Dec 19th, 2018

Dec 19th, 2018

Video gaming may seem like a distant memory to some and Esports would be a mere blip on the average punter's radar. The competitive gaming culture in Australia is booming and all signs are pointing up.

One of Sydney's major Esports attractions is the Gfinity Elite Series based at the Entertainment Quarter.

Teams from various capital cities around the nation converged in Sydney to duke it out in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Rocket League and Street Fighter.

Viewed by thousands online and adored by live spectators it boasts the most surreal Esports experience in Australia.

In the formative days of what would become Esports, people would huddle in single rooms with computers entangled by LAN cables, PCs covering desks and even crammed in closets.

Attending this event is in a completely different league. Packed in a cinema with hosts, analysts, commentators and fans, the viewing experience more closely resembles a traditional sports match than the old LAN party.

The latest Gfinity series is complete after seven weeks, with the Sydney Chiefs managing to take one win away in Rocket League by defeating Sydney Roar in the final.

They failed to deliver in the CS:GO and Street Fighter arenas, though, with a dominant Melbourne Order taking home both trophies.

With the second season over, Gfinity Elite series shows where the competitive gaming scene is heading in Australia.

The Gfinity Elite Series winners highlights

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Video game developers Blizzard Entertainment have ceased Esports coverage of their MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) Heroes of the Storm. In a statement, they declared that they will be diverting the HotS developers elsewhere within the company.

"We’ve also evaluated our plans around Heroes Esports - after looking at all of our priorities and options in light of the change with the game, the Heroes Global Championship and Heroes of the Dorm will not return in 2019."

Heroes of the Storm’s decline hasn’t gone unnoticed, with the latest update greeted with a mixed reception.

Few employees in the HotS esports community discovered this news via a post in an online forum. Realising their jobs were gone, this left a sour note within the community.

Pros have turned their anger to Twitter, with some explaining their frustration and others reflective of the opportunity HotS gave them.

It is not known what the future holds for HotS. Until someone steps up to fill the void the Esports scene for HotS is looking grim.