Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Esports industry rapidly gaining momentum
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- Figure 1: esports global revenue, 2015-19
- Figure 2: Western Europe esports revenue breakdown, 2019
- TV broadcasts to play key role in widening esports audience
- Companies and brands
- Array of gaming phones released amid growing esports potential
- Google announces Stadia gaming platform with streaming controls
- Companies partner with esports stars during promotional campaigns
- The consumer
- Over four in ten play video games on a weekly basis
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- Figure 3: Frequency of playing video games, April 2019
- Over a third of gamers watch game streams
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- Figure 4: Watching streams of video games, April 2019
- Three in ten gamers watch esports competitions
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- Figure 5: Watching competitive gaming competitions, April 2019
- Over six in ten esports viewers have been to a gameplay event
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- Figure 6: Attendance to esports events, preferences and behaviours during gaming streams, April 2019
- YouTube well ahead for watching gameplay
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- Figure 7: Platforms for watching live or on demand gameplay, April 2019
- First person shooters, sport and strategy most popular genres
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- Figure 8: Type of video game watched live or on demand, April 2019
- Over four in ten gameplay viewers watch to learn
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- Figure 9: Motivations to watch live or on demand gameplay, April 2019
- Three quarters of non-viewing gamers are not interested in esports
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- Figure 10: Interest in watching or playing esports for current non-viewers, April 2019
- Opinion weighted against esports as a legitimate sport
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- Figure 11: Opinions on esports as a professional sport, April 2019
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Gaming kit designed by esports stars could appeal to fans
- The facts
- The implications
- More interactions with esports stars could entice viewers to spend on paid streaming services
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Esports industry rapidly gaining momentum
- TV broadcasts to play key role in widening esports audience
- Celebrities’ involvement will also raise esports’ profile
- Next generation of consoles will mean more engaging esports
Market Size
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- Esports industry rapidly gaining momentum
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- Figure 12: Esports global revenue, 2015-19
- Sponsorships are biggest revenue source
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- Figure 13: Western Europe esports revenue breakdown, 2019
- Continued battle for media rights
Market Drivers
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- Background – What is esports and where has it come from?
- TV broadcasts to play key role in widening esports audience
- Monetising more streaming viewers will help to boost industry
- Celebrities’ involvement will raise esports’ profile
- Variety of platforms will be key to overall growth
- Next generation of consoles will mean more engaging esports
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Sky Sports broadcasts first ePremier League tournament
- Array of gaming phones released amid growing esports potential
- Google announces Stadia gaming platform with streaming controls
- Companies partner with esports stars during promotional campaigns
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Sky Sports broadcasts first ePremier League tournament
- Array of gaming phones released amid growing esports potential
- Oculus’ VR League showcases virtual reality esports
- Google announces Stadia gaming platform with streaming controls
- Companies partner with esports stars during promotional campaigns
- Celebrities get involved with esports
- Twitch and Activision Blizzard in $90 million streaming deal
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Over four in ten play video games on a weekly basis
- Over a third of gamers watch game streams
- Three in ten gamers watch esports competitions
- YouTube well ahead for watching gameplay
- First person shooters, sport and strategy most popular genres
- Over four in ten gameplay viewers watch to learn
- Three quarters of non-viewing gamers are not interested in esports
- Opinion weighted esports as a legitimate sport
Gaming Habits
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- Over four in ten play video games on a weekly basis
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- Figure 14: Frequency of playing video games, April 2019
- Men continue to lead video game usage
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- Figure 15: Frequency of playing video games, by gender, April 2019
- Gaming drops off significantly between Older Millennials and Gen X
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- Figure 16: Frequency of playing video games, by generation, April 2019
- Around half of gamers play online
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- Figure 17: Playing video games with friends or online, April 2019
- Younger Millennials most likely to game online
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- Figure 18: Online gaming behaviours by generation, April 2019
Watching and Streaming Gameplay
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- Over a third of gamers watch game streams
- Less than three in ten gamers stream their own gameplay online
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- Figure 19: Watching streams of video games, April 2019
- Half of Millennials watch gameplay online…
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- Figure 20: Watching streams of video games, by generation, April 2019
- …and over four in ten Younger Millennials stream their gameplay
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- Figure 21: Streaming gameplay online, by generation, April 2019
Watching Esports and Attending Events
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- Three in ten gamers watch esports competitions
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- Figure 22: Watching competitive gaming competitions, April 2019
- Over four in ten Millennials watch esports
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- Figure 23: Watching competitive gaming by generation, April 2019
- Over six in ten esports viewers have been to a gameplay event
- Vast majority of esports viewers prefer it to traditional sport
- Almost two thirds of esports viewers talk to the streamer
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- Figure 24: Attendance to esports events, preferences and behaviours during gaming streams, April 2019
Platforms for Watching Gameplay and Type of Viewing
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- YouTube well ahead for watching gameplay
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- Figure 25: Platforms for watching live or on demand gameplay, April 2019
- Equal popularity for live and on demand viewing
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- Figure 26: Use of live or on demand video game streaming, April 2019
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- Figure 27: Use of live or on demand video game streaming by generation, April 2019
Genres of Esports and Game Streaming Watched
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- First person shooters, sport and strategy most popular genres
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- Figure 28: Type of video game watched live or on demand, April 2019
Reasons for Watching Gaming and Source of Introduction
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- Over four in ten gameplay viewers watch to learn
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- Figure 29: Motivations to watch live or on demand gameplay, April 2019
- Recommendations second for introducing gameplay to new viewers
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- Figure 30: Source of introduction to esports and watching gameplay, April 2019
Interest in Esports among Non-viewers
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- Three quarters of non-viewing gamers are not interested in esports
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- Figure 31: Interest in watching or playing esports for current non-viewers, April 2019
- Uninterested gamers cite lack of understanding in esports’ appeal
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- Figure 32: Reasons for lack of interest in esports, April 2019
Esports as a Professional Sport
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- Opinion weighted against esports as a legitimate sport
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- Figure 33: Opinions on esport as a professional sport, April 2019
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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