Gaming has been part of my life for as far back as I can remember, the result of being born the same year as the NES was released. It's apparent when I see younger gamer complaints of overpowered or nerfing, not because it is something that isn't needed at times, but due to the fact for a long time it wasn't even an option. When multiplayer gaming met the internet and multiplayer gaming went global the world of gaming was never going to be the same. The birth of counter-strike when Valve released Half-Life 1 provided the world with something that often gets overshadowed and forgotten by the world, but does deserve credit.

Counter-Strike became one of the first online environments that formed friendships around the world. The Game was in many ways one of the earliest parallels to social media. From custom tagging to clans forming and becoming like family.

The Competitive gaming atmosphere went from being a nearly unheard of minor sect, but even before streaming became something available by regular gamers. The options for network speeds available at the time would have made gaming while streaming impossible for most. Instead CALeagues (Cyber Athletic League) a Original Esport entity, became the source of bringing competitive gaming to the rest of the world.
Participating in that & getting sponsors who made it a industry was amazing. The modern gaming ESport world would have been unimaginable at the time, but STEAM (Valve) & other gaming Developers who have created extremely broad level of competitive gaming and made it something thats world changing.

I was a CAL League sponsered player from 2003-2008 Yup now Im old. 31 damn it hurt to pass half way to 60