Macquarie University

eSport vs irlSport

Traditional definitions of sport, which prioritize physical exertion as a primary criterion, are increasingly inadequate in the face of the rapid professionalization and global expansion of competitive gaming.

• Traditional definitions of sport that prioritize physical exertion are increasingly inadequate for classifying the professionalization and global scale of modern competitive gaming.
• A more inclusive taxonomy for sport should focus on goal-directed, skillful human performance rather than raw physical output.
• Wittgenstein’s family resemblance theory demonstrates that the boundaries between traditional athletics and eSports are porous, as both require strategic cognition, disciplined training, and competitive mastery.