There are many benefits gamers can enjoy from playing video games, from immersive storylines and beautiful graphics to an avenue for healthy and friendly competition. The eSports industry has rapidly grown over the past few years. In 2022, the global esports market was valued at $1.88 billion and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 26.8% from 2023 to 2030. This market growth is attributed to the increase in live streaming of games, increased investments, viewership, engagement, and further investments in infrastructure for eSports tournaments.
By now, the eSports industry hosts a variety of profitable opportunities for gamers and video game enthusiasts who want to participate in its growing ecosystem. This includes influencers, event organizers, and game developers who want to work in the video game and eSports industry. Market research also indicates that millennials consider eSports a professional and lucrative career option. At the same time, institutions like colleges and universities like Ohio State University and Becker College in Massachusetts have also invested in the growing industry by providing dedicated eSports programs to develop skilled professionals.
Whether you’re a gaming enthusiast or just interested in how video games and eSports work behind the scenes, there has never been a better time to be a part of the ecosystem. In this post, we’ll look at some of the many opportunities available in the eSports industry depending on your skillset and preferences:
eSports professional
When you think of eSports, this category is likely the first to come to mind — being paid to play video games professionally. Today, some of the highest-earning players rack up millions of dollars annually by playing their respective video game titles at the highest level possible. In 2023, the highest-earning player was Team Spirit’s Ilya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk, who earned approximately $1.41 million in the year playing official Dota2 tournaments like The International and Riyadh Masters.
Aside from earning from prize winnings, eSports pros also get many benefits from sponsorship deals and brand partnerships as they represent high performance and skill in their games. Some eSports pros also double as content creators or streamers to build their personal branding outside their professional image. Of course, with streaming and video platforms like Twitch and YouTube, this means an additional income stream through ads and more sponsors. However, it’s important to note that becoming an eSports professional takes a lot of time and resources, and most professionals start out very young.
eSports organization management
Suppose you’re still interested in the competitive aspect of eSports and gaming but may not be able to pursue a career as a professional player. In that case, you may want to consider org management. In a previous post, we highlighted the professional eSports organization Talon Esports, which has made a significant presence in Asian eSports. Today, Talon boasts multiple talented rosters across various eSports titles. The organization’s teams actively participate in regional and international competitions for popular eSports games like League of Legends, Overwatch, and Valorant.
eSports organizations play a huge role in putting professional players on the map as they help represent these talents and can also provide other lucrative opportunities within eSports. For example, aside from partnering with individual players, some gaming-related brands choose to partner with organizations as a whole. Managing an eSports organization lets you be in charge of handling these logistics as well as ensuring you make the right business and roster moves to put your organization and teams on their best foot. eSports organizations today also typically engage in content creation to boost fan engagement.
eSports betting
Outside of competitive play, fans and eSports enthusiasts — much like in traditional sports — are always passionate about showing their support for their favorite teams and players. They can do this by buying merch and attending live eSports events. Some others choose to support teams and players in other ways, such as eSports betting. Today, the eSports betting market makes up the largest segment of the global eSports industry. Fans and bettors wager on favored teams or players to win specific eSports events and tournaments like football fans would with the Super Bowl.
Of course, eSports and traditional betting have a few key differences. These eSports betting tips highlight specific eSports betting odds that bookmakers provide, including the Decimal, Fractional, and American betting odds. Bookmakers often calculate these eSports odds based on a team or player’s prior performance or statistics. Of course, betting is always risky and should be done responsibly, so be sure to do your own research and not rely too much on bookmaker odds.
eSports organizing
Finally, another lucrative opportunity in the growing industry is eSports organizing. A lot of work, labor, and resources go into running successful eSports events, and the stakes are higher the bigger a tournament is. Nowadays, some game developers like EA Sports or Riot Games have their in-company eSports departments in charge of planning and executing official eSports events. These often take place regionally in various countries, culminating in one or several major championships in designated countries annually. If you’re interested in a lot of behind-the-scenes work, eSports organizing may be for you. This ranges from camerawork for live streams to technical aspects like hardware and stage management, as well as eSports talents like casters and analysts.
Some eSports tournament organizers also run funding rounds to help them grow and expand to more countries for future tournaments. eSports tournament organizer BLAST, which is often involved with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Counter-Strike 2 major tournaments, raised over $13.7 million in 2023 thanks to a number of investors. The organization also works with known game publishers to host and produce eSports events worldwide, including Valve, Ubisoft, and Epic Games.
Ultimately, there are many routes one can take to participate and contribute to the thriving eSports ecosystem. Regardless of your age and skillset, if you’re passionate about video games and the adrenaline-pumping scene of eSports tournaments, you can find various lucrative opportunities in the industry.
