Esports is the fastest growing theme in the gaming sector. Although esports currently caters to a niche audience, especially compared to mainstream sports, the global audience of esports is estimated to be over 318 million in 2025, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, “Esports and Sports Sector – Thematic Intelligence,” reveals that the global esports industry was valued at more than $1.4 billion in 2022.

Olivia Snooks, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The esports sector has experienced exponential growth, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, where everything moved online. As esports is moving in the direction of mobile gaming, 2024 is expected to see the introduction of many new esports titles, aiming to boost the industry revenue.”

The number of people watching live esports on streaming platforms is rising. This is attributable to the increasing popularity of esports among the general esports audience globally. In order to meet this demand for live-streaming esports audiences, game publishers, league franchises, and event organizers will need to invest in building esports stadiums.

Snooks continues: “The future of esports will see it move away from being majority online gaming, which was especially present during the COVID-19 pandemic. Live-streamed games are becoming more and more popular with the esports fanbase and with live competitions being held all over the world. Not only is this more engaging for the fans, but also allows the gamers to watch their favorite professional gamers and implement their in-game tactics into their own gameplay.”

The Olympic organizing body, the International Olympic Committee suggested towards the end of 2023 that it was exploring plans to create an Olympic Esports Games. The younger generations have a new way of thinking, and they live their lives very digitally. Introducing esports to the Olympic movement could potentially expose esports to an audience who never would have watched the Olympics otherwise.

Snooks concludes: “The rise of esports cannot be ignored. The path of growth that esports has experienced is similar to that of the rise of action sports. Like esports, action sports have attracted a different audience to the traditional sports audience. Many would argue esports is not a legitimate sport, however, with the audiences it generates, it would attract a whole new audience to the Olympics.”