E-Sports, an ever-expanding phenomenon

Those who think that video games are just a pastime for kids will have to change their mind after reading this article: E-Sports are increasingly gaining ground in the world market, involving teenagers, but not only. Precisely for this reason, the Olympic Committee has also shown a strong interest in this new trend, which brings video games to a professional level.

In recent years, the proliferation of online and offline E-Sports tournaments (live tournaments) has meant that the phenomenon has become global and really profitable, with large technology companies competing to sponsor and fund the events. Bookmakers have thought of new betting systems intended exclusively for E-Sports (odds given on OBC). But what are E-Sports specifically and why are they thrilling millions of users? Let’s find out together here!

What is E-Sports
The first question that many ask themselves is “what is E-Sports?”. Trying to keep the definition rather simple, without going into technicalities, it can be said that E-Sports are challenges to video games at a professional level, with cash prizes or equivalent. Said like this, it might still seem like a practice limited to pure fun among boys. But E-Sports are much more …

Just think, in fact, that in real offline tournaments organized by large companies around the world, there are thousands of members for each discipline: to these must be added the audience of curious and passionate people, who fill the stands as in sports arenas. All seasoned with futuristic P.A. systems, equipped with impressive audio/video/lighting systems, worthy of the most important entertainment events.

The top titles in the E-Sports industry
The worldwide community of E-Sports players is huge, but every player has a favourite video game at which they excel. The most established titles are the strategic ones and shooters, such as Call Of Duty, Halo, and Counter-Strike: Overwatch and Global Offensive. But the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) category is certainly the one with the largest user base.

This last category includes titles such as League Of Legends and Dota, absolutely the video games that are top-notch in E-Sports tournaments. League of Legends has around 27 million players a day and more than 80 million players around the world. DOTA, much like LoL in-game modes, boasts one of the highest prize pools among E-Sports, hitting $ 10 million in its main tournament.

In the last three years, the Fortnite phenomenon has hit the global market, involving as many as 125 million players worldwide, also facilitated by the fact that the basic version of the game is totally free and users can upgrade their virtual characters with in-app purchases.

For some time now, sports simulations have also taken the field within E-Sports tournaments, with one title above all, namely FIFA. The popular soccer game is the undisputed king in its category, followed by PES (which nevertheless has a higher prize pool in top tournaments) and NBA.

The total prize money
To dispel any doubts about the competitiveness of E-Sports tournaments, we finally come to the factor that interests most of the players, namely the cash prize pools. We said that the players have now reached a professional level and the prizes up for grabs, of course, are adequate to expectations.

In 2018, the edition of the DOTA 2 “The International” tournament reached the figure of 25.5 million dollars in prizes for players and teams, ranking first among the most profitable video games in the world of E-Sports. In the second place, with 22.5 million, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, while in third place Fortnite with 19.9 million in Epic Games’ Battle Royale. In short, millionaire figures that would make even the most sceptical think again.