Esports take video games to the next level – it’s like the gamer version of an athletic championship. Professional players compete in world-class arenas or online to massive audiences, all while vying for prize money and global brand sponsorships.
Despite being relatively new, esports have already revolutionised the way fans follow and interact with video games. It’s estimated that esports now attract over 1 billion viewers and gamers each year, while offering a $5 billion value to the industry. With competitions held by some of the biggest video game companies and attracting millions of fans, esports is on the rise.
With a variety of game genres and tournaments across the globe, each month is packed with events. For example, 2025 sees the debut of League of Legends’ First Stand while also featuring Capcom Cup 11, Street Fighter 6’s largest event and Rocket League’s RLCS 2025 Birmingham Major.
Meanwhile, CS:GO’s Astralis have dominated the scene since they secured their first major victory at the ELEAGUE Major in 2017. Other stars include Fortnite player Bugha, who won the inaugural Fortnite World Cup in 2019 and skyrocketed the game’s popularity, or Daigo Umehara, who holds world records in Street Fighter and is known for his “Daigo Parry.” While some may argue that esports are not real sports, it’s clear that there is a growing audience for video game competitions on the grand scale. Moreover, the University of North Dakota has taken this trend to heart and became one of the first universities in the country to offer a Bachelor of Science in Esports, an interdisciplinary degree program that combines the study of kinesiology, communication, business and computer science.