Over the last few years, eSports has become one of the fastest-growing industries in the entire world. With titles ranging from real-time strategy to first-person shooters, the sector has exploded in popularity.
Research shows that the global eSports economy will hit the $1 billion mark for the first time before the end of 2019. In 2018, worldwide revenues generated in the eSports market amounted to slightly over $865 million. And it is not just about the money.
eSports viewership is also growing, and experts predict that the average number of casual eSports viewers will hit the 300 million-mark by 2021. There will also be close to 250 million eSports enthusiasts by that time, bringing the total audience to slightly over 550 million.
But why are eSports so popular today? Why are they exploding right now when the gaming culture has been in existence for many years? Here is a look at some of the reasons why eSports have become so popular over the past few years.
Younger Generations Love Video Games
With the increasing rise of eSports, a lot of young people are changing their lifestyle to keep pace with their friends. Since video gaming is mostly a multiplayer sport, the younger guys are naturally attracted to this kind of activity.
In fact, a significant number of eSports experts believe that video games seduce the intention of younger fans more widely. Research shows that relatively young players aged between 21 and 35 years tend to spend a significant number of hours playing their favorite video games every day.
Seeing the young players compete with some of the greatest gamers from different parts of the world is impressive and makes their friends want to try the same thing.
Accessibility and Inclusivity
Another contributing factor to the rise of eSports is how accessible video games have become in the modern world. You don’t need a lot of money to acquire high-quality video gaming equipment and start playing from the comfort of your house.
As long as you can afford a good PC, gaming console, and a few video games, you are good to go. This is not a massive investment at all.
Another crucial aspect of video gaming is that it doesn’t require you to have certain physical attributes to be successful. Traditional sports such as soccer, rugby, or basketball need you to be physically fit to compete.
To succeed in traditional sports, you must have attributes of an ideal player with certain size, strength, body build, agility, and other critical physical characteristics. In eSports, all you need is your mental strength to make informed decisions at the right times.
eSports Offer the Perfect Combination of Online and Offline Engagement
Over the years, eSports has grown into a huge spectator and live event industry. Between the online play and the various eSports live events, a lot of engagement happens.
The live events bring together hundreds of thousands of spectators from all over the world who converge in a central place to watch elite professional gamers compete against each other.
In some cases, spectators are allowed to compete in pre-event play by making predictions. After that, they get the opportunity to see how results stack up throughout the live event. This makes it almost impossible to beat a medium that carries so much engagement across the offline and online spectrum.
eSports Are Just Like Any Other Sport
Stiff competition sits at the foundation of eSports. Just like any other traditional sport such as football, baseball, basketball, fans can’t help but love the competition of professional video gaming.
Today, it is so easy to follow a particular eSports player or team. It is also easy to engage in eSports betting on BUFF.bet and make some money. People from different parts of the world are tuning in and watching eSports teams and players play against each other, just like in any other traditional sports event.
Fans love to watch their favorite sports team play at the highest level, and professional gaming is no different. Furthermore, with online streaming platforms such as YouTube and Twitch, eSports events become easily accessible and can be watched 24/7.
Diversity of Video Games
Another beauty of eSports is that there are so many options in terms of quality video games to play. There are many different games you can play and watch in the world of eSports. Games come in different complexities, and it is upon you to choose what you think suits you best.
For instance, if you enjoy traditional sports games; NBA, FIFA eWorld Cup, and Madden are great options to check out. If you prefer MOBA games, then you can check out Fortnite or League of Legends. If first-shooter games are your thing, then CS: GO and Call of Duty come in handy.
