Are Esports Really a Thing?

It seems like everywhere you look these days, there’s some sort of reference to esports. But are they really a thing? And if so, what exactly are they?

Defining Esports

The term “esports” generally refers to any kind of competitive gaming, in which players go up against each other in digital arenas. The most popular esports games tend to be first-person shooters (FPS) and multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs).

What are Esports?

At its simplest, esports is competitive gaming at a professional level. Every esport has its own professional scene, with tournaments and leagues that offer large cash prizes to the very best players in the world. Some of the most popular esports include games like CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, Overwatch, and more.

To many people, the idea of playing video games for a living might seem like a dream come true. But it’s important to remember that esports is a real job, with real pros who dedicate countless hours to their craft. Like any other sport, becoming an esports pro takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and raw talent.

If you’re interested in getting into esports, the first step is finding the right game for you. There are dozens of different esports games out there, so take some time to research your options and find the one that seems the most fun to you. Once you’ve found your game, start practicing and try to get better every day. If you work hard enough and have the talent to compete at a high level, you just might have what it takes to make it as an esport pro!

The games

The games in esports are broadly classified into two genres based on their history, gameplay, and player community. There are battles between teams of players in real-time strategy games (RTS) and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). MOBAs are a relatively newer genre that mashed up elements of RTS and role-playing games. The most popular games in esports belong to one of these genres.

In RTS games, players have to control an army or a civilization and battle it out against an opponent in real time. The player has to make micro decisions about his units and macro decisions about his economy and strategic positioning on the map. The most popular RTS esports game is Starcraft II.

In MMORPGs, players control a character in a virtual world and go on quests or battles with other players or computer controlled enemies. These games have a very large game world with many side activities like crafting and character customization. The most popular MMORPG esports game is World of Warcraft.

MOBAs are a relatively newer genre of game which combines elements of both RTS and RPG. In these games, players control characters with unique abilities and fight it out against an opponent in arenas. The most popular MOBA esports games are Dota 2 and League of Legends.

The Business of Esports

In recent years, esports have seen a surge in popularity with tournaments being held for some of the most popular video games around. But are esports really a thing? And if so, what is the business of esports?

The market

The global esports market is valued at $696 million in 2017, up 38% from 2016. By 2020, the market is expected to be worth $1.5 billion.

There are a variety of revenue streams for esports organizations, including sponsorships, advertising, media rights, ticket sales, and merchandise. The largest revenue stream comes from sponsorship, which made up 64% of the total market in 2017. Advertising and media rights are the second and third largest revenue streams respectively.

There are a variety of different types of sponsorships available for esports organizations. The most common sponsorships are from companies in the hardware, energy drink, and computer peripheral industries.

Advertising revenues come from a variety of sources including online advertising, in-game advertising, and television advertising. In-game advertising is the most common form of advertising in esports, making up 58% of total ad revenues in 2017. Online advertising is the second largest source of ad revenues with television ad spending being much smaller in comparison.

Media rights revenues come from a combination of online streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube as well as traditional television broadcasters such as ESPN. In 2017, online streaming platforms made up 71% of total media rights revenues while traditional broadcasters only accounted for 29%.

The investors

VCs have poured almost $1 billion into the esports industry in the past three years.

And they’re not slowing down. In 2018, VCs invested a record $765 million across 61 deals in the space, more than double the $343 million they invested in 2017, according to PitchBook Data.

What’s driving this growth? For one, there’s an increasing amount of evidence that esports is here to stay. The industry is projected to grow 38% annually to $1.79 billion by 2022, up from $696 million in 2017, according to Newzoo. And it’s becoming more mainstream: ESPN now broadcasts esports competitions, and last year saw the debut of the Overwatch League, a city-based professional league for the popular video game.

But there’s also a lot of hype surrounding esports, which could be driving investors to pour money into the space before it matures. “It definitely feels like there’s a layer of hype on top of everything,” said Bryce Blum, an attorney and consultant who works with esports teams and events.

The players

professional video gamers, much like traditional athletes, train intensely for hours each day to maintain their edge. In fact, many teams have hired former professional athletes to help train their players and organize their practices. Players typically specialize in one game and play it competitively in tournaments or matches against other teams. These players can be signed to a gaming organization (similar to the way traditional athletes are signed to a sports team), or they can form a team with others they know.

The games
There are different genres of games played professionally, including first-person shooters (FPS), real-time strategy (RTS), multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), and fighting games. The most popular games played professionally are League of Legends, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, and Hearthstone.

The tournaments
Much like traditional sports, there are many different tournaments that esports players can compete in. These tournaments offer large cash prizes for the winners, which is one of the main ways that professional gamers make a living. The International is one of the most popular and well-known esports tournaments; it is an annual event for Dota 2 with a prize pool of over $30 million USD.

The Future of Esports

It’s no secret that esports have taken the world by storm. Organized and professionalized gaming competitions have been around for years, but only recently have they exploded in popularity. With the rise of live streaming services like Twitch and YouTube Gaming, anyone can watch their favorite gamers play live. This has led to a more global and competitive scene, with prize pools reaching into the millions. But are esports really a thing? Some people say they’re just a fad, but I believe that esports are here to stay.

The industry

The esports industry is still in its infancy, but it is already worth billions of dollars and is growing at an unprecedented rate. There are currently no consolidated figure for the size of the industry, but Newzoo estimates that it will be worth $1.1 billion by 2019. This growth is being driven by a combination of factors, including the increasing popularity of live streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube, the global reach of esports tournaments, and the rise of mobile gaming.

There are a number of different business model within the esports industry, including tournament organizers, game publishers, team owners, content creators, and sponsors. The most successful organizations have been able to create a symbiotic relationship between these different groups, with each one driving revenue for the others. This has resulted in a virtuous circle of growth that has propelled the industry to its current heights.

The future of esports looks bright. The industry is expected to continue to grow at an rapid pace over the next few years, and we will see more and more traditional businesses enter the space. This will bring with it more investment and more mainstream coverage, which will in turn attract even more viewers and participants. The sky really is the limit for esports.

The games

The most popular games in esports are shooters, MOBAs, and fighting games. The best-performing teams in the world play games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, and League of Legends. Other popular games include Overwatch, Call of Duty, Halo, and Smash Bros.

The games that are most popular in esports vary from region to region. In South Korea, the most popular game is League of Legends, while in Brazil it’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. In China, the most popular game is Overwatch.

The popularity of a game is usually determined by how well it lends itself to being watched by others. Games that are easy to follow and understand tend to be more popular than those that are difficult to follow.