Esports is quickly becoming big business and the money in the sport is so big that few predicted it would reach the heights it has done. While it is popular, more and more people are beginning to come around to the idea that Esports are here to stay and expect to see even more huge numbers posted by those in charge. If you are relatively new to Esports, here are seven amazing facts about Esports that you probably don’t know.
1. Can You Get Rich Playing Video Games?
For many years, the answer to this question was a resounding no. However, with Esports now taking off, the answer is now firmly yes. The total prize money given out at all the Esports events in 2015 was a whopping $61 million: a 70% year-on-year increase. For the first time, the answer has to be: yes, you can get rich by playing video games.
This may not be the most stable career path to take, but people will begin to consider it as their potential career. Recently, a Brazilian footballer quit the game to become a professional FIFA player and it is expected that more people will do this in the future as the Esports job market increases.
2. Household Names
Just like every other sport, the best Esports gamers are becoming household names, with Dennis Fong one of those leading the way. He is in the Esports hall of fame; he founded Raptr and is on the cusp of making Esports an Olympic sport. As more and more big names are found across the world, it is expected that even more celebrities will be made from the Esports world as youngsters worship their new idols.
3. ESports Not Just for Men
While the majority may think that this is a male-dominated sport due to the traditional ties that males have with video games, women are just as likely to play Esports. In a recent study, 22% of females asked said that they are involved in Esports, either as a player or as a fan. The same study found that 18% of men interviewed answered that they were involved. While more and more people are getting involved in Esports, remember that this is not just for men; women are also getting involved in a big way and this is only expected to continue. The industry of esports online gambling has also been on the rise, and both men and women are involved.
4. The Same Size Audience as Baseball
Millennial males are huge sports and gaming fans so it makes sense for a lot of them to be interested in Esports. When asked, 22% of millennial males answered that they watched Esports, which is also the same number that answered they watch baseball. The rapid rise of Esports has given them the same audience as baseball, and if the trend continues, it will soon overtake that sport in popularity.
5. Big Commercial Business
Some of the biggest brands in the world are attaching themselves to Esports because they realise the importance of that market to them. Esports advertising is a great way for companies to reach the young market, with 61% of Esports viewers being under 35. This allows companies to tap into the market they want to, which means they are more likely to put further money into advertising, which will only allow Esports to grow even further.
6. Esports to Explode This Year
If Esports continues to grow, then by the end of 2019 it will reach a global audience of 303 million people. To put this in perspective, if Esports fans made up a country, they would make up the fourth largest country in the world. If this growth continues, and the numbers match, Esports will explode in 2019, with the world finally realising just how big market it really is.
7. Mobile Games the Next Big Addition
The next thing to take the Esports market by storm appears to be the mobile gaming market. Developers are beginning to add competition to their games, and those who have done so have noticed they are receiving eight times more revenue on average than the industry standard. If mobile gaming takes off, Esports would have another huge platform to reach the market, which would only aid their increase even further.