Esports will make its bow at this summer's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Gamers will get the chance to compete for the Esports Commonwealth Championships in a special pilot event.
Esports was sanctioned by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Executive Board and will be held at the same time as the Commonwealth Games.
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It will have separate branding, medals and governance, led by the Global Esports Federation.
Northern Ireland will have a team competing in Birmingham and take part in three games - Dota 2, Rocket League and Efootball.
Ahead of the Commonwealth Games we caught up with Michael Smyth who is Team Manager for Northern Ireland Esports.
The 32-year-old - who is originally from Portstewart but now living in Ballymena - is also a Course Coordinator and Lecturer in Esports at Belfast Met.
We caught up with Michael as he prepares for Esports' debut at the Commonwealth Games, and how Northern Ireland gamers can get involved in this year's Team NI.
1. What's your background in Esports?
"I have always had a keen interest in Esports from a young age, from visiting local gaming centres and playing at home. This developed more when Twitch came along in 2011 and playing and streaming game content became more accessible to everyone.
"Then moving on to the World Championships and European Championships with various games being shown as well as showing the best skills and abilities that the players have.
"This has developed more with organisations like the BBC showing Esports content, which is a massive step for the industry."
2. How did you become Northern Ireland Esports team manager?
"I was keen to get involved with helping to grow the Esports scene in Northern Ireland and I have reached out to the British Esports Federation to help and support them in the process.
"After having a few meetings with them I was offered the role of Team Manager for NI."
3. How big a deal is this for Esports?
"This announcement is a massive boost to the world of Esports, to have it represented on a world stage.
"It is an industry that is still continuing to grow significantly and to bring its attention and appeal to the masses, I believe we will see a big growth in Esports and investment from other companies and businesses."
4. How big is Esports in Northern Ireland?
"Within Northern Ireland it is very much a developing scene.
"We have seen the colleges taking on the BTEC qualifications in Esports as well as companies being set up around the Esports industry, including the likes of Gscience, an Esports health and performance company.
"They look after the health and performance aspects of Esports players. There’s also Belfast Storm, Northern Ireland's first Esports team, and Legion Collegiate who run the University League across the whole of Ireland and the British Esports Federation’s Student Championships (for schools and colleges).
"I see the industry in Northern Ireland going from strength to strength and with the inclusion of Esports in the Commonwealth Championships this is only the start of things."
5. How big will the NI team be?
"Team NI is open to anyone aged 16+ and will be made up of five players for each of the respective teams in Dota 2.
"We’re looking to enter three players for each team in Rocket League and one individual in each category for eFootball."
6. How do they qualify for a spot in the team?
"The application process to apply for a space on the Northern Ireland Esports team is still open. The form closes at midnight on Wednesday, April 27 but anyone interested can email info@esportsni.org before Friday.
"You can follow us on Twitter via @EsportsNI_ or simply go straight to the register your interest page here Esports Northern Ireland (esportsni.org)
"The team and coaches will then look at all the information and make a decision based on performance. Applications are open to anybody over the age of 16 from NI or those who have parents or grandparents from NI."
7. The games - Rocket League, Dota 2 and Efootball - are hugely popular...
"Rocket League has a massive following and has around 90 Million players around the world who play casually and competitively. Efootball is the new name for Pro Evolution Soccer which is one of the biggest selling game franchises ever.
"Dota 2 has around 7.6 million active users and is the fourth most played game on Steam. Within these games, competitive players can compete for millions of pounds within the world championships."
8. There has been some criticism of Esports being included in the Commonwealth Games? What would you say to the critics?
"Esports has very much evolved from sitting in a room all day playing games and drinking energy drinks.
"Players must train just like every other athlete. They have very strict diets and training sessions in the gym as well as working with a sports physiologist to be the best they can be.
"They must go over strategies, they must look at their opponents and analyse what they are doing and look at their playing style and tactics. You must make decisions in seconds or even milliseconds.
"The stress at this level and mental endurance required to perform at this level is just mind-blowing. Esports has come a long way in the last few years with so much progression, pushing the industry even further.
"Additionally the opportunity for Esports and the Commonwealth lies in the legacy of such events. Of the near two and half billion inhabitants two thirds are under the age of 30.
"We hope these events will educate governments as to the possibilities of Esports, create legacy infrastructure and inspire a future generation of young people."
9. How big a platform will this be for Esports in the UK and Ireland, and across the world?
"This will be a great platform for Esports across the whole of the UK and Ireland with the creation of the British Esports Federation, who will work in partnership with the four Home Nations (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) to develop the scene.
"There is hope that this trial event at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this year will lead to it being a more permanent fixture in the Commonwealth Games and the possibility of it even featuring in the Olympic Games themselves."
- Esports NI Twitter page - Esports Northern Ireland (@EsportsNI_) / Twitter
- The link for people to register interest to play - Esports Northern Ireland (esportsni.org)
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