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From game to competition: The unstoppable rise of esports and competitive gaming
In the ever-evolving landscape of entertainment, few industries have witnessed a tremendous 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 Counter-Strike, StarCraft, 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 has been shattered this year with the life-changing sum of $60 million dollars to be won at the eSports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Reinforcing the growing nature of the industry, 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.
The post From game to competition: The unstoppable rise of esports and competitive gaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Two of Alabama’s leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry — Wind Creek Hospitality, owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and the McGregor family, owners of Birmingham Racecourse and Casino and Victoryland Casino — announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Wind Creek will acquire the Birmingham Racecourse. The sale is expected to be finalised by early 2025.
Kaizen Gaming Colombia, owner of the Betano.co brand, was authorised by Coljuegos to operate online betting in the country. With this new operator, there are now 16 web platforms that have the approval of the entity to market games of chance online. The entity is also in the process of authorising an additional operator called Bingo Casino, which is expected to begin offering bets in the coming weeks.
Gaming Laboratories International has become the first laboratory to achieve accreditation in Maranhão, Brazil. The accreditation allows GLI to perform tests and certification for the gambling and lottery industry interested in working with lottery and fixed-odds betting operators in the state of Maranhão. The milestone is the latest in a series of regulatory achievements for GLI in Brazil.
BetConstruct has announced their participation at this year’s GAT Caribbean Cancún that takes place in Mexico from November 26-28. Taking place at the Cancún International Centre, the GAT Caribe Cancú is a prestigious event that gathers manufacturers, operators and marketers to broaden the horizons of the online and land-based markets in Mexico, the Caribbean region and Central America.
Legendz Social Casino & Sportsbook announced its highly anticipated launch, offering players an unparalleled social gaming experience across 43 states in English and Spanish language. With a vast array of games, innovative features and a player-first philosophy, Legendz is set to redefine the online social and sweepstakes gaming landscape.
Partnerships
International Game Technology PLC has announced that it has launched its first wide-area progressive (WAP) compatible game in Colombia with the all-new Condor Link. Players across the country now have the opportunity to spin for large-scale WAP jackpots at nine properties operated by Winner Group Cirsa, one of Colombia’s largest gaming operators. Delivering a highly engaging entertainment experience to the gaming floor, IGT’s Condor Link game features four jackpot levels and a reset value of 75,000,000 Colombian Pesos (COP).
Cisco and MGM Resorts International announced that the companies have signed a Whole Portfolio Agreement (WPA), empowering MGM Resorts with the majority of Cisco’s software portfolio. This includes cybersecurity, software defined networking, software defined-WAN, digital experience assurance, full-stack observability, data centre and services. This agreement spans 5.5 years, benefiting guests and employees across all of MGM Resorts’ properties.
Endorphina has entered into a partnership with Luckia, a leading company in the gaming sector. Combining Endorphina’s passion for slots with Luckia’s innovative spirit, this partnership is set to provide incredible gaming experiences to all iGaming enthusiasts. Luckia is a commercial brand of Luckia Gaming Group that combines offline and online gaming, including traditional businesses such as gaming machines in bars and restaurants and gaming arcades, new online gaming activities and land-based sports betting.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 18-24 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
PokerStars is thrilled to introduce its latest online slot game, Power Path Lucky Reels, where players can win Power Path tickets and passes worth up to $10,300 at any time during gameplay.
This innovative slot game offers players an exciting new way to secure Power Path Passes and access some of PokerStars’ most prestigious poker experiences.
Key Features of Power Path Lucky Reels:
- Random Drops for Big Wins: Power Path Lucky Reels randomly awards prizes during gameplay, meaning any spin can result in a win.
- Exciting Rewards: Players can win a range of prizes, from Step 1 Tickets to coveted Gold Power Passes worth $10,300.
- Your Path to Poker Glory: Secure your Power Path Pass and take a step closer to exclusive poker opportunities.
“Any Spin Can Win”
Players simply spin and play as usual, and on any spin, a Power Path Prize could drop, giving them an instant shot at poker glory.
Rewards Available:
- Step 1 Ticket
- Step 2 Ticket
- Step 3 Ticket
- Step 4 Ticket
- Power Path Bronze Pass
- Power Path Silver Pass
- Power Path Gold Pass ($10,300 value)
Power Path Lucky Reels launches November 25th, exclusively in the PokerStars client. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to play, spin, and win your way to unforgettable poker experiences.
For more details, please contact [email protected].
More information on responsible gaming can be found by visiting: pokerstars.com/about/responsible-gaming/
For PokerStars UK: Offer runs until August 25, 2025. Power Path Lucky Reels only. Initial opt-in required. Unopened Chests and rewards expire in 72 hours. Terms apply and more information about the Terms and Conditions for the promotion on PokerStars UK can be found by visiting: pokerstars.uk/poker/promotions/terms/?language=en
The post POKERSTARS UNVEILS POWER PATH LUCKY REELS SLOT: SPIN YOUR WAY TO EXCITING REWARDS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
After a thrilling Grand Final, T1 claimed the 2024 off-season champions title at this year’s Red Bull Home Ground. Emerging victorious with a 3-1 victory over Cloud9, they take home the much-coveted trophy for Korea.
In front of more than 2000 fans experiencing the excitement first-hand in Berlin, Germany and the thousands more watching at home, the professional VALORANT Invitational tournament saw a closely fought finale play out on the Arena Berlin stage.
As the event kicked off on Thursday 21 November, the Group Stages saw both T1 and Cloud9 put in dominant performances as they each went 2-0. While Team Heretics started in a strong position with a win over FOKUS, they fell to Cloud9 and, due to medical issues, were unable to continue, sending FUT Esports straight to the Semis. Vying for their own spot in the semi finals, last year’s champions Fnatic were unable to replicate their 2023 success as G2 headed into the lead with a 2-0 victory.
The Playoffs saw Cloud9 continue their dominant streak as their Semifinals match against G2 Esports went 2-0 with strong performances on both Sunset and Pearl. FUT Esports faced off against T1 in a hotly competitive game, with T1 taking the first map and FUT Esports the second. After a neck and neck showdown, T1 finally took Ascent as FUT bowed out the tournament and T1 advanced to the grand final.
The final stage of the competition saw Cloud9, who came in second place at last year’s tournament, go head to head against T1 in a thrilling matchup. Continuing to step it up in the grand final, T1 were off to a strong start as they took Abyss in a closely fought first match. Although Cloud9 soon equalled the score as they took the second map, it was T1 that eventually emerged victorious, winning the next two closely contested games to claim the trophy and Red Bull Home Ground 2024 champion title.
Following an excellent performance throughout the tournament, Red Bull Home Ground champion BuZz of T1 said: “Winning this tournament means a lot for us. Against international teams we show we’re strong, so that’s why I’m happy we win this tournament and maybe we can keep this momentum until the end of 2025!”
The post T1 claims victory at Red Bull Home Ground 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 18-24
POKERSTARS UNVEILS POWER PATH LUCKY REELS SLOT: SPIN YOUR WAY TO EXCITING REWARDS
T1 claims victory at Red Bull Home Ground 2024
ELA Games Signs Exciting Partnership with Rootz to Introduce Its Portfolio to New Audiences
CryptoWins Celebrates One-Year Milestone with Birthday Month Bonuses and New Slot Launch: Wild Alaska
CT Interactive Achieves A1 Certification for Greece
Betsoft Unveils Exclusive Adventure in Coins of Slotshammer – Hold & WinTM for SlotsHammer
Three Nigerian Tennis Players Suspended Under Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme
FeedConstruct Announces New Partnership with Betinvest
PayBy Awarded Gaming-related Vendor License from the GCGRA
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