Digital Games Research Seminar 2024 Denbo Center For Humanities & The Arts @ University of Tennessee Knoxville

Esports & Gaming: How we got here and where are we heading
by Dr. Baro Hyun, Founder & CEO, LunaTone Inc.
Scheduled for September 11th, 2024
Esports made a historic debut as a medal sport at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023,
followed by a recent announcement that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will host the
inaugural Olympic Esports Games from 2025 for the next 12 years.
While the recent development in esports today is certainly exciting, did you know that esports
began humbly in a small Asian country, i.e., South Korea, without a significant gaming industry
at the time? And would you believe that in Japan, the mecca of digital content, municipalities are
now embracing gaming & esports to nurture their local communities regardless of their age and
background?
In this seminar, I will talk about the history of esports and share some insights on where the
industry is heading.