Video games have come a long way in the last few decades. As technology improves and expands quicker and quicker, so do the video games across all genres and platforms. They started as nothing but a simple pastime activity, but are now worth more than any other entertainment industry.
In the modern age of new video games, more and more of them are being developed for two specific purposes. The first of these is the general consumer public represented by average fans who enjoy video games. However, the topic of this entire article is the other, much newer, and more interesting, the esports aspect of the industry. In this article, we will try to determine why there is so much interest in the esports scene nowadays, what it is, when it started, and can anything stop it.
Video Game Revenue
The money video game studios and investors are putting into their new projects grows every year. This has been going on for years and it now spans multiple generations of consoles and games. Games really took off in the days of PlayStation 2, which is still the most-sold video game console ever.
Together with Xbox, PC, and Nintendo consoles, these fan-favorite platforms ushered in a new era that has been nothing but expanding ever since. A decade later, the video game industry is worth more than the music and movie industry combined.
This is hard to grasp when we take into consideration how much a single summer blockbuster movie makes at the box office, or how much a top musician earns from a single album. In 2019 alone, the global video game generated $120.1 billion. For 2024, estimates suggest that the industry will exceed $159.3 billion, continuing one of the healthiest year-to-year grows this time expected to be +9.3%.
This is enough for any investor to recognize the incredible digits that are in play and get in on the fastest growing industry today. Games that do not have an esports scene, like Grand Theft Auto V and Elder Scrolls Online for example, still drew in millions of players. If you are a fan of ESO and want to dominate your foes early on, click here to try a great Elder Scrolls Online service.
Competitive Games and Professional Players
At the moment, the most popular video games in the world include League of Legends, DOTA 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offense, Fortnite, PUBG, Apex Legends, Valorant, Call of Duty Warzone, FIFA, and World of Warcraft. What is the one single thing that makes these ten far superior to hundreds of other games that have appeared since their launch?
Well, it is the rich, diverse, constantly present, and widely popular and followed esports scene. Like any other traditional sport, top teams and individuals from all corners of the world compete year in and year out in their favorite games. However, the level they compete at and the skills they possess are incredible, and the difference between then and casual players is the same as the difference between pro athletes and those who play a sport a few times per week at best.
These skills, and the fact they play video games for a living, makes them professionals at this new form of sport. Prize pools at the tournaments are unbelievable, and the best competitions and cups offer millions of dollars in prize money. Since most children start playing games much sooner than their parents or older siblings, they have a great chance of becoming great and making a dream living for themselves and their loved ones.
Streamers and Content Creators
Gaming has become a full-fledged business in its own right, as thousands of players earn incredible amounts of money from their favorite hobby. The fact is however that to them, it is much more than a hobby. The esports scene is tightly connected and almost inseparable from live streaming and content creation. The live streaming of games is rapidly growing in popularity.
Video game fans have become more accustomed to watching other people play than playing themselves, a story for another time perhaps, but what this practice created is a whole new branch of the industry. Platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook allow players to share their gameplay live. People can then join in on their sessions, comment, and cheer, interacting with the player and with the rest of the viewers. This is perhaps the best way to stay in touch with your fans as a top-level gamer.
Streamers get lucrative deals from sponsors and views, and streaming also incorporated into the esports scene. All competitions are available online while they are happening, even on some specialized TV channels dealing with gaming. Content creating is another form of contributing to the gaming scene, and most top players and streamers have YouTube channels where they regularly post clips of their best and funniest moments.
Fans adore all of this. The most followed video game stars are often pro players, streamers, and content creators, meaning they have three sources of large revenue. All they have to do is play their favorite games.
Takeaways
All in all, it is quite easy to understand why the esports scene is so immensely popular and why we have not yet seen it at its best. The continuous attention that game developers and sponsors give to the top professional gamers, streamers, and content creators is only going to make things bigger and better.
The yearly revenue will continue growing as there is no end in sight. There will be more amazing gamers wanting to go pro and have careers. Soon, like the movie and music industries before it, the sports industry will also start to dwarf in comparison with this new juggernaut that is competitive video games.
These three have been in existence for multiple centuries, while games are still very young, especially esports. In the following decade or two, nothing will be the same, and we are not even mentioning the virtual reality (VR) games that are now still only being tested and developed. The future is bright, and it belongs to the gamers.
