Did you know?
The earliest known video game competition was held at Stanford University, USA, on 19 October 1972. Players battled in a space game called Spacewar!, and the grand prize was a year's magazine subscription.
Top e-sports teams practise for many hours, but they also exercise, and some even work with psychologists: experts who help players stay calm, focused and happy.
Eyes need breaks too! A popular tip is the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something about 6 metres (20 feet) away for 20 seconds.
Try this: Design an unplugged game
Turn a video-game idea into a paper board game! Draw a map, set a goal (like rescuing a treasure) and write three simple rules. Add a 'power-up' square and a 'trap' square. Play it with your family, then improve the rules. Game designers work exactly like this: they test, change and test again.
Go further: Gaming jobs beyond playing
Behind every e-sports event are many people: game designers who invent the rules, coders who write the code, artists and musicians who create the look and sound, commentators who explain the action and referees who keep it fair. Many of them studied maths, art, computer science or writing. Smart gamers keep a balance: time for screens, but also for outdoor play, sleep, reading and friends.