The world of esports is growing exponentially and with this growth we are witnessing the solidification of competitive gaming as a legitimate and mainstream community of professionals. As the rapidly expanding industry finds its form, ESL is supporting the creation of the Esports Hall of Fame, which will be dedicated to preserving the history of competitive video games, as announced by Yahoo eSports.

“Esports has been getting a lot of attention recently, but what new fans might not be familiar with is that competitive video games have a long and rich history,” said ESL Creative Producer Ken Chen. “I think it is vital for esports to remember its roots. We are very excited to help preserve and tell the stories of the legendary players and figures in its history.”

Inductees to the Hall of Fame will be selected through a nomination and voting process overseen by representatives from within each game community, including writers, analysts, commentators, coaches, and other experts. Induction ceremonies will take place in front of a live audience at ESL and non-ESL events, and will be a special moment for each inductee. Inducted players will receive a commemorative award as well as virtual placement in the Esports Hall of Fame, with the possibility of a physical location in the works..

The Hall of Fame will initially begin with nominations from the Dota, League of Legends, Starcraft, Counter-Strike, and fighting game competitive scenes, and the first award will be presented in July 2016 at ESL One Cologne for Counter-Strike.

For more updates, follow the Esports Hall of Fame on Twitter and sign up for the newsletter on the official website.