Esports is a type of competitive video game play that is played in a highly organized and structured environment. Esports is similar to traditional sports, but is more high-octane and fast-paced. In esports, players compete against other teams for a chance to win a prize pool. This includes prizes in the millions of dollars.
These professional athletes start early, at sixteen years old or older, and often earn six figure salaries. As a result, their names are often associated with corporate sponsorships. The most successful professional esports gamers also build their own fan bases and become highly sought after professionals.
The growth of esports is due to several factors, including a young, growing population. Millennials in America have become more familiar with free media and are more willing to engage with technology platforms. They are just as likely to watch a video game tournament as they are to follow an NBA game or watch baseball.
During the past decade, gaming technology has advanced and esports has grown significantly. Esports are now available on a variety of devices, allowing players to play online no matter where they are. However, the esports industry has faced some challenges. Among these are high latency and lag, which can ruin a game’s experience. If there is a problem with a player’s connection, the match is stopped until it is fixed. Other reasons for latency can include a crowded network or a crowded server.
Another factor that can hamper esports is the lack of infrastructure. While a variety of esports games are available on mobile and consoles, dedicated regional servers are needed for games to be played smoothly. For example, while the Call of Duty series is popular in North America, there is no dedicated African server for the series. A server would need to be built in Africa before African players could compete in esports.
With the rise of esports, gaming companies have begun to develop similar revenue streams to those of media companies. One of the fastest growing revenue streams is media rights revenue, which includes payments from online streaming platforms to organizers and foreign broadcasters. It is estimated that media rights revenue will reach $340 million by 2020.
Currently, esports are only a small part of the overall global gaming industry. However, esports are projected to grow by 41% in 2017, and to reach $1.5 billion in 2020. Several companies are looking to expand into esports. Some are attempting to build a franchise model, where each spot costs ten dollars, and each spot is filled by a ten-person team.
Most esports titles are first person shooters and real time strategy games. These games require players to defend a map and defeat the other team to gain dominance. Players can also participate in multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) or survival battle royales.
While esports have been around for a few decades, they have only really taken off in the last decade. Today, most esports are live-streamed on free platforms. During these sessions, a streamer interacts with viewers and responds to questions.
