"Geguri" Becomes the First Female Gamer to Join eSports "Overwatch" League

Who run the world (of eSports)? Girls?

Something groundbreaking just happened in the world of online gaming. Something that should've happened a lot earlier than it did.

But first, some background.

If you're not a gamer, Overwatch is one of the biggest online games at the moment with around 35 million players worldwide. The game features characters, or 'heroes', who play a range of different game styles such as defending control points and capture the flag.

Naturally, the game's immense popularity means that there are professional players who compete in online leagues, called eSports, and can earn enough to sustain a living.

But people noticed one very important thing. One of the team members, Geguri, is female and in the world of professional online gaming, that is, unfortunately, a rarity.

So, possibly unwittingly, Geguri just became the first female to join the professional league for Overwatch, one of the world's most popular games at the moment.

And there we have it. Geguri is official.

This is an important milestone for Overwatch and for women in esports. Geguri doesn't want to be seen as a trailblazer, but she just became one. https://t.co/7Q8vVGS5DZ

— Pesto Enthusiast (@PestoEnthusiast) February 14, 2018

Super hyped that see that pro E-sports is already adding a female player--really excited to see that they've already broken this barrier down, and hope this trend continues :D https://t.co/myox8Lrwv4

— Kendrawesome (@kendrawesome) February 14, 2018

i now stan shanghai dragons but continue to hope this is the first of MUCH more inclusion in the overwatch league https://t.co/94pMQ8Ifvj

— rob roberts (@skie) February 14, 2018

It's an interesting development after it was revealed last year that there are more women playing Overwatch than any other first-person shooter game. While they make up 16 per cent of the game's player base, or five million in total, Geguri is the surprisingly the first female player to debut in the league.

Read more:

Gaming While Female: Meet the Ladies Making a Name For Themselves in Australian eSports

The Upside Down: Why Bigotry Still Flies in the Online Gaming World

Photo: YouTube (PlayOverwatch)