Esports Tournament Earnings Total $3.6m over Last 30 Days

The popularity of Esports shows no signs of slowing down, with improvements in prize money meaning that the number of professionals across the globe has also grown rapidly. In fact, information suggests that some $3.6 million was paid to Esports pros at tournaments between July 17 and August 17 this year, an amount which was distributed between 2,591 gamers.

Data also found that the top Esports tournaments during this period included Hearthstone, Arena of Valor, Dota 2, Chess 24 and Call of Duty: Warzone. The five games came with a total prize pool of over $1.2 million, with a total of 183 Esports events during this period of time making up the $3.6 in winnings.

Highest and Lowest Esports Tournament Winnings

July 19 saw a prize pool of $923,702, the highest in the 30-day period, while the smallest winnings collected was just $300 on August 14. While the Covid-19 pandemic has seen some events cancelled and postponed, while others have moved online, meaning that the industry has not been impacted overly negatively. Gaming has offered many a distraction from other aspects of their lives, with the number of users on different platforms having increased during lockdown.

The fact that Esports tournaments can take place either in person or online throughout the year is another major positive, meaning that fans always have something to view. Meanwhile, major deals are being announced in the industry on an almost daily basis, with organisations and gamers always looking for new ways of making money. Streaming and merchandise are two of the biggest markets, with platforms such as Twitch having benefited greatly too.

How Esports Revenue is Controlled

Consumer behaviour typically controls revenue when it comes to Esports. While customers are now purchasing fewer games, they are spending more time on the games in which they do buy, demonstrating the shift to a single-unit recurring revenue. Meanwhile, Esports organisations and leagues are finding unique ways of engaging with fans, with some events having been broadcasted on television in order to fill the void left by more traditional disciplines.

The future for Esports is undoubtedly a bright one, with streaming services such as Twitch and YouTube set to play an increasingly important role. Improvements in hardware, bandwidth and mobile gaming are also key, while ever-increasing prize funds will also help to maximise engagement.