Gaming tournaments refer to a situation where a group of players get together and battle it out against each other in a game of their choice. As far as computers are concerned, most gaming tournaments take place through the internet, where people from around the world connect to the main server through the game, and they are then pitted against each other. However, there are exceptions, and some people play through a network connection. This mostly takes place in offices or in schools.

There are a variety of gaming tournaments, which shall be discussed below:

1. Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG)

MMORPGs are quite famous, and involve people connecting to the server to interact with other. It connects people in a virtual world. As in all RPGs, you are given the role of a fictional character, and allowed to control his/her movements. A notable fact about MMORPGs is that the virtual world continues to evolve, even when you are not playing!

2. Massively Multiplayer Online First Person Shooter (MMOFPS)

As the name suggests, MMOFPSs combine first person shooting with the elements that are typical of MMO games. MMOFPS, unlike other MMOs, are quite slow and require a great degree of hand-eye coordination. MMOFPS isn't as developed as MMORPGs because developers find it difficult to find a compromise between the financial aspect, bandwidth, and the large frame-rates required for the games.

3. Massively Multiplayer Online Real Time Strategy (MMORTS)

MMORTS is basically a game played on an online server where the game progresses as you issue commands. Most of these games involve you commanding an army into battle, while maintaining the resources needed. MMORTSs aren't as developed as MMORPGs, with only a few games available. The lack of success is due to the fact that players can't exactly go offline, as when they do, their army would be without a leader, which would make the whole game pointless.

4. Massively Multiplayer Online Social Games (MMOSG)

Instead of the usual game-play, MMOSGs focuses on socializing with other people. 'Second Life' can be considered as one of the most popular MMOSGs, as it involves creating an avatar and socializing, building homes and a virtual economy which survives on the purchase and sale of items created by other users. You can also participate in different types of activities, group and individual. It really is a novel concept, and it's quite unbelievable how much attention they've paid to detail!

Summery: This article discusses some of the most popular online gaming tournaments, highlighting their game-play and the various advantages and disadvantages