What does the rest of the decade have in store for eSports?

There’s no questioning the progress made by the eSports sector during the last ten years, with the players, teams, and competitions now firmly entrenched not only as a part of gaming culture, but also the wider sporting marketplace.

Whilst it’s satisfying to reflect on the exceptional growth of the last decade, it’s perhaps more exciting to ponder what the future might hold, and the steps eSports could take in order to become further established as part of global entertainment culture.

In this article, we will examine what the rest of the decade may have in store for eSports, and the areas where the industry could make further headway.

Marketplace engagement

One of the other factors behind eSports’ recent rise has been its engagement with other marketplaces typically connected to traditional sport. One example of this is the online gambling industry, with many leading betting platforms now offering a range of esports markets.

The range of markets available includes match and tournament betting, as well as the outcome of longer seasons and competitions. This has helped expose eSports to a wider traditional audience, especially as the online gambling sector grows its audience in North America.

It's clear that developments in the industry across the USA and Canada have enabled fans to engage with eSports through betting. You can read this great article by Bonus.CA to learn more about the platforms available, and you’ll quickly see how much the industry has grown, to the point where the majority of online casinos offer some form of betting across the sector.

A maturing audience

eSports is a source of fascination to many outsiders due to the average age of elite competitors. Many of the world’s best esports players are yet to turn 20 and, although many choose to retire from competition at a relatively early age, it’s inevitable that the average age of players will rise.

Keeping players in the game for longer is one way that esports can grow its participation numbers at a much faster rate. While sports like football, basketball, and baseball generally dictate that stars hit their athletic peak in their mid-20s, there are no so such barriers in esports.

eSports should work harder to engage with older players and seek to challenge the perception that the games and competitions are aimed exclusively at teenagers, and those born after the turn of the century.

Retro-active

The selection of games that occupy the esports marketplace is gradually growing all the time, but it is interesting to consider the potential for consciously growing the range to include a broader selection of genres and even console generations.

Naturally, it’s the latest games that usually attract the best players, but there is a growing audience for retro gaming, with titles on the original PlayStation and Xbox consoles still retaining a cult following. With this in mind, it will be interesting to see whether or not esports can capitalize on gamers’ passions for classic titles and create new competitions that engage with a whole different category of player.

eSports’ growth during the last ten years has been remarkable to witness, but it’s clear that there remains enormous potential for further growth, and it is truly exciting to ponder what the next ten years may have in store.