From fad to the global entertainment industry, e-sports has grown over the years to a nearly billion-dollar business. The sport has garnered over 380 million fans, with more than half of the viewership considered occasional viewers. Unlike traditional sports, which have seen a decline in popularity, E-sport games continue to see an upwards growth with revenue also coming from merchandise, publisher revenues, and more.
Infrastructure
E-sports, by nature, is powered by technology in making it more accessible to viewers and fans. The key technologies powering the game include:
- Video & visual technology – Setting up e-sport viewing arenas requires attention to detail with the use of large-screen televisions, and immersive lighting such as LED projections. E-sports can also be hosted in individual rooms by use of personal computing or the use of Virtual Reality (V.R) headsets.
- Gaming Devices or Consoles – Constructing the ideal e-sport venue or home setup for individual competitive gaming requires a gaming console or P.C. that runs the operation. With the continuous online debate on which is better, P.C. or consoles still play an important role in competitive gaming, with the former slightly being preferred.
III. Network – The speed, bandwidth, and agility of networks connecting individual gamers is one of the essential factors in E-sports as most of the viewership on the sport is hosted on popular streaming sites such as stream and twitch. The high definition, detailed graphic, and millisecond game reaction by professional players require secure network infrastructure.
- Video games – Popular games such as Fortnite, League of legends, COD, FIFA, and Rocket League, are core technologies that run e-sports. These games attract their fan bases accumulating to the broader appeal for e-sports or competitive gaming. The popularity of these sports requires world-class standards in terms of performance, visual design, sound, and game complexity.
Effective tournaments
Global tournaments such as League of Legends world championships and Fortnite world cup require reliable internet connectivity. The 5G network, being set up across the world, looks to aid further development in the competitive online industry. With the promise of reduced lag, every gamer’s worst nightmare, and higher bandwidth and speeds, the technology promises to increase the number of players in the e-sport community.
E-sports has also seen the entry of new sports gaining popularity, such as chess. One thought as only a physical sport; the game has grown its online presence with the very popular Pogchamps tournament held recently hosting iconic figures from other major e-sport games.
As with many sporting ventures, e-sports provides an opportunity for companies such as betting firms to take advantage of its popularity. With top betting platforms already hosting stakes and odds on major and smaller e-sports tournaments, the reliance on online casino games will see a decline as most people will be attracted to betting on competitive gaming. Unlike online casinos, competitive gaming is based on skill more than luck, and this appeals to betting parties who can know which side to stake their odds on.
