Decades ago, no one would’ve fathomed gaming culture to be as big as it is today. Even up till ten years ago, we would’ve never expected ‘video gamer’ as a viable career option. Yet, in today’s world, some of the top gamers earn millions, whether it’s through competitions or streaming gameplay videos on YouTube.
The Rise of the Gaming Culture
With the gaming culture becoming more widely accepted as the norm and hitting the mainstream, it comes as no surprise that big brands will hop on board to seize those markets in any way they can. Much like any large community, gamers are hardcore in their loyalty. In fact, esports has grown into a multi-million dollar industry, showing similar viewership as traditional sports. According to Newzoo’s 2020 Global Esports Market Report, the total esports audience is expected to grow to 495 million people in 2020. Moreover, esports viewership is expected to grow to 646 million by 2023 (351 million occasional viewers and 295 million esports enthusiasts). 
Committed gamers or even casual enthusiasts love to flaunt their pride for the culture, expressing themselves and their enthusiasm for the culture just like sneakerheads. Whether its collectibles or apparel, the gaming community is huge on merchandise. Considering that in the US, the gaming industry was valued at $18.4 billion in 2017, a large slice of the pie comes from selling products related to said games.
This is exactly why big names in the apparel industry like Nike, Adidas, and Puma dove straight in, collaborating with well-known gaming companies to release exclusive merchandise for the community.
League of Legends x Nike
Image via Nike
If you’re unaware, League of Legends is one of the most popular online multiplayer games in the world. With players and fans across the globe, the game is known for churning out the all-too-familiar gaming lingo, ggwp — ‘Good Game, Well Played.’ Seizing that tagline, Nike has thus collaborated with League of Legends to release their new collection to mark the beginning of the 2020 League of Legends World Championship.
The collection comes with Air Max 90’s, a high and low top Air Force 1, Air Max 270 React’s, Air Max 2X’s, and a Joyride Dual Run 2. The series of sneakers have a gamified aesthetic, with a pixelated Nike swoosh. They also come in a shiny, metallic colourway, reminiscent of retro games with a purple tint that pays homage to a futuristic, punk look.
Nintendo x PUMA
Image via Puma
In early September, Nintendo celebrated the 35th anniversary of its highly popular game Super Mario 64. To pay tribute to the momentous day, the game company collaborated with PUMA and released the Nintendo x PUMA RS-Dreamer ‘Super Mario 64’ sneaker. Priced at US$125, the shoe is marked with the Mario colorway, wrapped in red and blue. With a bright red predominately covering the mesh upper, the Super Mario branding can be seen on the tongue tab. The sneaker also has a duo-cushioned ProFoam and RS-Foam midsole.
Cyberpunk 2077 x Adidas
Cyberpunk 2077 x Adidas X9000L
To join in on the sneaker and video game collaboration, Adidas announced its new partnership with the video game studio CD Projekt. In preparation for the release of its highly anticipated game, Cyberpunk 2077, they will be releasing the sneaker Cyberpunk 2077 x Adidas X9000L.
Designed around the dystopian future the game takes place in, the shoe was described to be for a “fast pace and high energy of our hyperconnected world.” Made of a breathable mesh upper paired with a supportive purple underlay, you can catch the details of the co-branding on the tongue along with details from the Cyberpunk 2077 game printed on the full-length Boost midsole. Inline with the game, the overall design pattern is inspired by computer-generated data.
The lateral sides of the shoe have the words Cyber and Punk imprinted in yellow letters. The toe box is not completely uniform, giving it a distorted feel. Much like the cyberpunk theme, the sneaker is not meant to fit into the norm, which can be attributed to its bold colours and flashy design.
Pokémon x Adidas
Image via Adidas Japan
There is not a single soul on the planet that does not know Pokémon. Whether it’s the classical Nintendo games or the wildly global phenomenon of the AR phone app Pokémon Go that boomed in 2016, it is definitely a recognizable brand. That is why Adidas’ collaboration with the company is quite a genius move on their part, as they’ve released a whole collection of sneakers and apparel that both sneakerheads and Pokémon lovers can enjoy earlier this year.
The shoe has a simple design with no flashy colors. Across the sneakers and apparel items, you can see Pokémon branding everywhere, whether it’s the adorable characters or the bright eccentric colours. When it comes to the sneaker, besides the signature three stripes, you can also see a pixelated Pikachu, as well as the first-generation Pokémon Charmander, Bulbasaur and Squirtle on the heel counter.
Coming in both adult and youth styles, a lot of the graphics on the apparel and sneakers come in lo-fi 8-bit graphics, reminiscent of the original Pokémon games. The collection plays with these retro effects, using pixel patterns to create a unique colourway and gradients to bring the Adidas apparel to life.
When Two Cultures Meet: Sneakers and Gaming
Gaming has been around forever and considering the way it has been received, it does not show any signs of going away anytime soon.
Both streetwear and gaming are mainstream cultures that started from a smaller niche. As with most big things in entertainment and pop culture, these two markets meeting will create a blended output of merchandise that is going to be interesting to see. Whether you love it or hate it, one thing is for certain: the culture of streetwear continues to grow and evolve.
As companies like Adidas and Nike branch out to do more collabs with other big communities, more people become exposed to the culture, thereby helping it evolve. Catering to the interests of millions, the collision between video games, streetwear and sneakers is bound to bring more wild collaboration for the future.
