Why have esports been attracting much more attention today than even a few years ago?

There are several reasons why esports have been attracting much more attention today than even a few years ago, including a growing awareness of the global presence and size of this market, an abundance of affordable streaming services like Twitch that allow users to easily access content whenever they want it, and massive investments in esports franchises.

Growing awareness of esports

One of the most important factors contributing to esports' exponential growth is increasing awareness of this subculture. This can be seen through the growing number of people interested in esports in some shape or form, even if they are not necessarily playing or watching themselves.

Growing awareness is also shown through the increased number of people interested in betting on esports, which is now a lucrative part of the betting business. This field is somewhat unique to other sports betting in that, for one, all relevant events happen entirely online, giving bettors convenient access to all needed data and streams. Furthermore, esports betting events are available year-round regardless of external factors such as weather conditions that affect many “traditional” sporting events.

Moreover, many non-sporting brands have begun to invest in esports and are now sponsoring esports events. For example, Coca-Cola, Toyota, and Intel are just a few brands that have become a strong presence in esports and have even created special esports campaigns to promote their products and services.

Popularity of streaming services like Twitch

Streaming services like Twitch have made esports even more accessible and easier to broadcast to a global audience. By broadcasting on Twitch, players can receive ad revenue, accumulate followers, and build their own personal brands. Game developers and publishers can use Twitch to promote their games, offer exclusive content to viewers, and receive feedback from the community. Twitch has played a crucial role in the growth of esports, as it has allowed players to become celebrities almost instantly and has enabled game developers and publishers to promote their games in new ways.

With the rise of esports, many gaming communities have been created to connect fans and gamers. These communities have helped further grow the popularity of streaming services like Twitch by allowing users to create their own channels and broadcast gaming content. Furthermore, platforms like Discord have made it even easier for Twitch broadcasters to grow their audience.

Growth in video game franchise investments

The gaming industry was valued at $200 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow to $340 billion in the next five years. Naturally, increasingly more investors and venture capitalists are investing in gaming franchises to profit from this growing market.

Some of the most popular game franchises attracting growing attention from investors include Fortnite, League of Legends, and Overwatch.

Traditional sports franchises have also been investing in esports, which has helped increase awareness of esports and contributed to the market's rapid growth. One of the most notable esports franchises that have been attracting attention from investors is the Overwatch League — a professional esports league created by Activision Blizzard to promote the Overwatch game and generate more revenue from the franchise.