Video gaming: time for e-sports to level-up
Electronic sports (e-sports) have taken over the world as a new kind of pastime and, as such, they are faced with the not-so-new challenges and opportunities of the related IP assets.
The creative economy has grown significantly, particularly the gaming industry. According to a Newzoo survey, there was a 20% growth in the e-sports audience in the Brazilian market, reaching 21.2 million fans in 2019. Brazil ranks third in the world in number of enthusiastic fans, losing only to the US and China (see footnote 1).
There are different kinds of e-sports, reflecting the variety of games played. Players impersonate mythical creatures, futuristic humans, and many more forms. There are always new games on the market but some of the most popular e-sports have been played for years including, for example: “League of Legends” (LOL, developed by Riot Games), “Overwatch” (developed by Blizzard), and “Counter Strike: Global Offense” (developed by Valve).
E-sports teams play regional, national and even international championships. A notable Brazilian team, Fúria, is currently ranked as the seventh best team in the world, according to HLTV.org (see 2).
The MIBR team, which currently has only Brazilian players, was the champion of 2018’s Zotac Cup Masters. MIBR’s Gabriel Toledo, known by the in-game name “FalleN”, was the most valuable player of the Zotac Cup, and was once MIBR’s captain, or “in-game leader”.
Some Brazilian sports associations have already spotted how e-sports are rentable investments. That is the case of Flamengo’s e-sports team, structured to play LoL, which currently counts among its ranks the notable Brazilian LoL pro-player, Felipe “BRTT” Gonçalves.
Streaming is a huge part of this market. The events are usually streamed in official channels online, but it is not unusual for game companies to do deals to play live events in stadiums and cinemas.
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