A JOURNALIST has become the first full-time British newspaper esports journalist.

Jack Stewart, 21, has been snapped up by the Daily Mail as the national paper looks to capitalise on the increasing popularity of the genre.

Esports are a form of competition through computer games.

Over recent years it has transformed into a major spectator sport with people packing out arenas to watch individuals battling it.

Esports can include everything from sports games to shooting and strategy games.

Competitions are also broadcast on TV with the BBC among the channels to have shown live action.

Mr Stewart, a sport journalism BA(Hons) graduate from the University of Brighton, said: “The Daily Mail advertised they were looking for an esports journalist online and, luckily, one of my course mates had just started working there and pointed it out to me – blabbing on about esports for three years clearly paid off in the end.

“My course helped a lot and having my National Council for the Training of Journalists qualification played a big part in me getting the job.

“On top of that, all of the lecturers were very supportive of me writing about the topic, despite the fact that most of them had never heard of esports.

“I wrote about esports for my dissertation and gaining interviews for that opened a lot of doors.”

Such was Mr Stewart’s interest in esports he used most of his student loan to fly to an esports event in Los Angeles to interview those at the hear of the genre.

He said: “It was a big risk though so I don’t recommend that everyone should do that.

“What I do recommend is following your passion, no matter how stupid your favourite topic may be. That niche will make you stand out and your lecturers will give you the guidance you need.

“I’ve always been a big gamer and it has introduced me to a lot of important friendships in my life.

“After high school, all of my friends and I would talk and play video games online together.

“We couldn’t meet in person so that was the next best thing.

“On top of that I have always been very sporty and competitive. Combining those two concepts is a match made in heaven for me.

“I now get to write about and talk to the professional gamers that I have admired for so long.”

Major global tournaments are held each year for esports competitors with tens of thousands watching the events live.

At a recent event in South Korea more than 50,000 were in a stadium to watch a competition.