Top 10 Esports Facts & Next Big Trend 2023

esports also known as the electronic sport has been a growing market in recent years, thanks to the boom of technology. With the intense and immersive gaming effects, esports entertainment has taken over the world, and transformed into competitive gameplay.  So what exactly is eSports? And why esports became so popular and what’s the fun facts behind it? In this article, Ugrado will unveil some esports facts that are going to blow your mind and increase your esports knowledge. 

Top 10 esports facts 

1. History behind eSports

Esports is the tournament and battle of video games, between individuals or teams, competing with each other to win. Esports expanded to various game genres, including Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA);First-Person Shooter (FPS);Real-Time Strategy (RTS); Sports games; Fighting games and much more. 

2. The rise of Cyber Athletes

Cyber athletes, also known as professional esports players, are an extremely new form of athlete. Instead of actually being involved and competing in a sports event, cyber athletes compete in the digital sport world. A successful cyber athlete must possess a diverse skill set, such as exceptional gaming skills,precise timing, rapid reflexes,hand-eye coordination, strategic thinking, stress management, physical and mental stamina to handle a long rally game and more. 

3. Lucrative esports industry 

Esports has evolved from a teenager’s hobby into a billion-dollar industry. Based on the online report, the global eSports market was valued at more than 1.38 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, and is expected to grow to more than $1.5 billion revenue in 2023. Asia countries like China and North America projected a sum of revenue from the esports market. And China has reached 31.7% of global mobile games revenue and 33.4% of global PC games revenue in 2022. 

4. Massive Prize Pools

Esports tournaments often offer jaw-dropping prize pools to attract players and a global fanbase to participate in the tournament. The International, a Dota 2 championship, holds the record for the largest prize pool in esports history, with over $40 million up for grabs in a single tournament. Here are some other esports tournaments with massive prize pools:

• The League of Legends World Championship prize pool is expected to be around $2.25 million- $3 million.
• Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) Global Championship 2023 in Copenhagen with a prize pool of $4 million.
• PUBG Mobile Global Championship — $4.5 million
• The International 12 ( annual Dota 2 esports tournament) is expecting to have a $25 million to $30 million prize pool this year for the Dota 2 world champion team

5.  Highest earning esports player

N0tail (Johan Sundstein) is the highest earning esports player ever in the world, with more than 7.18millions US dollars earnings from 130 tournaments as of February 2023. N0tail won the back-to-back champion titles as a member of OG,  from the famous DOTA 2 The International tournament (2018 & 2019), making him the highest-earning e-sports player in the world.

6. The League of Legends World Championship of 2019 Viewership 

The "League of Legends" World Championship brought in more than 100 million viewers, including a peak of 44 million concurrent viewers, during the competition's final round on November 10. This viewership even broke the record of  Super Bowl 2019.

7. "Space Invaders Championship"

 "Space Invaders Championship '' is the first known esports tournament in the history of esports, also the key driver in the evolution of video game culture. The tournament was first held in 1980 across the United States, organised by Atari the video game brand.  The tournament took place at local arcades, top scorers from each arcade competed for high scores and moved to the next round, ultimately competing in the final game to win the champion title.

8.  Esports has become a major field of academic study

Esports has become a career path, with professional players, coaches, analysts, and even casters who provide live commentary during matches. Some colleges and universities worldwide even offer scholarships for esports athletes, recognizing the growing importance of competitive gaming.

9.  The First Esports Tournament 

The First Esports Tournament Happened In 1972 and it’s now been 51 years since the first ever esports tournament took place,hosted by Stanford University for the game Spacewar on the PDP-1 computer.

    10. Esports team with members all over 60

Who says esports only for youngsters? There is a professional Counter Strike team with the members’ average ages that are more than 60. The senior team- Silver Snipers is made up of players between 64 to 76 years old, and they have won the Seniors World Cup, defeating Germany, USA and Finland.

Summary

The esports industry has transformed into a world of entertainment and is constantly evolving. In order to keep up with this latest trend, it is essential to stay ahead of all the latest esport trends and news.

Follow Ugrado to get the first-hand news about iGaming, esports, live casino and much more. Want to get featured and advertise in Ugrado? Click here to find out!