e-sports

a.k.a. electronic sports, esports, competitive video gaming, professional video gaming, pro gaming

A form of competition that is facilitated by electronic systems, particularly video games, it's actually professional video-game players competing for prize money in front of often huge audiences.

E-sports take the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players. The most common video game genres are real-time strategy, fighting, first-person shooter (FPS), and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA). Tournaments such as The International, the League of Legends World Championship, the Evolution Championship Series and the Intel Extreme Masters provide live broadcasts of the competition, and prize money to competitors.

Historical perspective: In 2013, it was estimated that approximately 71.5 million people worldwide watched e-sports. Demographically, Major League Gaming has reported viewership that is approximately 85% male and 15% female, with a majority of viewers between the ages of 18 and 34. South Korea has several established e-sports organizations, which have licensed pro gamers since the year 2000. By 2015, the global eSports market generated US$325 million of revenue. And in 2018, NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan invested in e-sports startup Axiomatic Gaming; e-sports revenues in 2018 were likely to hit more than $900 million, and competitions are now big enough to pack audiences into venues like Madison Square Garden.

NetLingo Classification: Online Business

Updates