/US NAVY ENTERS THE ESPORTS SCENE WITH ESL NA AND DREAMHACK DEAL
In 2018, the US Army announced that it was starting its own esports team in an effort to boost recruitment, which had fallen short of annual quotas. Now the US Navy has announced that it’s making a move into esports as a partner of ESL North America and DreamHack. As a partner of these events, the Navy will operate an “experiential activation onsite” (i.e., booth) where fans “can challenge Naval officers and veterans to compete in a variety of game titles.”
Said US Navy Recruiting Commander Rear Admiral Brendan R. McLane, “Like the Navy, esports requires a variety of skills and roles, and a strong commitment to continual improvement. Our partnership will help align the US Navy’s passion for competition with esports fans both onsite at DreamHack North American events and through unique online content on ESL channels.”
While this isn’t quite the same as starting its own esports teams to boost recruitment, this is a unique effort on the Navy’s part to appear more forward-thinking in terms of recruitment. It may not boost their numbers, but it at least helps them connect better on a face-to-face level with gamers of the ideal age bracket for service.
/INTRODUCING BROADCASTHER ACADEMY, A GAMING FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR WOMEN
The 1,000 Dreams Fund (1DF), a national nonprofit that gives micro-grants to talented young women, announced the expansion of the BroadcastHER Academy (powered by Allied Esports & HyperX) into the first-ever esports and gaming fellowship program for women interested in pursuing careers in the industry. According to Newzoo and Statista reports, approximately 44% of gamers are women. However, far fewer women are able to make it into the world of esports, a “male-dominated” world.
What the program will do: In 2020, a group of 10 women will be announced to the fellowship program for one year. Applicants are expected to submit a proposed plan of goals they hope to accomplish by the end of the program. Selected winners will receive:
/MOBILE REVENUE BEATS OUT BOTH PC AND CONSOLE IN 2019
The gaming industry has had a very formidable year in terms of revenue, both with regard to competitive and casual gaming. Dominating the charts, however, it was mobile that took the lead with growth of more than 10% over 2018. According to research by Gamingscan.com, here are some details we’ve gathered on the subject.
Let’s see how things turn out with mobile gaming in 2020!
/HOW MUCH HAVE CELEBRITIES BET THEIR MONEY ON ESPORTS?
The esports industry has demonstrated significant growth over the last two years, and the trends indicate that things will only expand at a more rapid pace in 2020. Currently the gaming industry is worth more than both the film and music industries combined, with an earned revenue of more than $150 billion worldwide. Of this significant sum, esports only makes up a small portion. But many celebrities have seen the opportunities for growth and as such have invested some of their hard-earned money to the cause. Here are just a few celebrities and how much they’ve put toward esporting:
The list is dominated by American sports celebrities, with about 80% of investors coming from a sports background. Similarly, 80% of investors are from America, with the only exceptions being Drake from Canada and Honda from Japan. These investments alone amount to more than $200 million, which shows the confidence celebrities have in the esports industry as a whole.
/MORE BIZ
YouTube is a $15 billion-a-year business, Google reveals for the first time (The Verge) — For the first time ever, Google has disclosed YouTube revenues in company filings. In 2019, YouTube generated $15.1 billion in advertising revenue. For reference, Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion in 2006. This is a meaningful data point in the #gamestreamingwars, as YouTube’s tremendous revenue generation allows for it to continue to compete for game streaming and esports media rights, as exhibited by its recent deal with Activision Blizzard.
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/SOME OF OUR FAVORITE ESPORTS SUCCESS STORIES
20 years ago, it would have been absurd to think a person could make a living as a professional gamer. However, the nature of humanity is to achieve seemingly impossible dreams, and that has come to pass with regard to esports. While still a budding industry, it is built upon the successes of people, as is the case in any industry. Here are just a few examples of how players have achieved success as professional esports competitors.
Faker: When it comes to talking about iconic gamers, one cannot skip Lee Sang-Hyeok, STK T1’s “Faker.” This individual is more than just a Korean mid-lane master – he was the face of competitive gaming at his peak. He was famed for his skill with the champion LeBlanc, one of League of Legend’s most mechanically-demanding characters. Faker joining SKT T1 helped the team become one of the most formidable forces in competitive LoL, beating tournament after tournament with relative ease. His passion for the game was quite evident at Worlds 2017 when SKT shockingly lost to Samsung Galaxy, showing visible emotion and crying outright. He still plays for SKT T1 competitively and remains a prominent figure in the international circuit, and it doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere anytime soon.
Xian: Team Razer’s Ho Kun Xian is yet another example of a homegrown success story to the region of Singapore. His impact on the Street Fighter scene has been incredible, as is his specialization with the character Gen. Xian comes from a period in time when fighting games were poorly sponsored and difficult to gain professional recognition. In 2008, he got into Street Fighter IV and won second place at DreamHack 2009, though the winnings were quite meager. However, it was true luck when he obtained silent backer Lenn Yang as a sponsor who helped him make an impact on the competitive scene. He got his big break in 2013 where he won the Evolution Championship Series held in Vegas. It was then that Razer gave him a full-time competitive gaming sponsorship. He still plays for Razer to this day.
Rangchu: We all love an underdog story, and Tekken player “Rangchu” is the epitome of just that. Best known for his unusual choice in characters (Panda), he made a name for himself in the competitive scene by gravitating away from traditional picks. After much work and effort, he brought the underrated character to the world finals and won. Many players tried to pick up the character after its prowess was demonstrated on such a skillful level by Rangchu, but few could master the slow, clunky animal to the same level.
Here are some more success stories.
/MORE PLAYER NEWS
League of Legends: Tyler “Tyler1” Steinkamp recently celebrated during a recent broadcast when he picked up his first Baron steal as a jungler.
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