Sports for the Young or Aged? The Rise of Esports in the UK
Esports and online gaming is a vast industry nowadays. Many people are baffled by this surge in the esports industry, and many celebrate its success. Traditionally, it's football, cricket and rugby ruling in the stadiums across the UK, but esports could be giving them a run for their money in future.
Esports has become much bigger and better in the last 10 years in the UK - with more tournaments and other events hosted yearly.
The Rise of Esports: An Overview
Esports has gained popularity since the 2000s, and millennials are taking it to new heights. Video games are known to provide comfort and help many people de-stress. Video games allow us to take risks without damage to our real lives, and the social risk is also really low compared to the real world. In short, it provides millennials with a safe space to fail and offers an escape from reality.
The autonomy and independence that come in a virtual world - whether it is accumulating wealth and power or unlocking new abilities - have no bounds. While video games are a lot of fun, they also give us a sense of success and self-actualisation.
Virtual worlds like the metaverse are pushing formats and how gamers interact. As the industry changes and grows, so too does demand - so much so that we're now seeing gaming-related courses in college and university curriculums, with more emphasis on game development and graphics.
More People Getting Involved than Ever
It's fascinating how many older people have started gaming recently. Before now, esports and gaming were viewed as something for the younger generation only, but it might surprise you to know that more middle-aged people are involved than their younger counterparts. An ExpressVPN article reports that people in their 30s and 40s are more likely to play games than any other age group. After conducting a survey, it revealed that people in their late 20s and early 40s are more hooked to video games than teenagers and those in their early 20s.
Many people view online gaming as a means to relax and use it as a healthy coping mechanism after a long day at work. And, since those older age groups are more likely to be in full-time employment, this might explain the spread of ages. Besides being a great way to de-stress, many admit that it also takes them back to their childhood and teenage years when video games were all the rage. It may be that, back then, they could not afford games consoles and games but now they're more able to use their money to invest in gaming.
Investment and Income in this Industry Have Increased Exponentially.
According to a survey by Uswitch in their Online Gaming Statistics 2023, 65% of 8- to 17-year-olds admitted that online games were a huge part of their lives. This is a massive chunk of the UK's population.
As such, more people are likely to invest in this industry since it is booming with no sign of decline. Marketing and sponsorships are growing for esports, creating even more of an influx of money and demand.
There is a massive market for esports, and many people and online gamers have even turned it into their own personal revenue and income scheme by creating their own YouTube or Twitch channels.
What's Next for Esports?
Esports' next big leap is likely to be into mass media coverage. Televised events - whether through subscription services or terrestrial channels - are an obvious move for the industry.
With this move, we might see a scramble for sponsorship and venue deals as brands seek to capitalise on the massive potential to get eyes on their products.
Specific games are likely to gain even more popularity as their exposure hits an even wider market and, with this, some game developers could be catapulted to the lofty heights of megabrands such as Apple. Only time will tell!
