Will Esports Become Mainstream?

The jury is still out on whether or not esports will become a mainstream form of entertainment. However, there are several factors that suggest it is well on its way.

What are esports?

Esports are a form of competitive video gaming. The first esports tournaments were held in the early 1970s, but they have only recently begun to gain mainstream popularity. Esports are now regularly televised and have large prize pools. Some of the most popular esports games include Dota 2, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

A brief history of esports

The term “esports” is relatively new, only having been coined in the early 2000s. However, the concept of professional video gaming tournaments is much older than that. The first recorded esports tournament took place in 1972 at Stanford University, where students competed in a Space War tournament.

The 1990s saw the start of organized esports competitions with the formation of leagues and organizations dedicated to promoting professional video gaming. These early years were marked by a large variety of games being played in tournaments, with popular examples including first-person shooters Quake and Counter-Strike, real-time strategy games Starcraft and Warcraft III, and fighting games like Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat.

Since the early 2000s, esports has grown rapidly in popularity. The number of people playing and watching esports has exploded, and the prize money for competitions has risen to tens of millions of dollars. The most popular esport in the world is currently League of Legends, with an estimated global audience of nearly 60 million people. Other popular examples include Dota 2, Overwatch, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Starcraft II.

The rise of esports

The word “esports” covers a lot of ground. It can refer to any kind of video game competitions, from console games like Halo and Madden NFL to PC games like StarCraft and League of Legends. According to Nielsen’s SuperData research, there are about 148 million people worldwide who consider themselves esports fans, and that number is growing every year.

Esports competitions have been around for almost as long as video games themselves. One of the earliest recorded esports events was a Space Invaders tournament that was held in 1980 at Stanford University. Since then, the scene has grown exponentially, with professional teams, big money prizes, and dedicated television channels all being part of the mix.

The global esports market is currently worth around $696 million, and it is expected to grow to $1.5 billion by 2020. This growth is being driven by a combination of factors, including the increasing popularity of streaming services like Twitch, the rise of mobile gaming, and the growing acceptance of esports as a legitimate form of competitive entertainment.

What is driving the growth of esports?

The global esports market is expected to grow from $194 million in 2014 to $463 million in 2018, according to Newzoo. This rapid growth is being driven by a number of factors, including the increasing popularity of online gaming, the proliferation of mobile devices, and the rise of social media.

Increasing popularity of video games

The popularity of video games has increased exponentially in recent years, due in large part to the growth of mobile and online gaming. This has led to a corresponding increase in the popularity of esports, which are organized competitions between professional video gamers.

There are a variety of factors that have contributed to the growth of esports. One is the increasing prize money that is being awarded at tournaments. This has attracted more top-level players, as well as sponsorship from major corporations.

Another factor is the increasing number of people who are watching esports broadcasts. Twitch, a live streaming platform that is popular among gamers, has seen a massive increase in viewers in recent years. This has led to more interest from traditional media outlets, which are eager to tap into this growing audience.

It remains to be seen whether esports will become truly mainstream, but there is no doubt that it is growing rapidly in popularity.

The rise of live-streaming platforms

One of the key drivers of the growth of esports is the rise of live-streaming platforms. While traditional sports are still broadcast on television, esports are increasingly being streamed online. This allows fans to watch matches and tournaments anywhere, at any time.

There are a number of live-streaming platforms that cater to esports, the most popular of which is Twitch. Twitch is a live-streaming platform that was originally designed for video gamers. However, it has since become popular with a wider audience, including esports fans.

Twitch is not the only live-streaming platform that caters to esports. Others include YouTube Gaming, Facebook Live, and Mixer. These platforms allow esports fans to watch matches and tournaments from around the world.

The rise of live-streaming platforms has made it easier for people to watch esports. This has helped to grow the popularity of esports and make them more mainstream.

The growth of mobile gaming

The growth of mobile gaming is one of the main drivers of the esports industry. More and more people are playing games on their smartphones and tablets, and a lot of these games are designed for competitive play. This has led to a rise in mobile esports tournaments, with some of the biggest events in the world being held on mobile platforms.

Another factor that is driving the growth of esports is the increasing amount of prize money that is up for grabs. This has attracted more professional gamers to the scene, as they see esports as a viable career option. The increased prize money has also led to more investment in esports teams and organizations, which has further helped to grow the industry.

How big is the esports market?

The esports market is growing rapidly, with new tournaments and leagues popping up all the time. But will it ever become mainstream? And how big is the market? These are the questions we’ll be answering in this article.

Global revenue estimates

In 2019, the global esports market was valued at just over 900 million U.S. dollars. This figure is expected to grow to nearly 1.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. However, a more conservative estimate puts the 2022 figure at just over 1 billion U.S. dollars. These estimates include revenue from three key areas: investments, advertising, and sponsorship, as well as media rights and merchandise sales.

While the majority of esports revenues still come from Asia Pacific, North America is expected to generate the highest revenue growth between 2019 and 2022. In 2020, it is estimated that North America will account for 34 percent of the global esports market. This is in part due to an increase in investment from U.S.-based organizations, as well as a growing number of professional leagues and tournaments in the region.

The most popular esports games

According to research firm Newzoo, the global esports economy will grow to $1.1 billion in 2019, up 27% from last year. By 2022, the market is expected to be worth $1.8 billion.

The majority of esports fans are located in Asia-Pacific (41%), followed by North America (24%) and Europe (21%). Newzoo estimates that there are 2.2 billion gamers worldwide, with 1.6 billion playing PC games, 1.4 billion playing mobile games and 1 billion playing console games.

The most popular esports games are League of Legends, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch and Fortnite. According to Newzoo, these five games make up 69% of the eSports market.

Will esports become mainstream?

esports are a form of competition using video games. They typically feature professional gamers, sometimes including teams. Tournaments are organized around different games. The first esports tournament was held in 1972 at Stanford University.

The obstacles to mainstream adoption

The esports industry is still in its infancy, and there are several obstacles to it becoming truly mainstream. First and foremost, there is a lack of understanding of what esports are and how they differ from traditional sports. This is compounded by the fact that there is no centralized governing body for esports, which makes it difficult for newcomers to get involved.

In addition, many traditional sports organizations have been slow to embrace esports. This is beginning to change, but there is still a long way to go. And finally, there is a lack of mainstream media coverage of esports, which makes it harder for casual fans to get invested in the scene.

Despite these obstacles, there are many reasons to believe that esports will eventually become mainstream. For one, the industry is growing at an incredible pace. The prize money for esport tournaments has increased dramatically in recent years, and the number of people watching esports online continues to grow. In addition, more and more traditional sports organizations are starting to invest in esports, and mainstream media outlets are beginning to take notice. Only time will tell if esports can overcome these obstacles and become truly mainstream, but it certainly has a lot of potential.

The potential for mass appeal

The global esports audience is expected to grow to nearly 454 million this year, up from just under 380 million in 2017. North America is the largest esports market, followed by Asia Pacific and Europe. And while the vast majority of esports fans are male (84%), there are a growing number of female fans as well (16%).

There are several factors that could contribute to esports becoming more mainstream. For one, the industry is growing more organized, with professional leagues and teams forming around popular games like League of Legends, Overwatch, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. This professionalization will make it easier for casual fans to follow esports, much like they follow traditional sports.

In addition, game publishers are taking steps to make their games more accessible to a wider audience. For example, Riot Games—publisher of League of Legends—recently introduced a new game mode called “All Random, All Mid” that is designed to be more beginner-friendly. And Blizzard Entertainment—publisher of Overwatch—is partnering with university clubs to help grow the collegiate scene.

Finally, corporations are starting to invest more heavily in esports. While endemic brands have always been involved in the scene (e.g., Razer, Logitech), non-endemic brands are beginning to get involved as well. Coca-Cola has partnered with several tournament organizers, and Nike sponsored a professional team in China last year. As more brands get involved, they will help bring exposure and legitimacy to esports.

While there are many reasons to believe that esports could become mainstream, there are also some challenges that could prevent it from reaching its full potential. For one thing, most esport competitions are currently only available online, which limits their reach compared to traditional sports events that are broadcast on television. In addition, many esport games are still too complex for casual fans to follow easily—though this is something that game publishers can address over time by simplifying their rulesets or introducing new modes specifically for novice players.