LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK AWARD 2020

'You need this. Trust me, buy it now.' - Weekly GG

'a triumph... a must-read for newcomers and veterans alike' - Forbes

'Paul Chaloner is a living legend in the esports space.' - Jason Lake, founder and CEO of the esports team Complexity Gaming

'Terrific stories and insights from the inside.' - T.L. Taylor, professor of Comparative Media Studies

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Award-winning broadcaster Paul 'Redeye' Chaloner brings us the definitive book on esports, the fastest growing entertainment phenomenon in the world today.

From slapping coins down on arcade cabinets to the lights of Madison Square Garden, competitive video gaming has come a long way. Today, esports is a billion-dollar industry, the best players becoming stars in their own right, battling for eight-figure prizes in front of a global audience of tens of millions.

From Call of Duty to Counter-Strike, FIFA to Fortnite, a generation of players have turned multiplayer video games from a pastime into a profession. But there are questions. How did we get here? What exactly is competitive gaming - is it a sport? How much money do the top stars make? Do you really have to retire at 23? And just what the hell is Dota?

This is esports (and How to Spell it) addresses all of this and more, as award-winning broadcaster Paul 'Redeye' Chaloner takes you inside the unstoppable rise of pro gaming to reveal the bitter rivalries, scandals and untold history of esports, from origins to sold-out arenas.

With his trademark wit - and unrivalled access - Paul delivers the definitive book on the fastest-growing entertainment phenomenon in the world today.

Paul 'Redeye' Chaloner is one of the most prolific and recognisable broadcasters in all of competitive gaming, having hosted or commentated on esports tournaments for 83 different video games in 44 countries on six continents in a career spanning two decades. He has appeared on Sky, MSNBC and Eurosport and hosted The International, the biggest tournament in all of esports, four times. In 2016 ESPN called him 'the voice of esports'. You cannot beat him at Unreal Tournament, probably.

Benjamin Sillis is a writer and historian who has covered technology and video games for over a decade. He lives with his family in London.