Esports competitors keen to mingle at village and win medals at Pan American Games

 Esports competitors know y can le a very lonely life in front of a screen.

But not for those fighting for glory Pan American Games in Chile. For first time, y are staying at athletes’ village and will be paring at closing ceremony and tying ir success to ir country’s team.

Thursday marked first day of esports competitions in Santiago, with some of best in Americas competing for medals in eFootball 2023, an evolution of game known as PES by Konami, and Dota 2, a multiplayer online battle arena title me by Valve. two are among most popular games in world.

More than 120 competitors from 25 countries are fighting for first ever Pan American esports gold, silver and bronze medals until Saturday. As in or tournaments, national teams are sitting toger to watch action unfold in total silence in an arena built outside Santiago’s National Stium.

22-year-old Peruvian Eliseo Arancibia, one of favorites in Dota 2 competition, said he got emotional at athletes’ village after he saw athletes in practice early in morning. He left his home at age 15 to focus on esports and now is happy to make a living out if it.

“It is an honor to share that space with m being in esports. I see m running, showing ir energy at cafeteria. I wake up at 8 a.m., and y are alrey training for hours,” Arancibia told Associated Press as his team prepared to compete. “But if y are passionate about ir sport, I am also passionate about mine. It is great to share this, fight for medals, be at closing ceremony.”

Arancibia met his teammates three months ago amid preparations for Pan American Games. “But now it is alrey like a family. I hope we can continue and do more at Olympic Games. I also hope we can compete in more than two game titles in future,” he said.

Competitors are wearing national team shirts and jackets to handle Chilean capital’s cold wear of 12 Celsius degrees (about 52 Fahrenheit). Some chose to relieve ir pre-match stress by playing vintage games like Pac-Man in a small arce set in same arena, while ors listened to calm music.

“To represent your country in thing that I love most. re is no greater sense of pride you can have,” said Chile’s Gustavo “Van der Nuny” Miranda, of eFootball 2023 category, wearing a shirt with his name on back and a national team jacket. “Since I was given opportunity to compete for a place to represent Chile, it has been my total priority.”

“Ten years ago, it was difficult to talk about esports as something professional,” Chilean ded. “I’m very excited. I’ve been playing video games for 25 years. When I was 10, I never thought I could represent my country in a continental event.”

competitions in Santiago are me in partnership with Global Esports Federation.

“It’s an honor to witness fusion of tritional athleticism and esports on such a grand scale,” said Paul J. Foster, federation’s CEO, in a statement. “This event showcases unity of our diverse talents and boundless possibilities of collaboration.”

esports finals at Pan American Games will take place on Saturday.