business Studies, 15 April 2024,
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/citedby/10.1080/16522354.2024.2340310?scroll=top&needAccess=true . Accessed 7
Oct 2025.
McCauley Brian. “Innovation in the esports servicescape: a media business research agenda.” Journal of Media
Business Studies, vol. 22, no. 2, 26 July 2024, pp. 87-117, https://doi.org/10.1080/16522354.2024.2378392.
Accessed 7 Oct 2025.
Adeane Ant. “Blue Whale: What is the truth behind an online 'suicide challenge'?” BBC, 13 Jan 2019,
https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-46505722. Accessed 7 Oct 2025.
Chikish Yulia. “eSports: A New Era for the Sports Industry and a New Impulse for the Research in Sports (and)
Economics?” ResearchGate, pp. 477-508,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332781901_eSports_A_New_Era_for_the_Sports_Industry_and_a_New_Impuls
e_for_the_Research_in_Sports_and_Economics. Accessed 7 Oct 2025.
“E-SPORTS | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary.” Cambridge Dictionary, 1 October 2025,
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/e-sports. Accessed 7 October 2025.
Government of India. “Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025.” PIB, 21 August 2025,
https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/aug/doc2025821618101.pdf. Accessed 7 Oct
2025.
Hammerschmidt Jonas. “New media, new possibilities? How esports strategies guide an ambidextrous understanding of
tradition and innovation in the German Bundesliga.” Journal of Media Business Studies, 15 April 2024,
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/citedby/10.1080/16522354.2024.2340310?scroll=top&needAccess=true . Accessed 7
Oct 2025.
McCauley Brian. “Innovation in the esports servicescape: a media business research agenda.” Journal of Media
Business Studies, vol. 22, no. 2, 26 July 2024, pp. 87-117, https://doi.org/10.1080/16522354.2024.2378392.
Accessed 7 Oct 2025.
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