Being able to play games for a living is something many of us can only dream of. Yet, in the world of eSports it is very much a reality for a number of talented individuals.
The professional competitive gaming scene has grown massively in recent years to become a multimillion dollar industry, with research forecasting that the eSports economy will be worth more than $900 million by the end of 2018.
Ready to break through
While the scene is massive and has millions of followers, it remains fair to say that it has still not managed to make the breakthrough into mainstream popular culture. However, as time goes by, it certainly seems that moment is getting closer.
A number of major brands are sponsoring both events and competitors, while traditional sports clubs like soccer teams have even recruited eSports players to represent them at events. Big names from the entertainment world have also got involved, with Drake becoming the latest high-profile celebrity to also invest in the area.
But could a McDonald’s promotion related to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive be the clearest sign yet that eSports are being embraced by the general public?
An eSports classic
For the uninitiated, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – also known as CS:GO – is one of the most popular eSports games, taking its place alongside Dota 2 and League of Legends as one of the real big hitters of the scene.
A huge number of competitions related to the game are held across the world, with one of the most recent being EPICENTER 2018. Held in Moscow, the tournament saw FaZe Clan earn $150,000 after they triumphed over Na’Vi in the final. The game is also one of several eSports which has spawned its own betting scene, with sites like Thunderpick offering CS GO bets and odds in relation to a range of events, including cs_summit 3 and BLAST Pro Series.
GL HF
As with many games, players tend to adopt a range of slang as they play CS:GO and it is this which has now been immortalised in promotions run by McDonald’s in Denmark.
According to reports, a Reddit user spotted four advertising boards from the fast food giant which described different foods using terms associated with the game. For example, a quarter pounder was referred to as an “eco round”, with a meal being classed as a “full buy” and extras like chilli cheese bites being classed as a”‘utility”. For added effect, the McDonald’s logo was positioned above “GL HF”, which players will recognize as an abbreviation for “good luck, have fun”.
Source: @JeppeRitz via Twitter
Exciting times
Some have suggested that the promotions seen in the McDonalds’ outlet in Copenhagen’s Fields Shopping Centre have been placed there due to a major eSports event taking place nearby. While that would certainly make sense, it is still fascinating to see a big brand run marketing which is only going to be understood by a very specific audience – and have that audience be CS:GO players.
Such a step appears to be one of the clearest signs yet that eSports are becoming a huge part of modern culture. It will be exciting to see which major brand will be next to embrace the thrilling world of professional gaming.
