Esports, or electronic sports, is fast becoming a new star in the sports broadcasting and entertainment industry. Simply put, the term 'esports' refers to competitive gaming on a professional scale. The Fortnite World Cup and League of Legends World Championship series are some of the most anticipated events to take place in 2020. In July 2019, the Fortnite World Cup took place at the sold-out Arthur Ashe Stadium, with over 2 million people worldwide watching the live gameplay. With the news that solo tournament winner Kyle Giersdorf took home a handsome $3 million prize pool, eSports has gone even further into the mainstream and cannot be ignored.
The rise of online streaming platforms such as Twitch, YouTube, and Mixer has become a central component of the foundation and subsequent promotion of professional gaming tournaments worldwide. Streaming platforms have done wonders for the esports industry by allowing access and viewer engagement on an unrestricted global level through online features like Stream Chat.
Stream chat allows viewers to engage in healthy (or unhealthy) discussions and interact with other spectators. It is one of the major differences between broadcasting Esports and broadcasting traditional sports such as the Premier League. Regardless of platform, expect to see stream chat when you choose to watch eSports streams. The streamer may acknowledge the comments in this chat in real time to please viewers looking up at the comments. This engagement model can be addictive, and you will often find communities of creators or specific games and fans with a strong sense of belonging that is not offered by most traditional 스포츠중계 formats.
Also, streamers looking to ride the esports industry's wave face relatively little resistance in doing so. A streaming setup requires only a webcam, microphone, and screen recording software. Then there's the matter of choosing which platform to stream on. Anyone truly committed to the art of streaming eSports can become a Twitch Partner. Twitch deserves special recognition and promotions from Twitch, which was acquired by Amazon for $970 million in 2014. These statuses mean that both beginners and advanced players take eSports streaming seriously and gain a following and sponsorship opportunities along the way.
2020 will see esports break even more boundaries. Newzoo predicts that global esports revenue will exceed $1.6 billion in 2021. Merchandise, sponsorships, and team salaries will all be exciting developments as audiences become more and more invested in the phenomenon of esports broadcasting. Consumers can choose from an infinite catalog of streamers playing almost infinite types of games on a handful of different platforms. This selection will only expand in 2020, with the possibility of more platforms and more games incorporating esports elements into the development process.
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