Re:The hype around esports is fading as investors and sponso...
by P5fRxh5kUvp2th on Tuesday December 13, 2022 @07:14AM
(#33967847)
As one of those players, I stopped when I finally realized ranked in league wasn't actually competitive because Riot had no interest in making it competitive.
And because I no longer play I have, over time, completely lost interest in watching it. Part of that is that the OG players I used to watch have pretty much all retired save a select few.
I'm sure there are people that continue watching it long-term after they quit playing, but I doubt it's a hugely large percentage. The only exception is going to be championship games, where I'll still sometimes tune in (especially worlds) until NA falls out and then I don't even bother watching the actual final game.
Many people grow frustrated with playing the game themselves, with most games being ruined by uncooperative crybabies or just straight trolls. Losing at 10 minutes but being held hostage in the game regardless is incredibly frustrating.
You don't have these issues while watching someone else play, or watching a tournament. So its become quite common to continue watching these games even if you barely ever play them yourself.