- Press Release -

Rockville, Md. The global eSports market is set to reach around US$ 400 Mn by 2022 on steady growth, according to Fact.MR. As live events and streams bring competitive gaming to broadcasters and media, entertainment companies and brands are tapping a favourite pastime of millennials and digital natives, accelerating the convergence of gaming with established industries.

Online play leads by design mode, real-time strategy is the top genre, and institutional buyers are the most lucrative segment. North America dominates the market.

Modes, Genres and Buyers

Online is the largest design mode at about 50% of revenue, though it loses 114 basis points of share by 2022 as local area network play, the fastest-growing mode, gains ground. By genre, real-time strategy holds the largest revenue share with racing on a similar growth path, and fighting games rank second. Among buyers, institutional is the most lucrative, nearing US$ 200 Mn by 2022, while the promotional segment grows fastest.

North America's dominance looks set to hold, supported by its strong teams, openness to non-endemic sponsorships and hosting of many of the world's largest leagues and tournaments, which draw substantial sponsorship money.

Media and Sponsorship Drive Demand

The market runs on audience and investment. As publishers build out franchises to engage existing fans and attract new ones, and as media and advertising money flows in, eSports grows as a standalone business, often with white-label organisers helping publishers stage leagues and events.

Suppliers and Their Playbook

The field brings together game publishers and platform owners.

• Valve Corporation, Zynga Inc., Activision Blizzard Inc., Tencent Holdings Limited, GungHo Online Entertainment, Inc., Nintendo Co., Ltd., Electronic Arts Inc., Microsoft Corporation, and Sony Corporation are among the key players in the report.

Reading the Market for Decisions

For publishers, growth favours franchise-building and sponsorship-friendly events. Investors get a fast-emerging market with steady, media-led demand. Procurement and sponsorship teams can plan around institutional buyers carrying volume, real-time strategy leading genres, and North America offering the largest opportunity through 2022.

About the Report

Fact.MR's study covers the global eSports market for the 2017 to 2022 forecast period, with segmentation by design mode, genre, buyer type and region. It sizes each segment, maps the competitive field, and weighs the demand forces shaping the market. Further detail is available in the eSports market report.

About Fact.MR

Fact.MR is a market research and consulting agency with deep expertise in emerging market intelligence. The firm is known for its syndicated research, custom research and consulting solutions, helping clients make decisions on demand, competition, investment, procurement and future growth.