Sony’s PlayStation 5 is arguably the most exciting platform to emerge as part of the 9th generation of games consoles. With its solid state hard drive, high graphical fidelity and innovative haptic feedback technology, many feel it to be the best prospective platform for major esports events to take root in the console sphere. While consoles are no stranger to large scale competitions, the format is still playing catch-up to the PC and mobile gaming scenes. Nowadays, gamers and conventional sports fans alike frequently make use of the latest offers provided by leading comparison platforms and sportsbooks to back their favourite teams and events, and there the lack of console picks may seem conspicuous by its absence.
While there are basic challenges to building out console esports, the market and appetite is certainly there. And following the esports boom of the early 2020s, we are finally seeing committed investment and promotion by the likes of Sony and Microsoft to establish their platforms as competitive venues.
So what has the PS5 currently got to offer in the form of esports and esports events? Let’s take a look at some leading examples below.
Call of Duty League
As the world’s most popular FPS, Call of Duty’s esports events are arguably the most widely known and attended of any console tournament today. In the past, the Call of Duty League was hosted on the PlayStation platform. This changed in 2022 when, with the release of Vanguard, the league moved to PC.
Questions surround how Microsoft’s pending acquisition of CoD developer Activision Blizzard may impact the chances of future PS5 Call of Duty League events, but a welcoming approach to cross-platform play has always characterized this tournament, and it’s unlikely that Microsoft would want to shut players out of what would become one of its most lucrative franchises.
FIA Certified Gran Turismo Championship
Gran Turismo has long been the gold standard of racing simulators. And in 2018, developer Polyphony Digital began working closely with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the world governing body for motorsport to cultivate its franchises’ esports credentials. To this end, Gran Turismo Sport became the first racing game to feature as part of the IOC’s early forays into integrating esports into the Olympics.
With the arrival of Gran Turismo 7, which has been praised by critics and pro gamers alike, there’s a strong chance that the franchise will be able to leverage these credentials to become one of the world’s most prestigious console esports in the near future.
