Following the rise of digitalization, the world of competitive gaming has grown into a $1.1 billion industry. Fundamentally, this is a testament to the sector’s global popularity and financially lucrative nature. However, having risen to prominence throughout the 21st century, there are question marks surrounding the market’s longevity, particularly concerning sustaining its viewership figures. So, let’s see what the data has to say concerning eSports’ long-term future.
Is Industry Longevity a Possibility?
In relation to the market’s growth, eSports have seen an undeniable rise regarding its global revenues and viewership. According to a report by Influencer Marketing Hub, the sector’s spectator levels have continued to reach new, unprecedented heights since 2016. To showcase the industry’s progression, between 2017 and 2018, the industry’s viewership numbers grew by 45 million in reaching a total of 380 million. Impressively, however, as per articles detailing the sector’s projected growth in 2020, eSports’ audience is estimated to reach 495 million people.
From a spectator standpoint, it appears likely that competitive gaming will continue to enjoy sustained growth in the foreseeable future. Crucially, this can be attributed to the free sign-up nature of Twitch, the world’s leading live streaming platform for gamers. In analyzing the relationship between the platform and eSports, Newzoo state that 21 percent of Twitch’s viewership is driven by competitive gaming.
“A New Era For Twitch?” (CC BY 2.0) by BagoGames
Aside from the industry’s spectator base, the sector’s ever-growing revenue points towards possessing the ability to flourish in the long-term. As touched upon above, the market has already established itself as a $1.1 billion industry, but studies suggest that this total is predicted to grow even further over the next three years. Statista claims the bulk of the revenue comes from advertising and sponsorships, with world-renowned organizations such as Electronic Arts, Mountain Dew, and Red Bull working with the eSports sector for development purposes.
A Refined Focus on Internal Numbers
In addition to external numbers showcasing the thriving nature of the industry, the emergence of platforms that provide game-specific data is a testament to the sector’s immersion. In recent years, sites such as Win.gg have become particularly central to how eSports spectators consume both data and news. Importantly, the platform itself is a comprehensive resource that provides insight into the numbers of specific games, as illustrated by their inclusion of CSGO stats. Fundamentally, this aspect of the service details prior and upcoming events, as well as live featured matches. eSports viewership has also been growing over the last few years.
In progressing forward, there continues to be a focus on delving into the data behind the ever-growing eSports sector. According to a report from Esports Insider in July 2020, Bayes Esports and Shadow.gg, an analytical eSports start-up, aim to develop a data-driven application to enhance engagement. The technology will seek to provide in-depth data, including 2D visualizations, player positioning, and real-time object trajectories.
The Future is Data-Driven
As a result of the above, few can argue that eSports is continuing to adopt an analytical approach in striving to secure its long-term future. Importantly, numbers are at the very heart of the competitive gaming world and will soon look to add more depth to an already flourishing industry. Because of this, the market is working towards creating the foundations for longevity as a means of contemporary entertainment.
