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ESports: The Silver Lining of the Pandemic

Marc Webb
Sep 28, 2020
2 min read

KEYBOARD. There is a glowing keyboard on a table with wires everywhere. It is used to play E-Sports. © Tapia

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic to most countries around the world has caused the vast majority of people to remain inside the comfort of their own home. With most people staying at home, the usual outdoor activities spent with others or otherwise have been put on hold. The lack of the ability to enjoy activities outdoors or with friends in one place has led to online activities and hobbies to prosper and flourish. One prominent example would be eSports or more popularly known as online gaming which has been on the rise ever since the pandemic has started.

Gaming has provided the people with an engaging distraction throughout the pandemic. With gaming’s wide variety, flexibility, and accessibility, most, if not all people, may be able to find a game that they love and enjoy. Furthermore, it allows interactions with friends, family, or even strangers online at the comfort of their own homes, away from the risks of contracting the virus. Millions of new consumers have arrived at the gaming business because of this, exponentially increasing the market of the gaming industry with higher demands for video games and a rise of awareness for esports.

Alongside with the rise of numbers among the consumers of online gaming, the number of investors and sponsors for the gaming industry has risen immensely as well. Myriad of investors and sponsors have shown interest towards gaming because of its resilience to many of the setbacks that other industries can’t avoid. Given its current situation, we can expect the esports or gaming industry to continue to rise during this pandemic, as more and more people decide to rely on online gaming as a distraction or to pass some time during the day while in quarantine.

With the number of consumers, investors, and sponsors growing at a rapid pace, the revenue of the gaming industry has risen tremendously. The global video game market is forecast to be around 159 Billion USD in 2020. Given its forecast value, it is expected to be around four times the revenue of the box office which is 43 Billion USD in 2019, and almost three times the revenue of the music industry of 57 Billion USD in 2019. The gaming industry market has risen dramatically in the Asia-Pacific region which is now its biggest market, comprising 50% of the gaming industry’s market.

The eSports or gaming market is the silver lining during the pandemic. Unlike the large blow that many industries took to their market, the gaming industry’s market revenue continues to rise tremendously during this pandemic. Moreover, people are able to enjoy the exhilarating experience of playing video games either by themselves or with their friends despite being isolated in their homes. The gaming industry has provided everyone with the means to be able to enjoy despite the troublesome situation everyone is currently in.