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The biggest dream of every gamer out there is to become a professional player and make a decent living out of their love for gaming. In simple terms, gamers wish to turn their hobby into a well-paying job just like other traditional sports. The good news is that it is possible.
Today, eSports are being recognized as another form of professional sport such as basketball and football. This means that amateurs may soon find themselves in a highly competitive industry.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has even hosted several forums with gaming communities to explore possible opportunities for collaboration with the primary aim of improving fan engagement for the world’s fastest-growing sport.
Gaming and eSports bets are becoming the leading forms of entertainment, and research shows that the eSports industry will continue to record significant growth, both in terms of viewership and revenue. Platforms such as Twitch have already started to record an increase in the overall number of fans who view live gaming streams, and the future looks bright.
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The Rise of eSports as a Major Competitive Sport
The famous “eSports phenomenon” is now in the past. Today, eSports have taken center stage in the gaming sector with their advanced technology and professional structure. Several countries spread across the world and leading bookmakers have confirmed that eSports tops their list of sporting events. This was not the case a few years ago.
Key industry players are working hard to establish eSports on the world's competitive sports map, and they have already witnessed immense progress. Theirs is not an effort in futility.
Gaming festivals all over the world are now attracting more viewers who are interested in eSports. Individual events have also recorded a tremendous increase in viewership over the past few years.
For instance, the North America League of Legends Championships Series Split Finals attracted more than 60,000 viewers on YouTube and Twitch during the final game. In November last year, the “League of Legends” World Championship finals that were held in South Korea attracted close to 10 million viewers that tuned into the event online.
These figures show the tremendous growth of the eSports industry and the bright future that is still ahead. The European Games Festival set to be hosted in Croke Park in Dublin in September is set to attract a lot of people from all over Europe who love eSports.
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There Is Big Money in the eSports Industry
The truth is that there is big money in this industry, and anyone can make a successful career with eSports. In 2018 alone, the total amount of prize money of all eSports events was approximately $150 million, surpassing the $115 million that was recorded in 2017.
This figure is expected to hit the $200 million mark in 2019, thanks to the lucrative partnerships that have come on board.
Reports show that the global eSports revenues will most likely hit the $1 billion mark in 2019, amid ballooning revenues from media rights, sponsorship deals, advertising, and competitive gaming.
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The Largest Prize Pools in eSports
The biggest event in the eSports calendar has always been the game Dota 2 with its tournament commonly referred to as “The International.” For the 2019 competition, the prize money for Dota 2 looks set to hit the $30 million mark.
A significant portion of this money is usually generated through siphoning up to 25 percent from the “battle pass” fee that a substantial number of Dota 2 players buy. Last year, the winner of this tournament pocketed a cool $3 million, making him the highest-earning eSports player.
However, Dota 2 is not monopolistic when it comes to eSports tournaments. The Fortnite World Cup is another super tournament that boasts a prize pool of about $25 million. This year’s Fortnite World Cup tournament finished on the 28th of July, and the 16-year old Kyle Giersdorf from the United States emerged as the winner.
The young boy pocketed a whopping $2.5 million in prize money. And the good thing about the Fortnite World Cup tournament is that it is not just the winner who takes away colossal amounts of money.
Even the player who was ranked 10th received the hefty sum of $185,000. In last year's tournament, players who were ranked in 9th -12th place earned the staggering $317,000. eSports tournaments are well-organized, and you need to put in a lot of effort to enter the top.
With the growing acceptance of eSports all over the world and the increasing accessibility to advanced technology, there is no doubt about the fact that the industry has a big and bright future.
