How big is the global eSports audience?
Quick answer
This page answers How big is the global eSports audience? quickly.
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
▶
The global eSports audience is approximately 540 million viewers worldwide as of 2023, with a predicted growth to 640.8 million by 2025, showcasing a significant increase in eSports viewership over the years. The eSports market has experienced tremendous growth, driven by the rising popularity of online gaming, esports competitions, and professional gaming, with a projected market size of $6.75 billion by 2030.
Understanding the Global eSports Audience
Defining eSports Viewership
To better understand the scope of the global eSports audience, it’s essential to define what constitutes eSports viewership. eSports viewers are internet users of any age who watch organized gaming competitions among professional players and teams hosted on digital video platforms at least once per month.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many people watch eSports globally? The global eSports audience is estimated to be over 540 million viewers as of 2023, with expectations to reach 640.8 million by 2025.
- What is the size of the gaming audience? Globally, there are approximately 3.09 billion active video game players, with an expected increase to 3.32 billion gamers worldwide by 2024.
- How big is the online gaming market? The global online gaming market size was valued at $85.9 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $231.4 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 11.1% from 2023 to 2032.
- Who is the target audience for eSports? The target demographic for eSports has widened to 18-34 years old, with a 70-30 men-women split, although this is slowly changing as more women begin to engage in online gaming.
- Is eSports viewership declining? Some indicators suggest a decline in eSports viewership, with a 13% decrease in viewership for the 2023 spring season of the League Championships Series compared to the previous year.
- What is the target demographic of eSports? The eSports demographic ranges from 18 to 34 years old, encompassing 30% women and 70% men, who are passionate, social, and highly engaged across various platforms.
- Who is the biggest gaming audience? Asia is home to almost 1.5 billion gamers, with China having the highest number of players, totaling 699.6 million in 2022.
- What is the largest demographic of gaming? The 18 to 34 age demographic accounts for 36% of video game players, while 6% are 65 years and older.
- How popular is eSports now? In 2023, it is forecast that 15.5% of US internet users will watch eSports, indicating a growing popularity of eSports among the population.
- Is eSports the fastest growing sport? eSports is considered one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, with the industry predicted to approach $2 billion by 2023 and viewers of top events in the tens of millions.
- Which eSports game has the most viewers? League of Legends was the most popular eSports game worldwide in terms of peak viewership in May 2023.
- Is esports growing or shrinking? The eSports market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 21.5% during the forecast period from 2023 to 2030, indicating significant growth.
- How many people watch eSports in 2023? In 2023, 31.6 million people in the US will watch eSports at least once per month, according to forecast.
- What is the average age of esports fans? The average age of esports fans is 26, significantly lower than the average age of traditional sports fans, which is about 50.
- What is the growth of esports popularity? The eSports market is expected to have a total of 865.2 million users by 2027, with an average revenue per user (ARPU) of US$5.40, indicating substantial growth in eSports popularity.