Gaming and e-sports are not an expense, they are an investment

The first Mediterranean Gaming Festival kicked off in Trebinje, bringing together gamers, developers, publishers, streamers and tech enthusiasts from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Yesterday and today, visitors can participate in e-sports tournaments, indie game exhibitions, VR/AR demonstrations, as well as panels focusing on topics from the gaming industry and innovation.

The Montenegrin delegation was led by the president of the Electronic Sports Association, Filip Šoć, who, in addition to the benefits brought by the fastest growing industry, also talked about the new branch - phygital. He also commented on the fact that there are more and more gaming events in the region, each of which includes panel discussions and there is a lot of talk about the impact of gaming on all spheres of a country's economy. Regarding how much the Balkans are opening up to the fastest growing industry, Šoć emphasizes:

“Absolutely. The Balkans are increasingly opening up to the gaming industry because we have more and more conferences, tournaments and festivals. The development sector is also growing, the e-sports industry is growing, and the wider gaming scene is also growing. This can already be seen in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro… We organize dozens of events a year, and thus we become visible and recognized at the European level. So, the Balkans are no longer a passive observer, but an active participant in the fastest growing industry in the world,” notes Šoć. Due to the constant growth of the gaming industry, this branch is no longer taboo today, but still the organizers of such events still do not receive the institutional support they deserve.

"State support is always a challenge. Somewhere local institutions recognize the importance, somewhere state institutions, and somewhere there is still a lack of systemic support. The truth is that it is not nearly as strong as in other countries, where sport is less developed, and institutions have understood the potential and are already investing in gaming and e-sports. There is still a communication gap in the Balkans, but we believe that it will narrow over time. States will have to recognize the enormous potential, both in the development of young talents and in the economic contribution and promotion of the country. Gaming and e-sports are not a cost, they are an investment," notes Šoć.

In addition to the gaming industry, Šoć also gave a lecture on phygital, which is a combination of e-sports and physical sports and is considered the future of both fields. The phygital community is slowly growing in the Balkans, and such formats provide gamers with an opportunity to get active outside of the virtual world. Given the frequent criticism that gamers lead an unhealthy lifestyle, phygital tournaments and events can motivate them to participate in sports activities by combining the digital and the physical, which opens up a new dimension of fun and healthy competition.

"Phygital in the Balkans is a special story and I believe that we from the region will be one of the leaders in this field. All countries already have their own phygital federations and are working on their development. The stereotype that gamers are not physically active is often repeated, however, research and practice show the opposite. More than 75 percent of gamers are involved in some form of training and take care of their health. Phygital further strengthens this because it combines digital and physical skills. It is an opportunity for gamers to show both sports and digital abilities, but also a way to bring the idea closer to older generations through traditional sports such as football and basketball. Phygital connects worlds and creates a bridge between generations," concludes Šoć.