eSports, known as 'electronic sports, ' encapsulates the competitive gaming world. It has been a growing industry for the last four decades. The
eSports market has expanded significantly in recent years, with skyrocketing viewerships, gamer subscriptions, registrations, and participation.
Recent strategic alliances between Riot Games and premier gaming hardware brands like HP's OMEN and HyperX are hot topics, especially because this powerhouse collaboration directly impacts the eSports arena. The goal of the
Riot and HP Team Up is to enhance the gamer experience.
Let's explore Riot Games' history and the eSports organization to understand why this partnership is a big deal for the competitive gaming world. We will also look at the OMEN and HyperX brands that provide gaming hardware at international events.
Early years: Riot Games and eSports
Before Riot Games' dominance, audiences were already getting familiar with
eSports. Competitive gaming began an upward climb in the 1980s. It first gained public attention in 1972, when at-home gaming consoles became available. As computers took the stage for multiple-case uses, it was only a short time before PC gaming became popular and eSports innovation emerged. Today, the eSports hardware partnership has expanded to include HP's OMEN and HyperX technology.
Founded in 2006,
Riot Games continues achieving its early mission—to "support the most player-focused games in the world." Titles like League of Legends have helped boost competitive gamer engagement and inspired other entertainment avenues. Thanks to successful titles, the video game experience is evolving. Like eSports, gameplay is branching into the music industry and
winning awards for in-demand TV shows.
The growing gallery of in-demand Riot Games will continue as eSports moves ahead with international competitions. It shouldn't come as a surprise that tech companies are taking steps to meet the interests of the massive gaming audience. There are over
140 million monthly players, and those stats tend to climb during tournaments and significant events.
It's no wonder tech companies like
HP invest in improving the hardware, tools, and gaming gear required for game developers and eSports competitors to perform at their best.
Spotlight: OMEN and HyperX
OMEN, HP's flagship gaming and eSports brand, is taking the video and PC game world by storm with steady improvements to PCs and gaming hardware. While OMEN focuses on upgrades to computers, monitors, and related gaming equipment, HyperX provides high-end peripherals for gaming PCs and laptops.
OMEN gaming hub
The
OMEN gaming hub helps gamers discover better ways to play because it maximizes performance and streamlines the connectivity of any tools used to play. With more detailed customization, the OMEN gaming hub toolkit helps unlock smooth, fast gameplay by optimizing your system settings. With the light studio, you can light up your gaming rig. Customize colors, animations, and lighting to create fully immersive schemes. You can spread it across your compatible gaming hardware, including your lamp, mouse, and keyboard.
The new overlay widget and improved selector help you monitor your PC temperature, loading times, and more while you play. Easily prep your station with themes that fit your mood. You can choose from thousands of free backgrounds. OMEN gaming hub allows users to have more control over their performance.
HyperX technology
HyperX tech's mission is to provide everything a gamer needs, including headsets, mics, speakers, keyboards, mice, and charging accessories. The award-winning
HyperX gaming kit offers superior comfort, outstanding performance, long-term reliability, and impressive aesthetics.
Designed by gamers for gamers, HyperX products enhance users' console experiences while boosting performance across the board. No matter your skill level, improve your PC, console, or mobile device to enjoy everything HyperX technology offers.
OMEN HyperX and Riot Games partnership
HP's OMEN and HyperX collaboration with
Riot Games keeps up with the brands' high activity in eSports and promotional events. The partnerships' focus remains on gaming and product development.
For example, some of the hardware earning a solid reputation as trustworthy gaming supplies is part of
HyperX's Loot Drop IV, revealed earlier this year. Any gaming accessory that can help the novice, advanced, or expert gamer elevate their skills is worth that attention. Whether it's a new and improved
mouse and keyboard or an immersive, noise-canceling
headset and mic, users know when they're getting quality-guaranteed equipment.
HP's popular gaming brands will help support global eSports events, including providing gaming accessories and hardware for all competitions. Along with aiding in product innovation, OMEN and HyperX will help with marketing campaigns and activations. Riot Games titles and events they will promote and support include
League of Legends eSports, Teamfight Tactics, and VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT).
Impact on Valorant and beyond
Valorant is a 5 vs 5 character-based tactical shooter and one of Riot Games' most influential titles. It uses elements from other titles, such as Counter-Strike, Overwatch, and League of Legends. Valorant competition has a high difficulty ranking. The complexity of the game is what attracts gamers of all levels.
Valorant's beta launch in April 2020 was done under the codename
Project A, and its first day brought in
1.73 million viewers, foreshadowing its success. Riot Games announced the first VCT tournament series in November of that same year. With eSports help, domestic and global events were readily accessible.
Competitor participation and impressive viewership solidified Valorant eSports as one of the leading competitive electronic sports in the world. Competitors from intermediate to elite can enter the VCT landscape in eSports tournaments to win high-stakes
prize money.
The last year is loosely called the partnership era, and its impact on Valorant is evident in its continued demand in North America, the Pacific, EMEA, and now,
China. Since these collaborations, gameplay enhancements and eSports events for Valorant have expanded worldwide.
Increased player registration and the
44 best teams in the VCT competitive ecosystem prove that Riot Games' partnership with eSports and gaming brands like HP's OMEN and HyperX was a good choice. The eSports community of developers, viewers, fans, and world-class competitors are paying closer attention to these strategic partnerships. There will be a potential impact on other titles. After all, eSports trends show how in-demand, action-packed, tactical, free-to-play first-person shooter games have become.
Technological synergy and player experience
Innovative gaming electronics play a crucial role in competitive play. OMEN and HyperX contribute to eSports with their cutting-edge gaming hardware and equipment. With the technological synergy between Riot Games and HP's gaming-inspired tech, you can expect increased performance and quality.
Enhancing the player experience is easier when you have the correct gaming setup. With
HyperX gaming accessories, users benefit from the latest RGB lighting and audio gear. Get the compatible equipment to handle graphics-focused computers so every gaming session pulls you in.
OMEN gaming computers are a prime example of powerful options. Built to deliver outstanding graphics, OMEN laptops, desktops, and monitors also help to promote a player's sense of immersion.
Future horizons in eSports
The synergy between Riot Games, eSports, and HP's OMEN and HyperX will help boost the gaming ecosystem. The revolutionary AI-enhanced tech will continue integration, thus strengthening the technological prowess of the competitive gaming landscape. Audience engagement and player performance have been measurable since the partnership was first announced, which is enough to showcase what the future of eSports events and gaming tech will look like.
The advent of AI is helping push advancements with AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality). The future of gaming will look highly evolved in the next quarter century. Imagine attending an eSports event where you can physically immerse yourself in the game world of your choice. Be the main character, act as a watcher, be an NPC, or play the antagonizer.
Aside from virtually immersing oneself in the game world, an AI-powered model amplifies the gaming ecosystem's cohesiveness. For example, game developers can create, modify, or upgrade eSports games with faster precision. Gamers can receive tools, apps, and related services to improve their skill set. With competitive gaming, eSports scouts and judges can effectively observe and review players' performance.
Conclusion: a new chapter in eSports evolution
Changes in the competitive gaming landscape are being met with excitement as creative, world-building video games become even more imaginative. Gamers also get a personalized gaming portfolio with resourceful content, exceptional accessories, and cutting-edge hardware.
The partnership between OMEN, HyperX, and Riot Games will potentially redefine global eSports standards by raising the bar on gaming equipment, programs, applications, and services. As the gaming equipment used to compete improves, so will the expectations for state-of-the-art hardware.
If you’re interested in learning more about the gaming equipment used by gamers, OMEN and HyperX brands have a list of choices. Be sure to check out HP’s line of stunningly immersive OMEN gaming monitors and some of the
best HyperX gaming accessories for eSports.
About the Author
Anna-Marie Brittain is a contributing writer for HP Tech Takes. Her experience includes writing for small businesses and non-profit organizations. She also creates content for emerging technologies, law, health, nutrition, and entertainment.