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In spring 2020 the world seemed to be put on halt: deserted streets, cancellation of concerts and sports events, market crashes. Prediction and expectations were apocalyptic, but time made it clear that the situation perhaps wasn’t as bad as it seemed: yes, there were lots of victims but it didn’t result in a catastrophe for the world’s economy. It even brought some benefits to some industries, including gaming and esports. But it had both a positive and negative influence.
Influence of other pandemics
There had been other pandemics before coronavirus, even more far-reaching and life-threatening – plague outbreaks occurred several times. They may have lasted decades and taken many lives when the population of the planet was much smaller – in some areas it decreased by 50%.
Coronavirus could not be compared to the plague in its destructionism, even to the pandemic of Spanish influenza at the beginning of the 20th century. But the same had been happening before the beginning of the industrial era, long before esports appeared.
The most recent ordeals include swine flu (2009-2010) and Ebola (2014-2016). But coronavirus became an unprecedented event for esports and not only for the industry – it became a necessity to look for new models and ways to adapt.
Negative influence on coronavirus
The industry was unable to find it bearings at once: at first LAN tournaments were cancelled and there was not a proper substitution for them. Event organisers had missed out on revenues as they were deprived of ticket sales and sponsors. Lots of companies cut their expenses on marketing.
As a result, lots of companies had to go on an economy drive and lay off some employees. Some organisations like North closed down. At some point the situation was uncertain – it was unclear how it was going to develop further which made some potential investors wary. Fortunately, everything got on the rise in the end.
Positive sides
Thanks to the fact that people had more free time and were stuck at home, they started buying more games and Twitch started to set new viewing records. Esports turned out to be in high demand and organisers decided to switch to online. There were many charity broadcasts, and plenty of online tournaments and esports broadcasts. Some managed their studio operations well, like the LEC, with glass screens between casters and other safety measures that were taken.
The more views, the more bets, and bookmakers started to invest in esports in a new way. Sites opened new sections with bets. For example, csgo betting.
In recent years, lots of new brands have appeared in esports as they look to reach the gaming crowd. As a result, it’s not surprising to see advertisements of cars or other goods at esports tournaments.
Result
It’s fair to say that esports has somewhat recovered from the pandemic, moreover, it opened up new horizons. Life is going back to normal and physical tournaments are welcoming back spectators.
After the biggest Dota 2 tournament, The International, got cancelled in 2020, and took place without a live audience in 2021, The International 2022 is now set to take place normally. If another malady was were to break out, for example, monkeypox, even in the worst case scenario, esports would surely be ready.
