eSports
The future of Esports: Video games to be played at Olympics and Glastonbury by 2050, experts predict
How big will the industry be in 30 years time?
With esports now a $1billion industry this year and its popularity still rising, we ask the question – what does the future hold for professional gaming?
A gaming stage at Glastonbury, giant sold out 100,000-seater stadiums and even a place in the Olympics?
That’s where some academics feel esports could be by 2050.
After exclusively speaking to the experts, we’ve created some food for thought about how the industry evolves in decades to come.
Gaming at festivals such as Glastonbury or Coachella?
As many event organisers now look to bring in wider audiences and test the waters, gaming could be on the cards to feature at some of the world’s biggest festivals.
With comedy stages, poetry and circus acts becoming part of the usual attractions, could competitive gaming be an outlet to bring in new audiences?
Lincoln Geraghty, Professor of Media Cultures at University of Portsmouth in the UK, said: “Absolutely, the crossovers are there. Comicon for example in the last 30 years has gone from comic books to games to big marketing launches.
“So I see a space like Glastonbury, that has a subcultural prestige with people interested in explicit music and the relationship of music and games, people might be drawn to it.”
Esports in the Olympics?
Esports games are already broadcasted to millions of people around the world. Last year’s League of Legends World Championship semi-finals were watched live by 3.9million.
But what about on an elite, mainstream level? The Intel World Open was set to precede this year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics before it was cancelled, a stepping stone for esports to potentially feature in the competition itself.
Professor Geraghty said: “This is something the Olympic committee is looking at and it would almost certainly provide a much safer space for this competition to take place.
“Whether it be a massive tournament on the scale of the World Cup or be included in the Olympics in 30 years time, it won’t be unexpected and won’t be a surprise.”
All colleges and universities to offer esports majors/degrees?
This is unlikely, but not impossible.
There are already cases around the world of university majors and degrees being offered in game design and for specific games themselves.
As more people in higher education take up these courses, the novelty may wear off and that could lead to more awareness of the power games have on society.
Professor Regan Mandryk, Professor in Computer Science at University of Saskatchewan in Canada, said: “You can now go through college on a League of Legends scholarship, that’s going to change the cache of being an esports athlete.
“I would like to see the stigma of it being a “nerdy” activity change. It’s going to be hard, but it will happen by more people being exposed to different aspects of playing.”
Regularly filling 100,000 seater stadiums?
Whether it’s the World Cup or the Super Bowl, thousands of people want to be there to see how sporting events play out.
And this is no different for esports, even now.
The Spodak Arena in Katowice, Poland held 173,000 people to watch the Intel Extreme Masters in 2017.
“People see their heroes in these gamers and esports personalities,” Professor Geraghty added.
“It’s only replacing the footballer on the pitch with a competitor on your computer screen.”
He said: “I wouldn’t be surprised to see a football stadium or convention centres sell out to see a huge gaming tournament.
“As content creators increase in popularity, people will pay to come out and see them in person.”
To better the understanding of mental and physical health
We all understand games can be stressful and frustrating at times, but the techniques used in a lot of the technology is actually helping health professionals understand humans more.
Despite many negative connotations, studies have found games can actually help our mental health, but also be used to understand the physical effects of stress and recovery.
“Gaming can be very good for you. There are lots of ways that it can help you recover from stress,” added Professor Mandryk.
“It can help you disconnect from the pressures around you. It can also help you connect socially with other people.
“We’ve done research that shows gaming can actually combat loneliness.”
But, how do we get the best out games in the future within other areas of society?
Professor Mandryk said: “Part of the answer is to stop being so afraid of games.”
“This is a very powerful median that we can leverage. There is a lot of motivational pull and people are devoting a lot of time to playing games so why aren’t we harnessing what’s great about them to better society.”
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Asia
Insurgence Gaming Company Introduces La Imperia, a Community-First All-Female VALORANT Tournament
La Imperia, a new all-female esports IP by The Insurgence Gaming Company, will make its competitive debut this month with an online VALORANT invitational tournament running from December 19 to 21, 2025. Designed as a visibility-first platform for women competitors, the event brings together four invited Indian teams for a three-day broadcast competition.
La Imperia marks the inaugural tournament by the Insurgence Gaming Company, a newly founded esports company led by Jasper Shabin, who previously served as a poject manager at Skyesports. Positioning itself as a community-first tournament operator, the Insurgence Gaming Company aims to refocus attention on grassroots competition and long-term ecosystem building at a time when entry-level and women-led esports pathways remain limited.
The tournament will be played in VALORANT and feature a round-robin group stage followed by single-elimination playoffs, culminating in a BO5 Grand Final. All matches across the three days will be broadcast live on YouTube, along with additional watch-parties.
The four invited teams competing at La Imperia include Huntrix, Sin Sisters, Plushie Gang and MyKil. All teams feature all-female rosters, aligning with La Imperiaâs positioning as a dedicated womenâs esports IP.
Broadcast production for the event will be handled by Momentum Gaming, serving as the official Broadcast Partner. The on-air talent lineup includes Star Tania, Nekroz, Odawg, and Hikari Jane, who will guide viewers through the tournament across all three days.
Beyond competition, La Imperia is also placing emphasis on player well-being. Sattva by Pallavi joins the tournament as the Mental Health Partner, integrating conversations around mental health and holistic wellness into the eventâs broadcast and content output. The partnership reflects a growing recognition of sustainability and mental resilience within competitive gaming environments.
Speaking on the launch, Jasper Shabin, Founder of The Insurgence Gaming Company, said: âLa Imperia is built to be a visibility platform first. There is no shortage of talent in the womenâs VALORANT scene, but there are very few consistent stages where that talent can be seen, supported, and taken seriously. With the Insurgence Gaming Company, we want to return focus to grassroots competition and create formats that players can grow with, not just compete in once.â
The tournament carries an INR 15,000 prize pool, with the primary focus placed on competitive exposure, broadcast quality, and long-term ecosystem value rather than one-off incentives.
With its inaugural edition, La Imperia sets the foundation for a new women-led esports property in Indiaâone that combines structured competition, professional broadcast standards, and a community-first philosophy.
The post Insurgence Gaming Company Introduces La Imperia, a Community-First All-Female VALORANT Tournament appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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The International Esports Federation (IESF) concluded its 17th Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, alongside the 17th World Esports Championship Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Finals. Member federations from around the world gathered to review the federationâs annual progress, adopt key motions, and participate in the 10th IESF Elections, marking a milestone moment in the federationâs governance history.
During the election session, Vlad Marinescu was re-elected as the 10th President of the IESF, securing his second term. His re-election reflects the continued confidence of the membership in his leadership and vision for the future of the World of Esports.
âI am truly grateful for the trust placed in me to continue leading the International Esports Federation,â Marinescu said. âAs we mark our 10th election cycle, we remain steadfast in our commitment to unity, transparency, and the sustained growth of the World of Esports.â
Delegates reviewed strategic priorities for the year ahead, including enhanced governance standards, expanded athlete development initiatives, and strengthened international cooperation. Voting on member-submitted motions underscored the federationâs collective commitment to advancing integrity, professionalism, and institutional maturity across the esports ecosystem.
The assembly also elected the IESF Board for 2026, comprising:
Board Members:
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HRH Prince Omar Bin Faisal â Jordan
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Afiq Fadhli Bin Narawi â Malaysia
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Elin Yoojung Moen â Norway
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Clint Kennedy â United States
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Flip De Bruyn â Namibia
The OGM concluded as the 17th World Esports Championship MLBB Finals continued, highlighting IESFâs ongoing mission to unite nations through Esports and support athletes, federations, and fans worldwide.
The post Vlad Marinescu Re-Elected as 10th IESF President appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Customers can now use Bet Builder, a format that lets them build their own set of markets on one match into a single bet with higher odds. Bet Builder is available for both esports and sports events. You can try out the new feature with a deposit bonus of up to 150% and a free bet worth up to $50.
Customers can now place a combined bet on a single match by picking various options for how events in the match will play out. For example, in CS2, customers can choose which team will win on a specific map, how many kills a specific player will rack up, how many rounds will be played on a single map, and so on.
To place a Bet Builder bet, pick an event that hasnât started yet, press the âBet Builderâ button, put together your selection of markets from those available, get higher combo odds, and finish placing the bet in one click. At this initial stage, GG.BET is offering Bet Builder on football, basketball, hockey, CS2, Dota 2, LoL, and VALORANT, with more sports and disciplines to be added down the line.
âGG.BET has always been known for embracing unconventional markets and elaborate betting options. Bet Builder is there to meet customer demand for more interesting formats in a single match. The ability to make predictions right down to a specific round and any other tiny detail of a match is what gives users variety and improves their skills,â the GG.BET press office explained.
GG.BET is offering customers the opportunity to test out the Bet Builder format with a deposit bonus of up to 150% and a free bet of up to $50.
The post GG.BET launches Bet Builder for a new way to bet appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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