The Esports industry has experienced massive growth over the past decade, bolstered by technological advancements in both hardware and software as well as change in people’s lifestyles. With the COVID pandemic, Esports is one of the few sporting activities that has seen an increase in participation, for obvious reasons.
Along with the rise of Esports, professional gaming has also become a career choice for many millennials and Gen Z. These young gamers have grown up playing video games and are gifted with extraordinary hand-eye coordination and ability to focus, strategize, and multi-task – skills necessary to become a top-tier Esport gamer. They spend years perfecting the mechanics of the game, researching and practicing strategies, and honing their skills.
Similar to athletic sports, Esport gamers see their careers peak early in life. Playing Esports professionally take a toll on the gamer’s physique, just as it would on many professional athletic sportsmen and sportswomen.
For example, China’s most famous League of Legends Esports player, Zihao Jian (playing under the League of Legends name “Uzi”), announced his retirement from the game at the age of 23 in 2020. He had been playing the game since 2012, and sited poor health as the reason for his retirement. He had developed type-2 diabetes, possibly due to staying up late, poor diet and being under enormous amount of stress for many years.
Another Esport pro gamer, Clinton “Fear” Loomis, had to take the sidelines during a Dota 2 tournament at the age of 26 due to a chronic arm injury that had developed from years of intensive focus and instantaneous reactions that took a toll on his arm muscles.
Though physically and mentally intensive, the best Esport players reach celebrity status and can earn millions of dollars at a very young age. There are a few possible revenue streams for a professional gamer:
- Salary paid by the Esports team
- Prize money from winning tournaments
- Sponsorship for brands – many brands sponsor Esports – from beverage companies like Red Bull and Monster Energy, to computer companies like Intel and AMD
- Live streaming – Twitch is the biggest gaming streaming platform, YouTube also has a huge gaming community for VOD content
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