The future of gaming and esports can be measured and assessed using recent industry data. Three years in, $220 billion in revenue has been recorded, and annual market growth of 17.8%. These figures reflect the video game market in 2022, a market that has already established itself as a global leader in the entertainment industry.
This year, 2025, the figuresare sure to exceed those recorded in 2022 although they will not be “finalized” before the endof the year. The ease keeps coming and today even a layman can jump into the world ofprofessional esports with just a few simple steps. He can basically place bets on esports afirst step.
A very wide range of games
Benefiting from a very favorable context with the COVID pandemic a few years ago, gaming alone now accounts for more than the music and movie markets combined. As a global phenomenon, half of all videos on YouTube are about gaming. Also a phenomenon in many countries, video games have been the best-selling cultural product every year since 2014.
Games reach all populations, all regions, and can be played on mobile phones, computers, or consoles. This point is very important when trying to understand its growth. If soccer has established itself as the number one sport, it is partly because of the spectacle it offers, but mainly because of the very minimal barriers to participation.
Soccer can be played alone or with others, and the only equipment needed to start playing is a ball. The game tends to offer the same ease of play thanks to the various platforms available. Behind every smartphone or computer owner is a potential gamer.
A niche in competitive gaming
Esports is a niche in gaming; the term refers to the competitive practice of video gaming where players compete online or in person. Esports, which first emerged in the United States in the 1970s, has been structured around local, national, continental, and international competitions. Unlike traditional sports, which progressed from the amateur level to professionalization, esports was structured around professional organizations and began to develop its amateur practices.
To date, three main types of practice have been established globally: recreational esports, amateur esports, and professional esports. Recreational esports is the practice of esports outside of the competitive circuit but with the goal of achieving rankings. On the other hand, amateur esports refers to ranked and sometimes competitive esports. Finally, professional esports refers to esports that are ranked and competitive as part of a paid activity.
In general, there are more and more esports competitions, involving a myriad of different video games, and, most importantly, attracting a growing number of participants and followers.
The future of gaming and esports
Esports sees teams, clubs, and organizations competing against each other in video games. These clubs bring together players and fans, highly committed followers of esports, similar to football club supporters or even ultras. If this model works, it’ because today we find gaming influencers behind most esports structures.
The social success and engagement of esports communities have clearly enabled esports to accelerate its development and attract more investors. First, through fundraising, the market is vibrant and increasingly competitive, esports clubs need investors to support their growth but also to cover their operational costs, which are constantly being revised upwards. Their task to attract millions of viewers will be more complicated.
The first esports clubs were created in student rooms, garages, or online gaming spaces and brought together teams of passionate friends. Today, these same clubs have brand new locations, up-to-date gaming equipment, pay player salaries that can reach over a million dollars per year for a select few, and bring together professionals ranging from coaching staff to marketing, including mental coaches, graphic designers, and marketing project managers.
So who knows what the future holds forAAA games? We can’t all describe it in great detail but what is certain is that the line between real physical sports and esports will become thinner and thinner. AI-powered gaming technology will be a major player in the human entertainment segment in the next few years.
