Yeap, (was offline). Doesn't need to be super popular, just needs a community. Pokemon sells 14mil+ per new entry and 7mil+ in others (third installments/remakes do 10mil+), but the competitive community is probably under 5% of all pokemon players. XY sold 13.8mil, i bet only 500k play competitive only :0 

Popularity=/=Competive :)

If it does, I imagine the same way people have been making any game for years have voice chat.  Have some other program open.  It's like playing an MMO, people will have a different program open to voice chat with one another.

If Splatoon does get a ESPORTS following, they will just have their laptops, set up next to them with headphones to voice chat.  Easy enough.

Nintendo shoudl really get on the ball with voice chat.  I never use it, but many do.  Easy enough to mute.

True but fighting games are a bit different since they dont make too much. I cant think of a FPS or TPS that is so niche and still on the competitive tournament scene.

Oh, so now only Fighting games qualify? :P

Its games that have strong communities. How many people still play SSB Melee? Just Hardcore fans that probably number less than 500k, but has a huge following for competitive play.

I do agree with you on FPS/TPS though. That said if say Nintendo did like what they do with pokemon to MK or Splatoon, you could potentially see a competitive scene. Some are made by Developers (Street fighter) some are made by a strong community (SSBM)

You're comparing Splatoon to other standard shooters, other shooters don't share the same concept, TLOU's minimap is redudant because in Splatoon all you need to know is where ink is being spread not where the next person to kill is. This is the flaw many people here are not factoring when they're thinking of other games, the goal of covering an are in paint which is calculated by percentage at the end of the match isn't really enhanced as much by people talking to each other instead it's more by utilizing the map to see which areas are being attacked and quick jumping to help your team mate if neccessary.

Splatoon requires a different approach to other shooters.

why is there cod in the title? CS is the major E-sport fps, not cod.

No chance, it is to small.

I don't think I want it in the esports market. That just opens it up to a bunch of bitching and whining. These people are never happy with the next iteration of something and in many ways hinder more than help the general gaming scene. They always want a nearly exact replica of the game they are used to playing because that is what they are good at and that is their livelihood. Balancing, new characters, balanced maps ect are all looked at as bad in their eyes because it possibly takes away some of their prowess. It means a lot more work for them to have to deal with more characters, different maps and to improve their skills possibly on a new character that might have a edge.

I honestly don't think it has a chance of becoming a noteworthy competitive game, at least nowhere near as popular as Smash Bros. That being said, Smash isn't exactly the biggest esports title and I barely see CoD mentioned on a competitive level whatsoever :P

~Too Small, didn't get a chance to sell

~Small doesn't matter. Guilty Gear / Persona Ultimax