How Esports Is Growing and What That Means for Gamers

Esports is a form of competitive video gaming. The industry has seen a recent surge in popularity and is only expected to grow in the coming years. Here’s what that means for gamers.

Introduction

The esports industry is growing at a rapid pace, with new tournaments, leagues, and events popping up all the time. This growth is good news for gamers, as it means more opportunities to compete and win prize money.

However, the growth of esports also brings with it some challenges. For example, as the industry becomes more professionalized, there is a risk that top-level competitions will become increasingly inaccessible to amateur and casual gamers.

Nevertheless, the overall trend is positive, and there are many reasons to be optimistic about the future of esports. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the ways in which esports is growing, and what that means for gamers around the world.

The Rise of Esports

It’s no secret that esports has been on the rise in recent years. With the popularity of games like League of Legends, Overwatch, and Fortnite, more and more people are getting into competitive gaming. And as the popularity of esports grows, so do the opportunities for gamers.

The Growth of Competitive Gaming

The esports industry has seen a lot of growth in recent years. Competitive gaming has become more popular and accessible with the rise of online streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming. This has led to the formation of professional esports leagues and organizations, as well as increased prize pools for tournaments.

This growth has also been assisted by the increasing popularity of mobile gaming. According to a report from Newzoo, there are now 2.4 billion active gamers across the globe, with mobile gaming accounting for 42% of that number. This is a significant increase from 1.4 billion gamers in 2015.

The rise in competitive gaming has had a positive impact on the gaming industry as a whole. With more people watching and playing games, there is more interest in gaming hardware and software. This has led to an increase in sales for companies like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.

Esports also provides an opportunity for brands to reach a new audience through sponsorship and advertising. Studies have shown that esports fans are more engaged with sponsors than traditional sports fans. For companies looking to reach millennials and Gen Zers, esports is an increasingly attractive option.

What does this growth mean for gamers? First and foremost, it means there are more opportunities to make a living playing video games. While it is still difficult to make a living playing competitively, Prize pools for tournaments have increased, and there are more opportunities to sign with professional teams or organizations.

The growth of esports also means that there are more people interested in watching others play video games. This can be beneficial for content creators who use platforms like Twitch or YouTube Gaming to stream their gameplay. As the audience for competitive gaming continues to grow, so does the potential for these content creators to reach new viewers and grow their channels

The Growth of Esports Betting

With the growth of esports, betting on these matches has also become more popular. Esports betting is similar to traditional sports betting, but with esports matches instead of traditional sports games. You can bet on the outcome of an entire match, or on smaller events within the match.

There are a few different ways to bet on esports. You can bet with real money, or with in-game items such as skins. You can also bet on matches through fantasy esports leagues.

Fantasy esports leagues work similarly to traditional fantasy sports leagues. You draft a team of players, and then you earn points based on how well those players do in their matches. The person with the most points at the end of the season wins the league.

Betting on esports is growing in popularity because it allows fans to feel more connected to the matches they are watching. It also gives them a way to win prizes if their predictions are correct.

The Growth of Esports Sponsorships

The global esports sponsorship market is expected to reach $1.1 billion by 2020, up from $463 million in 2017, according to Newzoo’s Global Esports Market Report. This growth is being driven by brands seeking to reach the valuable 18-34 demographic that is increasingly difficult to reach through traditional sports and other mediums.

As the industry has matured, we’ve seen some of the world’s biggest brands get involved in esports. This includes the likes of Coca Cola, Intel, Red Bull, and T-Mobile. In fact, T-Mobile is one of the title sponsors for our very own Overwatch League™.

With such big brands getting involved, it’s no surprise that the amount of money being invested into esports sponsorships is on the rise. In 2016, global esports sponsorship revenue totaled $517 million and is expected to more than double to $1.22 billion by 2021, according to activision blizzard’s annual report.

Esports has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a niche interest enjoyed mostly by hardcore gamers. Today, it’s a global phenomenon with a passionate fan base that extends well beyond the world of gaming. And as esports continues to grow, we can expect to see even more big brands get involved in sponsoring professional gamers and teams.

What Does This Mean for Gamers?

The esports industry is growing rapidly, with new investors and sponsorships pouring in. This means that there is more prize money and opportunities for gamers to make a living off of playing video games. However, this also means that the competition is becoming more fierce. What does this mean for gamers? Let’s take a look.

More Opportunities to Compete

As esports continues to grow in popularity, there are more opportunities for gamers to compete in tournaments and leagues with prize pools that can reach into the millions. While the majority of esports athletes are still men, women are beginning to make their presence felt in the industry as well.

With the rise of streaming services like Twitch and YouTube Gaming, anyone can become a broadcaster and give commentary on matches or games. This has led to a boom in new content creators and a wider audience for esports.

More opportunities to compete also means more chances to win big prizes. If you’re good enough, you could find yourself traveling the world to compete in front of massive crowds at some of the biggest events in gaming.

More Money in the Industry

The $696 million generated by esports in 2017 is expected to grow to $1.5 billion by 2020, according to a report from Newzoo. The report also projects that the global esports economy will reach $1.8 billion by 2022. Of that, $1.4 billion will come from sponsorships and advertising, $360 million from merchandise and tickets, and $194 million from gaming content rights.

Greater Visibility for Esports

The increased visibility of esports has led to more investment from traditional media companies and sponsorship from endemic brands that want to connect with the growing esports audience. In the past year, we’ve seen ESPN, Turner, and CBS get involved with esports through either broadcasting rights deals or direct investment into teams and leagues. This is a huge deal for the industry because it signals that esports is here to stay and that it is becoming more mainstream. As traditional sports media companies invest more into esports, we will see greater production values and a larger focus on storylines and personalities, which will in turn lead to more casual fans getting involved.

This increased investment has also led to more money flowing into the scene. Prize pools for major tournaments have been growing at an astounding rate, with The International 2017 (Dota 2) offering a $24.7 million prize pool, up from $20.8 million the year before. This kind of growth is unprecedented in traditional sports, and it is attracting more top-tier athletes to the scene. With more money available, we will see even better production values andverning bodies will be able to support professional gamers in a way that was not possible before.

Esports athletes are also benefitting from this newfound attention. In the past, most pros have had to rely on tournament winnings and sponsorships to make a living. However, as esports becomes more mainstream, we are seeing the rise of salaries and benefits for pro gamers. For example, Riot Games recently announced that they will be offering a minimum salary of $75,000 as well as health insurance and other benefits to players in their newly formed North American League of Legends Championship Series (LCS). This is a huge step forward for player rights in esports, and it sets a precedent that other game developers will hopefully follow.

All of this is great news for gamers who want to make a career out of playing video games professionally. The industry is growing at an unprecedented rate and there are now more opportunities than ever before to make a living doing what you love. If you’re thinking about turning pro, now is the time to do it!

Conclusion

With the rise of online gaming and streaming platforms, esports has seen a boom in popularity in recent years. Professional gamers can now make a living off of playing video games, and large tournaments offer huge prize pools. This growth is only set to continue, as more and more people become interested in watching or playing competitive games.

For gamers, this means that there are more opportunities than ever to get involved in esports. Whether you want to spectate or compete, there are now many ways to do so. And with the prize pools only getting bigger, there’s also the potential to make some serious money from playing games. So if you’re looking for a new hobby or even a career, esports is definitely worth checking out.