Innovation in the Gaming Industry

Today, many are looking at competitive gaming in a new light. eSports, better know as electronic sports, is becoming a movement that is impacting not only the gaming industry, but also the entertainment industry as a whole. With the use of modern technology that gives its users easy access to a global fan base, eSports are now showing every potential of becoming an industry of its own. One may ask, why do people consider eSports as sports and how is it impacting the entertainment industry today? If this is something that interests you, I suggest that you continue reading to learn more about an industry with unlimited potential!

What are eSports?

Sundance DiGiovanni, co-founder and CEO of Major League Gaming (MLG), defines eSports as “competitive video games presented in the same way that you present competitive sports.” Similar to mainstream sports, players are drafted onto a team to play head to head against their opponents on a digital platform in front of a live audience. Although the physical attendance at a gaming event does not resemble the likeness of a sold out football stadium, eSports is able to generate over 35 million viewers per month through the Twitch online streaming platform. So what does this say about eSports? It is HUGE! Because of this, eSports has been able to attract the attention of sponsors and generate income by providing an alternative solution to advertising. Taking all of this into consideration, it is safe to say that competitive gaming is on its way to becoming a multibillion dollar industry!

Government Impact

As foreign participants in the eSports movement are growing exponentially, visa issues often arise. A recent dilemma occurred with a Canadian gamer who was unable to attain a visa to live in the United States as a professional gamer. With the support of the company Riot Games, they were able to convince the U.S. government to "officially recognize some professional gamers as ‘professionalathletes’." This allowed the Canadian gamer to attain a visa that is in likeness to what is given to professional athletes in mainstream sports organizations. With a P1 visa, he could now live in the US for up to 5 years with the potential of extending his stay for another 5 years. Sounds good right?

What does this mean for the future of eSports?

If you are not already on board with the eSports movement, now may be the best time to hop on the bandwagon. Many are still unaware of this movement, as it is still in the beginning phases. I project that within the next 5 years, eSports will become as popular as baseball. In the next 7 to 10 years, it could be as big as soccer. This is an opportunity that you shouldn’t miss out on. Who knows, competitive gaming may become the worlds most rewarding industry. The question is, will you be on board when this ship sails?

To learn about what industry professionals think about competitive gaming today, watch the video below!