The times we participated in competitions and stuck medals to our heart out of pride and happiness are a thing of the past now. Today, esports champions are earning major million-dollar prizes from around the world. If your impression of them is that of ramshackle teenagers cornered in their bedrooms, then you are wrong. These are well-trained professionals who are called on to play centre stage in front of a well-packed stadium. Like any other organized sport, they too have sponsors, coaches, practice schedules.
If you’re used to the traditional sports game, you may find it difficult to reconstruct your notion of an athlete who plays nail biting matches only with his fingertips. We’ve listed some facts for you to be more aware of the esports market that is now gaining popularity.
What are the sports where esports games can be played?
Almost any game where players are competing against one another can be redesigned as an esports game. MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) games like League of Legends and Dota 2, and FPS (first-person shooter) games like Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Call of Duty, and Halo are some of the most popular games to play professionally.
However, not all esports games are equally enticing; each tournament is centred around specific games which features varying levels of viewers and prize money. Esports market report shows that at the International 2015, players competed in Dota 2 for a prize pool of more than $18 million. That same year, teams competed at BlizzCon World Championships, playing in World of Warcraft Arena for a prize pool of $250,000.
What are the esports players like?
Traditional players play on the field or maybe an AstroTurf, esports players may not do that but are much like the traditional athletes. They put in a lot of time, effort and dedication each day practicing their niche. Players refer to footage from opponent’s past games and devise their own strategies and methodologies to defeat them.
Esports market research shockingly revealed that pro gamers also face career-ending sports injuries. Some of the biggest names in eSports have retired over the last few years, blaming carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, trigger finger, and nerve-tingling neck pain. Reports show that these injuries are often overlooked and on the rise among eSports broadcasters.
How do these players gather fame?
The fact is that there is an esports Hall of Fame. This adds our conviction to the fact that this is an activity worth spending time and effort on and there are players who have consistently performed well for us to warrant their induction. The first inductees received their Hall of Fame honours in 2016, one a legend with the Quake franchise, and the other with Counter-Strike. Since then, four other players have been inducted, along with one other in the “Special Awards” category and another on the “Community” side of things.
Well, which part of the world does this exist?
Pro gaming now, is a worldwide phenomenon. The esports market size spreads over a whooping revenue of $321 million in Asia followed by $100 million in North America. With the addition of new streaming platforms, viewers can easily tune in to watch gameplay from anywhere in the world. On Twitch, the leading video platform and gamer community, users spend more than 79 million hours on an average each month watching broadcasters play.
What is the future here?
Esports market will become a $1.2 billion market. Factor in all of the players, coaches, sponsors, game creators, and advertisers, and you’ve got an eSports industry that’s flooded with moolah. Where is the money coming from? While prize pools represent significant cash, most of the money comes from sponsors and advertisers. Companies can host events, run tournaments, pay for brand placement, or sponsor teams and athletes, gaining visibility in one of the rapidly growing industries. According to a report by Arizton, The sponsorship segment will emerge as the leading contributor to the esports industry, observing an incremental growth of over $890 million by 2025.
It is safe to say that this will be the next best thing in the face of the gaming industry.
