Report: >70M people watch esports worldwide, with LoL generating $624M and Dota 2 generating ~$80M - Polidicks

[url]http://www.ongamers.com/articles/report-more-than-70-million-people-watch-esports-worldwide/1100-1157/[/url] [quote=onGamers]Super Data Research, who released research earlier this year stating that Riot Games made $624 million in revenue for League of Legends in 2013 and that Dota 2 made around $80 Million, has put out a new report centered on eSports in collaboration with Newzoo. The report states that viewership across all eSports titles has doubled within the last year, peaking to over 71 million by the end of 2013. Almost half of those viewers, 31.4 million, come from the United States where males account for 70% of frequent viewers and participants. The report finds that the majority of U.S. viewers are males between 21 and 34 years old. The average eSports viewer watches 19 times a month, with a session length of 2.2 hours. While men represent the majority of the viewership, the report finds that 34% of viewers are women. These statistics contradict an earlier survey held in February showing a huge gender gap, stating that 90-94% of viewership was from men.[/quote]

I honestly believe we're getting into the age of gaming where eSports should be playing a larger role. After playing Smash Brothers Melee at APEX, I can for sure day that the competitive videoe game scene (not just League or DOTA) should reserve a large part in out official list of games whether they are physical or not. They are tecnhically demanding enough to have a high barrier for entry unless you are truly skilled at the game and you practice. Just like any other sport.

I honestly like the eSports scene, the games that are considered eSports are incredibly balanced and don't ever water down the game to appeal to a general audience. Like I honestly sometimes get upset at games that don't have perfect balance cause of eSports games, even fun ones like TF2. This is the revival of the high skill gap golden era of multiplayer that died last gen.

What games are played in eSports besides Dota 2 and LoL? I haven't payed too much attantion to the whole eSports thing.

[QUOTE=Makol;44437284]What games are played in eSports besides Dota 2 and LoL? I haven't payed too much attantion to the whole eSports thing.[/QUOTE] Starcraft, Counter-Strike, CoD, Halo, Quake(Not sure if it's still a thing) The fighting game community has tons of tournaments but they dislike being called eSports because most of the time their things are smaller in scope and are community run.

-ninja'd-

Apparently the last time Street Fighter 4 was at MLG, they had 1 minute ads between rounds By rounds I don't mean your typical first to two match, I mean every time someone gets KO'd an ad plays, not sure if my friend is bullshitting or not though

[QUOTE=Makol;44437284]What games are played in eSports besides Dota 2 and LoL? I haven't payed too much attantion to the whole eSports thing.[/QUOTE] CS:GO, and some fighting games like Street Fighter IV and Smash Bros Melee. Yeah there isn't much because not until literally just like a few years ago there was next to zero momentum in the eSports scene. I'd go as far to say as competitive gaming died last gen, or at least declined so much it was only talked about on obscure internet forums but a small but close knit community dedicated to the subject. But now the streaming/spectator scene that Twitch has given us has renewed interest in high skill gap multiplayer games, so expect a lot of games like that to come this gen.

[QUOTE=rovar;44437242]I honestly believe we're getting into the age of gaming where eSports should be playing a larger role. After playing Smash Brothers Melee at APEX, I can for sure day that the competitive videoe game scene (not just League or DOTA) should reserve a large part in out official list of games whether they are physical or not. They are tecnhically demanding enough to have a high barrier for entry unless you are truly skilled at the game and you practice. Just like any other sport.[/QUOTE] The only problem is that the West still thinks video games are for nerds. LoL has been talked about on some talk shows when they filled the Staples center in a matter of hours for the season 3 championships but they just said "haha I bet they also go to star trek conventions" etc etc In Korea pro gamer is a legit profession though

[QUOTE=ashxu;44437297]Starcraft, Counter-Strike, CoD, Halo, Quake(Not sure if it's still a thing) The fighting game community has tons of tournaments but they dislike being called eSports because most of the time their things are smaller in scope and are community run.[/QUOTE] Quake is sadly not really a thing anymore asides from the once in the blue event. Yeah I get what you mean by the naming "esport" at first I hated it but then I realized the only reason why these high skill gap games are being made again is because the branding of esport is making people care, so really this is in the core gamer's best interest, despite how much one might cringe at it. I mean w/e it's just a name, FP is just too picky. I'd rather have good multiplayer games back but with a silly name then not back at all.

At APEX 2014 for SSBM, it was hype as fuck, and for good reason. If you break the ENTIRE competitive video game scene down, it works in tight relation to our typical idea if a competitive game. - Requires a unique skilled needing practice and constant attention - Usually has a changing meta and games require different perspectives, tactics, and players - Each player has their own style often changing the game's dynamic - Competitive scene is easily distinguishable from the casual scene Football, soccer, basketball, CS, SSBM, LoL. Each game has their own unique traits making it a seperate game. And we should acknowledge and accept that.

[QUOTE=The Baconator;44437269]I honestly like the eSports scene, the games that are considered eSports are incredibly balanced and don't ever water down the game to appeal to a general audience. [/quote] I do respect that a lot. I look at LoL and Dots and I don't have a fucking clue what's going on but I admire that it managed to attract such a huge audience, with many who like like to watch it more than play it themselves.

Being good at Starcraft 2 in Korea is like being good at football. All the girls want you.

[QUOTE=rovar;44437242]I honestly believe we're getting into the age of gaming where eSports should be playing a larger role.[/QUOTE] This won't happen in Poland anywhere within 20-30 years, that's for sure. When there was the IEM World Championship in Katowice, the biggest TV station, just like 2 years ago (when there was some other big event), bashed gamers and depicted them as addicted, pale, bent and with acne, instead of at least fucking explaining what esports are. Seriously, fuck the media in this country.

[QUOTE=Puvleek;44437658]Hahaha, no. At least not in Poland. When there was the IEM World Championship in Katowice, the biggest TV station, just like 2 years ago (when there was some other big event), bashed gamers and depicted them as addicted, pale, bent and with acne, instead of at least fucking explaining what esports are. Seriously, fuck the media in this country.[/QUOTE] He said should be, not are.

[QUOTE=The Baconator;44437324]Quake is sadly not really a thing anymore asides from the once in the blue event. Yeah I get what you mean by the naming "esport" at first I hated it but then I realized the only reason why these high skill gap games are being made again is because the branding of esport is making people care, so really this is in the core gamer's best interest, despite how much one might cringe at it. I mean w/e it's just a name, FP is just too picky. I'd rather have good multiplayer games back but with a silly name then not back at all.[/QUOTE] the only real quake tournaments at this point are ESL, IEM, quakecon, and dreamhack, and even then they only pull in a couple hundred viewers, and maybe a thousand viewers on grand finals, whenever they're streamed.

[QUOTE=Keychain;44437420]Being good at Starcraft 2 in Korea is like being good at football. All the girls want you.[/QUOTE] Only if you're Bisu.

So it gains momentum after Guitar Hero dies? Wow okay there goes my shot at a life of luxury

[QUOTE=Novangel;44437683]He said should be, not are.[/QUOTE] Oh, oops. Where's the bad reading rating, when one needs it? Anyway, I've slightly edited my post to match the context.

[QUOTE=ashxu;44437297]Starcraft, Counter-Strike, CoD, Halo, Quake(Not sure if it's still a thing) The fighting game community has tons of tournaments but they dislike being called eSports because most of the time their things are smaller in scope and are community run.[/QUOTE] halo and quake are pretty dead as esports sadly, but csgo is keepin the fps genre alive in the esports scene

I wonder if they take in account that a lot of DOTA2 games are viewed in-game and a lot of revenue comes from ticket sales.

[QUOTE=FPSMango;44437831]I wonder if they take in account that a lot of DOTA2 games are viewed in-game and a lot of revenue comes from ticket sales.[/QUOTE] I doubt it because it's up to either Valve or the tournament organizers to talk about either of those things and Valve talks about sales once every eight years.

There is this huge stigma around esports, even when you can compare it to chess. Hell, the first place was 1.6 million dollars for the International(split over 5 people with organizationbut still) isone of the few reasons why people could takei tserious

Starcraft Match in 2002~2008 was huge event in korea. Now LoL replaced it's throne. :v:

[QUOTE=Keychain;44437420]Being good at Starcraft 2 in Korea is like being good at football. All the girls want you.[/QUOTE] Actually I watched one of those esport podcasts recently (I think it was Unfiltered or [POD]Cast), and they were saying the whole "Starcraft players are normal in Korea" thing is a complete myth.

[QUOTE=rovar;44437242]I honestly believe we're getting into the age of gaming where eSports should be playing a larger role. After playing Smash Brothers Melee at APEX, I can for sure day that the competitive videoe game scene (not just League or DOTA) should reserve a large part in out official list of games whether they are physical or not. They are tecnhically demanding enough to have a high barrier for entry unless you are truly skilled at the game and you practice. Just like any other sport.[/QUOTE] The most popular eSports games are still too technical and complex for mainstream audiences, which is why you're not going to see eSporst on ESPN any time soon.

I always wanted to see Supreme Commander or Planetary Annihilation as esports. Sure the balance of Sup Com was off a bit, and there were bugs in it, and Plan Ann is still being developed, but the whole macro scale is pretty good, and is an entirely different can of worms to the more micro based RTS games out there. It's much more mathematical in the fact you've got to allocate resources carefully. Main issue is the first 20 mins can potentially be slow in Sup Com, unless one of the players is aiming to rush.

[QUOTE=Keychain;44437420]Being good at Starcraft 2 in Korea is like being good at football. All the girls want you.[/QUOTE] So thats why that guy in Fast Threads wanted to move to Korea so urgently. [QUOTE=Puvleek;44437658]This won't happen in Poland anywhere within 20-30 years, that's for sure. When there was the IEM World Championship in Katowice, the biggest TV station, just like 2 years ago (when there was some other big event), bashed gamers and depicted them as addicted, pale, bent and with acne, instead of at least fucking explaining what esports are. Seriously, fuck the media in this country.[/QUOTE] You are overreacting. When we won that CS tournament recently, all big media were on it.

Good statistics, its nice to see this numbers being pulled in. I for one am really enjoying watching competitive CS:GO recently, become a thing to do when I'm not playing CS now.

[QUOTE=Makol;44437284]What games are played in eSports besides Dota 2 and LoL? I haven't payed too much attantion to the whole eSports thing.[/QUOTE] There's a stupidly large amount of FPS' out there...and they all need to die because an FPS is a cancer on the gaming community. RANT ASIDE I digress to say that other than that, it's mostly MOBA's and RTS' that dominate the eSports community. This includes games such as SCII, which is my personal favorite.