Esports is an umbrella term for a broad variety of competitive video games. The industry is growing fast and has a global reach. In the last few years, esports has exploded in popularity. It now draws millions of viewers around the world.
As a result of its growth, esports has become a lucrative industry. According to Newzoo, esports reached a total audience of 458 million people in 2019. This includes 201 million esports enthusiasts and 252 million occasional viewers. These fans typically spend about 100 minutes watching a esports event.
A player’s salary and benefits vary with the esports league. Most leagues have a minimum salary. Players can be traded among teams and can be let go as free agents. Usually, all teams are supported by a major financial sponsor. Professional teams often have a coach and an analyst.
There are two types of esports organizations: those that compete under the same name and those that are organized under a different name. For example, the League of Legends World Championship is run by Riot Games. Other top esports organisations include G2 esports, Team SoloMid, and Fnatic.
Esports has become popular in Europe and North America, but many players come from other parts of the world. However, the esports ecosystem is still relatively fragmented. Many countries are either underdeveloped or do not have the infrastructure to support esports.
Esports rely on a digital platform to reach its audience. Some games are played on PCs, while others are played on mobile devices. While most esports are live streamed, viewers can also watch matches at live physical events. Generally, esports are available on free streaming platforms.
Esports is becoming a viable career path for a number of youngsters. Some of these youngsters have been able to earn seven-figure earnings. They have been able to turn casual gamers into stars. However, the legitimacy of esports as a legitimate sport remains in question.
Esports is played in a competitive setting and follows the same rules as professional sports. Unlike traditional sports, which are time-tested and timeless, esports is a relatively new phenomenon. During the early 2000s, the first esports tournament took place. That first tournament was the Cyberathlete Professional League.
Several other major esports tournaments have been held, including the League of Legends World Championship, the NACE championship, and the Intel Extreme Masters. During the League of Legends tournament, 40,000 fans packed into Seoul’s World Cup Stadium.
Despite the huge audience and the billions of dollars in prize money, esports is not without its challenges. One of the biggest is latency. High lag can render the game unplayable. Often, a high-lag match is paused until the issue is resolved.
Despite the challenge, esports is a fast-growing industry with lots of opportunities for fans and developers. It is predicted to reach over one billion dollars by the year 2022. Moreover, the competition is growing exponentially. esports tournaments have been featured alongside traditional sports in multinational events in Asia.
