Competitive video gaming is referred to as esports or electronic sports. In contrast to traditional video games, esports are competitive (human vs. human) and typically feature an interesting spectator component.
Professional and amateur gamers compete against one another in esports competitions with the hope of winning financial prizes.
Esports has advanced significantly in general in recent years, with bookmakers, TV networks, and even non-endemic businesses like Coca-Cola getting involved.
The most popular live-streaming services in the West are YouTube Live and Twitch, which together attract over 31 million daily visitors. Online slots too did the same, Bonus Finder has a good review of the best slot games available.
As more developers became involved after realizing the potential of eSports, the result was increased revenue, improved broadcast quality, and higher production values. Later on, live streaming started to gain popularity on websites like Twitch, which made it possible for gamers anywhere to earn a consistent living. Some of the well-known esports gamers are listed below.
Faker
Lee Sang-hyeok, better known by his esports handle Faker, is one of the most successful athletes in history. With his amazing abilities and astute approach, he made about $1,228,000 in 2020.
For over three years in a row, he was also League of Legends’ highest earner. Only one player makes millions of dollars a year from gaming. It is a proudly held position for Faker.
He didn’t lose a single game throughout the entire tournament in one competition. The only other player to achieve this feat was him.
Rookie
After Faker, Song Eui-Jin, also known as Rookie, is regarded as the greatest League of Legends player.
This gifted esports player initially joined the KT Rolster Arrows squad at the age of 16. Additionally, his squad won the Champions Summer 2014 at the age of 17. Although his young age prohibited him from the WORLDS.
UZI
When discussing the elite League of Legends players, Jian Zi-Hao, also known as Uzi, will undoubtedly come up.
Most believe his abilities and methodical approach to be unrivaled. His squad says that their great success in many events was mostly due to his assistance.
You can always count on a top-tier League of Legends encounter when Royal Never Give Up (RNG) sends him onto the field.
Fatal1ty
The most significant player that the United States has ever produced is Jonathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel. He is the highest-paid player in the history of esports in terms of prize money. The first real celebrity gamer in America, he reached an unprecedented level of recognition in the early 2000s that is still unattainable for any American today.
In 1999, Wendel started his professional career by winning a $500 Quake 3 event. He won $4,000 in Dallas over the next few months, and then $15,000 in Sweden.
Daigo
Daigo Umehara of Japan was one of the earliest international stars in esports. When he traveled to America in 1998 to defeat Alex Valle in Street Fighter Alpha 3, it ignited a legendary rivalry between the two that would come to define the greatest fighting game franchise ever.
Known as “The Beast,” Umehara developed a fascination with arcade games in 1991 and carried it through his adolescence as he started to accumulate winnings.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has been progressively enhancing its standing in the international esports arena. The first significant step in gaining worldwide control over the sector was Savvy Games Group’s acquisition of ESL FACEIT Group, the key esports championship organizer.
The worldwide esports market was estimated to be worth $957.5 million in 2019. Over the past four years, this amount has increased by more than 70% to almost $1.64 billion.
The Esports industry is expected to generate $192.6 million in income from media rights.
Dota 2 has the highest total Esports prize fund of any game in 2023. In 2023, the total prize fund awarded by the online battle arena was $29.56 million.
The combined revenue from video games and eSports in the United States was $54.1 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% to $72.0 billion by 2027.
According to PWC, US eSports income will increase from $455 million in 2022 to $662 million by 2027.Â
The development of competitive video gaming into a worldwide phenomenon is what defines the rise of esports. Esports has grown to be a billion-dollar industry thanks to rising viewership, sponsorship agreements, and media rights. Not only have esports become globally popular, but legendary players like Daigo and Faker have also made a huge contribution to its rise.
