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The Rise of eSports

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In the ever-evolving landscape of entertainment, few industries have witnessed a meteoric rise quite like eSports. What once started as a niche in the gaming world has now grown into a global sensation, captivating both amateur and professional players with its competitive events, life-changing cash prizes, and viewership figures in the hundreds of millions. Domain and hosting experts Fasthosts has compiled a brief overview of the rise of eSports, and competitive gaming throughout the years, and where the future may take the industry.
The Start of Competitive Gaming
eSports, at its core, revolves around competitive video gaming, and has experienced exponential growth over the past five decades. The earliest known gaming competition stems back to 1972, when Stanford University hosted a contest featuring the science fiction rocket game ‘Spacewar’. The event – orchestrated by sports reporter Stewart Brand – showcased the potential of video games as an “exhilarating spectator sport”, setting the stage for what was to come.
The Slow but Steady Rise
For several decades, the popularity of eSports experienced a gradual rise. In the pre-internet era, arcade tournaments provided the battleground for players, with magazines and record books recognising top players’ achievements. The 1990s marked a turning point as gaming tournaments began to gain traction, offering increasingly substantial prize pools. The technological advancements in video game consoles, and internet and PC gaming paved the way for a prosperous decade for the industry. At the end of the 90s we saw the internet cafe boom where young players would meet and play together in PC cafes, which was the start of the strong youth social gaming culture you see today.
The New Millennium
It was the early 2000s that witnessed the true birth of eSports as leagues and tournaments started to take shape around iconic titles like CounterStrikeStarCraft, and Warcraft III. In 2001, the first World Cyber Games was held in Seoul. The tournament featured several popular games and attracted over 174,000 participants from 17 countries, making for an unexpected global success. In 2005, the CPL World Tour or Cyberathlete Professional League became the first event to have a prize pool offering over $1 million, demonstrating the start of life changing prizes that go hand in hand with competitive gaming.
Streaming Platforms: The Catalyst for Growth
From 2010 onwards, the world witnessed the revolutionary impact of online streaming platforms like Twitch.tv and Youtube Gaming, leading to skyrocketing eSports viewership figures. When Twitch launched, the ‘League of Legends’ world championship viewership figures went from 1.7 million in 2011 to 8.2 million in 2012, and to 32 million in 2013.
These streaming platforms connected fans worldwide, allowing them to tune into live events from home. The large viewing figures, advertising, and sponsorship opportunities led to investors starting their own teams, and household game developers creating leagues and tournaments. It became standard for eSports events to attract millions of viewers, and the landscape of competitive gaming had been transformed.
The Summit
In 2015, eSports reached a defining moment with The International 2015: Dota 2 Championships. The prize pool offered a staggering $18 million, breaking records and solidifying eSports’ place on the global stage. This marked a monumental shift, proving that tournaments could rival traditional sports events in terms of both prize money and profitability.
The New Decade: eSports Takes Centre Stage
As the calendar turned to the 2020s, eSports entered a new era. The decade began with some of the largest tournaments in history, attracting millions of spectators and providing the largest prize pools seen to date such as The 2021 International Dota 2 Championships which took place in Bucharest Romania, offering a $40,018,400.00 prize pool – the largest prize at the time.
By 2020, it had become increasingly common to see the term “professional eSports player” conceptualising the individuals dedicating their lives to competitive gaming, undergoing strict routines and training in the unique journey of becoming the world’s next best gaming athlete.
The Future
At present, the most-viewed tournaments are impressive spectacles in their own right, with titles like ‘Free Fire World Series’, ‘League of Legends’, and ‘Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’ drawing millions of viewers. Looking to the future, in August 2023, Saudi Arabian tournament organiser Gamers8 ran their ‘The Land of Heroes’ tournament with a colossal prize of $45 million dollars, a figure that we will see constantly being pushed higher in tournaments in following years. And according to BeyonGames .biz, the eSports market is estimated to grow at 21.81% between 2022 and 2027, with the size of the market expected to increase by $3,515.1 million.
The journey of competitive gaming from its humble beginnings to its current global standing is a testament to its enduring appeal and cultural impact. With its exhilarating competition and substantial rewards, eSports has become a true force in the entertainment world. As the industry continues to innovate and evolve, one thing remains clear: this isn’t just a passing trend. It’s a phenomenon that has permanently transformed the way we engage with and celebrate competitive gaming.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Amusnet Participates as Golden Sponsor in Bulgarian Diversity Charter’s Annual Meeting

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Amusnet has participated as a golden sponsor in the Bulgarian Diversity Charter’s annual meeting this May, organised by the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum (BBLF) and the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD).

The event attracted more than 90 representatives from the Charter community. Official guests were Lazar Lazarov, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Assoc. Prof. Ana Dzhumalieva, Chairperson of the Commission for Protection against Discrimination; Dimitar Markov, Director of the Legal Programme of CID; and Levon Hampartzoumian, Chairman of BFBL.

The meeting served as a powerful platform, uniting businesses and organisations dedicated to advancing workplace diversity and inclusion. This year’s gathering focused on the importance of values, featuring insightful discussions, invaluable networking opportunities and a prestigious ceremony with companies recognised for their unwavering commitment to these principles.

The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy gave a compelling speech on the importance of diversity and inclusion in today’s business landscape. He also participated in the certificate presentation ceremony, where over 30 were honoured with membership certificates. These new members join a community of forward-thinking organisations that advocate for various perspectives and fairness in Bulgaria and beyond.

The Charter encourages adopting inclusiveness, fostering a more welcoming business environment. It provides a platform for organisations to share best practices and collaborate on initiatives that promote equality and respect for all individuals, celebrating the richness of diverse perspectives and experiences.

The post Amusnet Participates as Golden Sponsor in Bulgarian Diversity Charter’s Annual Meeting appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Yggdrasil boosts UK presence with Lottomart launch

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Yggdrasil, a leading iGaming publisher, has further enhanced its reach in the UK market after rolling out its extensive slot portfolio with Lottomart.

The operator now has access to Yggdrasil’s entire games offering which has been curated for over 10 years and encompasses a diverse selection of titles with proven themes, mechanics and features.

Fan favourites include the hit Vikings series and newly released Gold Frontier Jackpots FastPot5 and Ragnaravens WildEnergy. Exclusive titles from the YGG Masters programs and slots incorporating Yggdrasil’s high-performing Game Engagement Mechanics (GEMs) have also been rolled out.

Lottomart is a leading UK online gaming operator, offering a varied range of products including over 2,500 casino games, lottery betting, and unique scratch cards.

The partnership sees Yggdrasil reach new audiences and cement its presence in Europe’s largest online gaming market where its portfolio has been available since 2016.

Jose Simon, Commercial Director at Yggdrasil, said: “The UK remains a key market for Yggdrasil with our games resonating well with local players and together with Lottomart, we’re able to introduce our award-winning titles to even more slot fans.

“Lottomart offers its customers a leading online casino with an array of games from the best providers in the world and we are thrilled to join their list of trusted partners.”

The post Yggdrasil boosts UK presence with Lottomart launch appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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MGA Provides Information on Updates Made to Audit/Review Process

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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has provided information to its Approved Audit Service Providers and current and prospective licensees about the updates made to the Audits section on the Authority’s portal, and the related Audit/Review process.

“The Malta Gaming Authority (the Authority) would like to inform its Approved Audit Service Providers and current and prospective licensees of minor updates made to the Audits section on the Authority’s portal, and the related Audit/Review process. The following information outlines the considerations to be made for the auditing process, and the submission of reports for any of the System Audits, System Reviews and/or Compliance Audits engagements, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Audits’.

“After receiving approval from the Authority, the appointed Service Provider has sixty (60) days to complete System Audits and System Reviews, and ninety (90) days for Compliance Audits. The completed Audit report must be submitted electronically through the Authority’s portal. Should the appointed Service Provider identify any instances of non-compliance during this review period, the licensee should be notified, and the licensee is strongly encouraged to address and rectify any identified issues within their documentation and/or systems throughout the Audit period.

“In such circumstances, the Approved Service Provider must conduct fresh audit checks of the identified non-compliances and appropriately mark such checks within the Audit Report as ‘Resolved at Audit Stage’, if deemed to be compliant. Furthermore, the ‘Partially Compliant’ status can be used if an audit check is found to be partially compliant with the Regulations.

“In view of these changes, the Authority has added two new External Audit Conclusions statuses, these being ‘Resolved at Audit Stage’ and ‘Partially Compliant’, for the Service Providers to be able to report the Audit findings accordingly.

“Should there be any instances of non-compliance which cannot be resolved within the Audit deadline, the licensee may request a one-time extension of the Audit deadline to resolve and re-audit the identified systems and/or documentation issues. The request of such an extension would need to be accompanied by a summary of the issue/s, and a plan of rectification. The extension is at the Authority’s discretion, the time-frame of which shall be determined by the Authority.

“It is important to note that the Authority retains the right to reject an Audit Report if it is unable to arrive at a conclusive review outcome due to a significant number of instances of non-compliance.”

The post MGA Provides Information on Updates Made to Audit/Review Process appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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