The Influence of Esports

Part of the reason that the gaming industry is so popular is the existence of esports. Yes, single-player masterpieces like the Mass Effect series, The Witcher 3, or the Dark Souls franchise make fantastic leaps and bounds for the gaming industry. But esports have a unique, consistent element to them that turns casual fans hardcore: more than playing video games, gamers in the world also love competition.

Between industry juggernauts like Fortnite, League of Legends, CS:GO, and Dota 2, their business models have revolutionized free-to-play competitive gaming. The tournaments, brand deals, in-game events, and purchasable cosmetics have turned these games from simple, fun experiences to dedicated, multi-faceted, multi-talented communities of professionals, players, and fans. Beyond that, with the popularization of mobile games, the global population that play video games has drastically shifted up