If you’re intrigued about the world of eSports, you’re in the right place. Pro players have shot to fame in recent years, going hand in hand with the growing trends of increased prize money, the success of odds on eSports and TV coverage for this relatively new range of sporting events. So with this in mind, all the signs point to eSports continuing to grow in popularity as we head into 2020.

Some critics out there claim the eSports gamers aren’t athletes, and that the industry of eSports shouldn’t have the recognition that it does. We went out in search of documentaries that reveal the truth about what these players go through, and just how much work goes into the performances that we now see on mainstream TV.

Check out our list of 4 of the best eSports pro player documentaries below, and take a look behind the scenes of this exciting industry;

 

1. State of Play

 

This super informative documentary focuses on three young eSports gamers, all with slightly different backgrounds, and all at slightly different stages of their eSports careers. It reveals many truths about what goes into eSports success, and the popular impression of the documentary is that eSports can be like a full-time job – not just a bunch of guys pushing buttons on a video game.

The first gamer in this documentary has his heart set on becoming a professional eSports player, and he is trying to make it in the insanely competitive event of StarCraft eSports. The second gamer in the documentary shows a young man who is trying to make a name for himself as a new recruit in a professional team. The final gamer is a bit of a legend in the world of eSports, and it is none other than ‘Jaedong’.

All stories show the effort and sacrifice that goes into being a professional eSports player, and it tears back many of the common myths about the industry.

 

2. GoodGame Movie

 

If three players weren’t enough to stimulate your appetite, how about 9 players? GoodGame Movie follows the efforts of 9 guys involved with the Evil Geniuses, who compete in the StarCraft 2 division. Needless to say, the StarCraft divisions are some of the most competitive out of all the eSports divisions – so it’s a really cool documentary that shows how cutthroat these teams and divisions really can be.

The documentary follows stars such as Jung Won Chae, Ken Chen, Lee Ho Joon, and many others. It truly gives a glimpse of the emotions, resilience, competitiveness, and sacrifice that these guys need to have in order to make it in the industry.

 

3. Free to Play

 

Free to Play again focuses on just three guys, but it’s on three guys that were competing for the highest eSports payout at the time – $1 million dollars. The documentary follows Clinton Loomis, Danil Ishutin, and Benedict Lim. These three players competed in DOTA (Defense of the Ancients) division, and the tournament takes place in Germany.

To summarise the documentary, it shows three guys who are competing against fierce teams and players in the division, which requires enormous sacrifice and dedication. The general angle looks at how this sacrifice impacts their personal lives, and how they are trying to balance their love and hunger for success with eSports with their relationships and family life.

It really does show that these guys put in just as much sacrifice as professional athletes, and while their chosen industry focuses on technical skills rather than athletic ability – it’s just as admirable that they have such dedication to the sport that they love.

 

4. The Super Gamers

 

With 12 hour days of practice, competing in full view of thousands of spectators, and displays of how good you need to be to make it in the world of eSports, this documentary is a must-watch! Rather than focus on the struggle and the sacrifices that other documentaries focus on, The Super Games show the glory that the top players enjoy, but it doesn’t ignore the enormous pressures either.

In this classic, you will see players that put it all on the line, day after day, tournament after tournament. You will see the elation when a huge victory is attained, as well as the despair when players fall short to other competitors. With millions of dollars on the line for some of the events, you truly get a feel for how ruthless these teams and events can be.

Be sure to watch these 4 documentaries if eSports is something that you are interested in, or if you are thinking of trying to crack the industry of eSports gaming.