Interesting article in Inc.com discussing reasons the Esports industry is becoming more and more attached to reality. It's been noted that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is contemplating the inclusion of Esports into future Olympics. So much so that Intel will be hosting an Esports tournament leading up to the 2018 Winter Olympics. I believe this is a strong move by the Esports community backers and shows the world Esports on a world-wide stage.
Thanks to blockchain technology and the rise of crypto currencies, Esports virtual assets are now being recognized as real- world assets. Companies such as FirstBlood, NeverDie, NoLimit, GameCredits, SkinCoin, and FLIPs (recent ICO) have created marketplaces for players to purchase, sell, trade, and/or exchange virtual assets between platforms and games.