E-Sports Professionals
Overview
Introduction
E-sports is the competitive play of video games between two individuals, teams of players, or hundreds or thousands of non-affiliated players (i.e., massively multiplayer online gaming). E-sports professionals may also compete in the niche sport of speed runs in which they try to achieve the fastest time to complete a video game or a game level. E-sports are certainly fun, but they have also turned into a lucrative career path. Top players can earn more than $2 million a year. E-sports professionals may also be known as e-sports athletes...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Those just starting out in the field may make nothing or just a few thousand dollars a year. Top performers can earn more than $2 million annually in prize money and other revenue from personal corporate sponsorships, product endorsements, merchandise sales, appearance fees, and creator codes.
E-sports professionals who are affiliated with a gaming league (such as the Overwatch League) e...
Work Environment
The world of professional e-sports can be exciting and rewarding. Top e-sports professionals play in front of thousands of people and travel to other cities—and even other countries—to compete. It can be exhilarating to play before big crowds, meet fans, and develop relationships with fellow players. The chance to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money is not too bad either.
<...Outlook
The viewing of e-sports gaming competitions and lifestyle gaming has become very popular in recent years. The total number of worldwide competitive e-sports viewers is expected to reach 550 million in 2021—up from 335 million in 2017, according to Newzoo, a market analytics company. Newzoo also reports that worldwide revenue in the e-sports industry is expected to grow from $1.08 billion in 202...