For several years now, eSports has been touted as the next big thing in marketing. ESports is now a multimillion dollar industry with mainstream brands such as HTC, Monster Energy and Mercedes, and celebrities like Shaquille O’Neal, Will Ferrell and Steve Aoki heavily involved.

As I briefly mentioned in a previous article, the popular misconception that gamers are solitary creatures with no market impact is, quite simply, wrong. ESports and gaming should no longer be considered as merely a hobby, it would be more accurate to describe it as a cultural phenomenon.

According to Newzoo, gaming enthusiasts are on average 31 years old, with disposable income and there are close to 200 million of them. They are very engaged, but savvy and use methods like ad blockers, which makes them not easy to reach by traditional advertising and marketing. This is why eSports can be such an important marketing channel for mainstream brands and products to reach this audience.

Why Are ESports So Popular?

The rise in eSports popularity and crossover into the mainstream is partly due to technological advances. The sophistication of games has grown significantly and the introduction of the internet has made gaming more of a social experience.

Media coverage of eSports competitions is available on several different platforms, with replays as well as live streaming available. Twitch.tv, the leading eSports streaming site has more peak internet traffic than anyone except Google, Netflix and Apple. Users of the site watch an average of 421.6 minutes per month, 44% more than those that watch YouTube.

In addition to this, outside of competitions, coverage of eSports has become a “co-creation experience”. Streams on Twitch.tv usually consist of a screenshare of the broadcaster playing a game, with livechat. In the livechat, viewers can comment, make suggestions and ask questions. This lets them interact with other gamers, learn and improve their own gameplay, and to actually influence in-game decisions of the broadcaster. This shift from passive to active consumption of the media is an important distinction for marketers and advertisers.

ESports is accessible to everyone with an internet connection and a device on which to watch. The same can be said for gaming itself. Anyone can participate and with enough dedication and practice it is possible to consistently improve skill levels.

We see ongoing developments continually improving the eSports experience for both gamers and spectators. Innovations such as Sliver.tv’s patented VR technology which brings 360 views to traditional 2D eSports PC content or Valve’s Dota2 Hub offering a VR theatre for streaming matches from The International have is helping eSports become a more immersive experience.

League of Legends ESL

With 65% of U.S. households having a gaming device (Statista) and 1.2 billion people playing games worldwide (Spil Games), ESports already have a built-in consumer base. There are also more measures being brought in to increase interest amongst those new to eSports such as newcomers’ streams and beginners’ guides. ESports is now more accessible than ever before.

Peter Warman of sports analysts Newzoo, says “Esports has the potential to become one of the top five sports in the world. That will take maybe five years”. For marketers, this one of those times where we can see the future and have the opportunity to shape it.

Embacing this future, EIP is developing a platform which will allow the direct interaction between brands, community and consumers in the eSports ecosphere.

For more information on the EIP Platform, click here.