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Esports has come a long way from the early days of arcade gaming and transcended from niche communities to global phenomena. Now a growing number of Welsh players and fans have been embracing this dynamic sector of sport, unveiling a new chapter in their cultural landscape.
Globally the esports industry is now a multi-billion-dollar global concern, attracting millions of fans and hundreds of companies around the world anxious to get a stake in its future. Also it is possible to bet on esports events, as bookmakers offering fast withdrawals do plenty of business around the major esports events, such as the Dota 2 International and League of Legends World Championships.
Esports Growth
The modern esports sector has been made possible by developments in streaming and other software technology that enables players from around the world to compete in various games. Most of the top esports games are multiplayer affairs, including Dota 2, League of Legends and Counter Strike: Global Offensive. These games are played by highly trained, dedicated esports athletes, representing teams from all over the world, many of them with big-name sponsors.
The global growth in popularity of esports has been phenomenal (in general) over the years, and the stats make for startling reading:
· 234 million regular esports viewers in 2021, up from 197 million in 2019
· By 2024, it is predicted that there will be over 285 million frequent viewers
· 49% of internet users in the Philippines watch esports events
· The global esports betting market was worth $9.7 billion in 2022
· The top-earning esports team, Team Liquid, has earned over £40 million in prize money
The very best esports players, particularly those who excel at Dota 2, League of Legends and CS:GO can potentially earn millions and achieve a level of fame, with a lot of top talent coming from East and SouthEast Asia. And in 2021, 2.7 million viewers watched The International, the biggest Dota 2 tournament, which offered a record $40 million prize pool (though this lowered last year).
Wales and Esports
Welsh esports fans and players are increasingly taking a role in the sector. Esports Wales, a community interest company that oversees both grassroots esports and the national level, helped put together a national esports team to take part in the Commonwealth Esports Championships last summer (pictured, top).
Up against some of the best esports players in the Commonwealth, Wales fielded a handful of teams in separate categories and finished with a remarkable three medals.
Team Wales won gold in the Rocket League Open event, silver in the eFootball Women competition and landed a bronze in the eFootball Open.
This strong performance was not a huge surprise, however, as Wales has produced several top esports talents, including Kirk ‘Tadpole’ Stephens, Callum Francis and Andrew ‘Vedius’ Day.
Recent years have also seen the launch of a Welsh Masters esports tournament, designed to identify the best esports talent in Wales. It was this tournament that produced the successful Wales team at the Commonwealth Games, but the Masters is just the start.
Last year, Creative Wales announced that it was dedicating £25,000 in funding to support Esports Wales to assist with the sector’s next stage of growth. That funding was pivotal in enabling Esports Wales to set up the new Welsh Esports League, which launched in January. The League is based around tournaments in a variety of esports and, although the prize funds are modest at this stage, Esports Wales plans to continue its investment, including in coaching and staff training and marketing.
The Esports Future
The nature of the esports world is changing, and although the Big Three sports of Dota 2, League of Legends and CS:GO remain the most popular, new esports are rising all the time. Games as diverse as PUBG, Fortnite, FIFA and Overwatch have all generated their own leagues, tournaments and global followings, and new games are likely to become established in the years to come.
And there’s the ambitions of Esports Wales to put Welsh esports on the map within the European esports sector. Their plans include the further fielding of Welsh national esports teams in tournaments, the launch of new initiatives and other membership drives to ensure that Welsh esports fans and players can take their place in this exciting and dynamic sports sector as it continues to expand around the world.
