As technology continues to evolve, a new type of sport is now rivaling traditional sporting events in popularity. The growth of esports competitive gaming has been fueled by the increasing popularity of video games across the world. Data from Newzoo suggests that the total esports audience for 2019 is approximately 443m worldwide; made up of 245 occasional viewers and 198m esports enthusiasts. The numbers had grown significantly from the previous year from a total of 395m viewers in 2018.
In the world of competitive gaming, there are many popular games that are played all over the globe. Some of the top games to play in esports tournaments include Overwatch, Call of Duty, and League of Legends. There are many top esports tournaments around the world where these games are played including the Intel Extreme Masters and the Evolution Championship series. One of the top esports tournaments at the moment is the International e-Sports Federation (IESF) that runs the only World Championships for official national teams.
The growth in audience numbers for esports gaming can be down to the popularity of video gaming as a sport and as a career. The diversity of games played, the accessibility of watching tournaments, and the quality of recent video games all contribute to why audiences tune in to watch esports. Many fans might also be intrigued by the esports industry as a social activity, to socialize with other fans and gamers, and they may also be intrigued by the legitimate career option that it provides.
Although not as popular in the United States, for instance, esports continues to capture the imagination of viewers and participants across the globe. The increased popularity can also be in part due to the enormous prize pools that are now becoming commonplace. The prize money on offer in the biggest esports competitions is funded by ticket sales, broadcasting rights and merchandising. Some is also crowdfunded – and more money comes in via sales of in-game items. The biggest pool that was on offer was recently at the 2019 ‘Dota 2 International‘. This esports tournament ranked number one on the overall prize pool list from Statista as the prize pool was $34.33 million dollars. The 2019 ‘Fortnite World Cup‘ finals (solo and duo) also offered prize money in the region of $30 million. From this data, it is clear to see that esports tournaments are becoming a big business, especially for professional gamers. As esports has become popular over the years, audience numbers have grown and betting on esports tournaments has also become popular too. There are a variety of esports betting markets and options available on games including Counter-Strike and Dota 2.
As games continue to advance, internet connection speeds become even faster, and popular channels like Twitch & Youtube make esports content accessible, it seems that there will be very little that can slow down the growth of the esports industry and its audience. More countries in the developing world are also rolling out faster connections – making esports more visible around the world, which also helps the industry gain popularity across the globe. The increasing numbers of games such as Fortnite, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch and Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (among many other titles) means that players are provided with enormous choice. Add to this the rich rewards for competitive play and it would take a brave person to bet against the ongoing success of esports. If your a fan of gaming and want to learn more about esports, then this quick What is Esports? article from CNN will tell you everything you need to know about what esports is, who watches it, and who competes.
