Future eSports Trends To Watch
When it comes to identifying the biggest success stories of the 21st century, you would be hard-pushed to beat the progress made by the eSports industry. Here are some eSports trends to look out for.
Competitive gaming has been around since the 1970s, but it hasn’t been until the last few years when it could be described as truly crossing into the mainstream.
The global eSports market is currently worth around $1.4 billion – a staggering amount for a genre that was initially dismissed as a passing fad.
With analysts forecasting the market will grow to around $5.5bn by 2029, the eSports sector is clearly set to enjoy some exciting times over the next few years.
Read on as we look at some of the future eSports trends worth monitoring, starting with one which could have a decisive impact on the trajectory taken by the genre.
ESIC To Step Up Fight Against Corruption
Much like many traditional sports have experienced, increased revenues in eSports have presented significant challenges relating to competitive integrity.
The eSports Integrity Commission (ESIC) works with key stakeholders to eliminate such issues, particularly with regards to match manipulation and betting fraud.
Increased interest in eSports from online gambling brands is viewed as being crucial to the future success of the industry as a whole.
Attempts to fix eSports matches have been prevented by ESIC and they have committed to stepping up their efforts to create a trustworthy landscape across the industry.
Crossovers Between eSports & Traditional Sports Will Increase
When eSports first showed signs of becoming a success, many people still thought it would struggle to co-exist alongside traditional sports such as football, motorsports and basketball.
Fast forward to today and the two sectors have become increasingly joined at the hip, as evidenced by the creation of numerous eSports series based on traditional sports.
These include the Champions League, Formula 1 and NBA, which has provided eSports with a much higher level of credibility in other associated sectors such as the gambling industry.
All of the top sportsbooks featured at bettingtop10.com/ie now offer odds on eSports, highlighting how the sector is viewed as a bona-fide associate to traditional sports.
eSports Technology Becoming Increasingly Sophisticated
With bumper prize pools up for grabs, it is inevitable that the leading eSports exponents want to give themselves a competitive edge wherever possible.
The days where a one-size-fits-all approach to peripherals has become a thing of the past, with technology companies now focused on developing custom-made eSports products.
3D printing technology is increasingly being used to make items such as ergonomic gaming mice and gaming chairs to optimise player comfort and control.
Virtual reality (VR) headsets are another product where demand for personalisation is increasing, and this could massively impact how eSports are played over the next few years.
