Esports gaming is a fast-growing industry that allows gamers to play competitively all over the world. The games are not limited to any one console – PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and even classic arcade games are included. Similar to professional athletes, Esports gamers can win large pools of money and even gain sponsorship from global brands for winning tournaments.

Esports stands for electronic sports and refers to competitive, organized video-gaming. Individual gamers or teams in leagues face off in hundreds of different games, not limited to the likes of Fortnite, Call of Duty, FIFA, and League of Legends. Gamers grow huge followings and are watched by millions of fans all across the globe during live events or through online streaming. Many popular players use streaming services like Twitch to allow fans to watch them play in real time, even if there is no active competition.

While the new surge in popularity of esports is recent, the industry is not brand new. Technological improvements have fuelled esports since its inception, and the industry has come a very long way.

The first tournament actually happened in 1972 at Stanford University, where students competed in Space War. In 1980 the first video game competition was held and over 10,000 gamers attended to play Space Invaders. The next major event in esports history was in 1997 for the Red Annihilation tournament that is often regarded as the world’s first esports event.

According to a study conducted by Newzoo, a market analytics firm, the esports industry will exceed $1 Billion in 2019. In addition, they expect over 450 million viewers to watch esports through various outlets. To put this rapid growth into perspective, in 2017 the League of Legends broke records by drawing 80 million viewers around the world – significantly less than what we are seeing today.

This rapid growth is great for not just gamers, but also for businesses. Franchises like FIFA and Madden have seen exponential growth as a result of esports tournaments and publicity, and it appears that this trend will only accelerate and continue.

The games played in professional competitions are usually first-person shooters (FPS) like Call of Duty, virtual sports like FIFA or Madden, real-time strategy (RTS) series’ like Warcraft III, and multiplayer online battle arena games (MOBA) like League of Legends. There are even Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. tournaments!

Battle Royale, however, is one of the fastest-growing and most popular genres when it comes to worldwide competitions and the number of viewers. This type of video game mixes elements of survival end exploration with a last-man-standing style of gameplay. They are typically played with a large number of online players, and you can battle individually against everyone else, or in squads against other teams.

The most well-known of its kind is Fortnite Battle Royale, which broke away from the traditional paid-game business model. It offers cross-platform support and is free to play, and is the main reason for the boom in battle royale popularity. Fortnite’s publicity has skyrocketed alongside the popularity of online game streaming, with support from major celebrities like the rapper Drake. Even professional athletes, including football and NFL players, borrow celebration dances from the game. This serves to further its appeal to all types of gamers and increase its cultural relevance.

Another hugely popular game around the world is FIFA. Football fans everywhere continue to be important supporters of esports, making up a vast amount of the viewer and player base. Major football leagues are even setting up their own esports teams, including Virtual La Liga, eMLS, and ePL. Individual clubs like Barcelona FC and Manchester City are signing FIFA esports players to build their own teams that will compete in tournaments!

Although esports in the UK is not as well-renowned as other countries in Asia and North America, the popularity of competitive gaming and streaming is steadily growing. This is primarily due to the increasing visibility of esports on platforms like BBC Three and efforts from organizations like the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE).

In 2012 Gfinity was formed by gamers to help esports in the UK rise to professional levels and to provide an arena for gamers to compete in. They cater to everyone from casual players to the gaming elite and hold daily online tournaments as well as events in their arena. This organization was so successful and attracted so many investors that they are even listed on the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (LON:GFIN).

The support for esports is sure to develop further with the rise of the ePL, which is the Premiere League’s esports team. Twenty teams within the Premiere League have also begun employing professional gamers, encouraging more players to support their favourite teams and join the world of esports.

This year’s ePL champion was Donovan Hunt, who is also known as F2 TekKz and is a rising star in the ESports world. The British teenager is a competitive FIFA player who has risen to the top of global standings and whose following continues to grow exponentially. Although we are not even halfway through 2019, Donovan has already earned more than six figures – a number that will only rise as the year goes on.

Although football is very popular in the UK, there are also other distinguished esports teams in other genres. Fnatic is based in London and is one of the most famous international esports brands. They were founded in 2004 and participate in eight different games including League of Legends and DOTA 2. A new team that has rapidly ascended the rankings within Gfinity is Endpoint, which is currently the highest-ranked British Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team. Another well-respected group is Dignitas, who has a solid history across many different esports.

While the boom in esports is great for franchises and professional gamers, there are also tons of benefits for the casual player. One of the coolest trends popping up all over the UK is gaming bars – basically your traditional bar or pub but with gaming consoles available for people to use. It is encouraging players to meet their friends and play at the local bar rather than playing alone at home.

This is a great way for casual gamers to access consoles that they may not own, and many bars will incentivize players to come in by offering exclusive access events for games before their release dates. Groups of friends can come in to play a round of Mario Kart while enjoying some beers or even participate in the pub’s tournament to win some free drinks or cash. It’s a win-win!