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Revealed: What does it take to become an esports star?
- Johan Sundstein aka ‘N0tail’ is the top-ranking esports player of 2020, with $6.9 million in prize money to his name
- The average age of a top-ranking esports player is 24 for male players and 27 for female
- Popular streaming sites have experienced a 20% increase in the number of hours streamed in lockdown
Esports have accelerated into the mainstream in recent years, providing many avid gamers with the opportunity to turn their passion into a career. And with prize funds reaching the millions, being on top of your game certainly pays off. So, what does it take to make it big in esports and how has the industry evolved? Intel explored the ins and outs of the growing esports world.
The making of an esports star
- The most top-ranking male players of 2020 are from China (26%), and the most top-ranking female players are from the USA (42%)
- Physical health must also be a priority when training for esports, as well as in-game performance
As an avid gamer, what would it take to break into the esports industry and what exactly does an esports star look like today?
Based on the 100 top-ranking male and female esports players of 2020, the average age is 24 for male players and 27 for female. Some are even as young as 16, demonstrating that progression is very possible at a young age.
To climb the ranks, players must be committed to perfecting their game and putting in the necessary training, both in-game and physically. Professionals specialise in one or two games, focusing their time and energy on perfecting their performance.
“The best game to get into when moving into professional gaming or streaming is something you actually enjoy,” explains Chris Ball aka ‘Sacriel’. “It’s clear to see when a streamer is forcing themselves to play a type of game they don’t enjoy just because they feel a ‘big’ game is their only option – so instead find something that you can be passionate about.”
Healthy eating and a good night’s sleep are also recommended for optimal performance.
Esports host, Frankie Ward says “Esports teams are beginning to bring their routines in line with more traditional sports. Counter-Strike team Astralis, for example, has a coach, sports psychologist, and a physiotherapist. They also have a nutritionist and a sleep doctor that they can access, should they need extra help.”
Aoife Wilson, Head of Video at Eurogamer also stresses the importance of physical health, adding that players should “make physical training a priority alongside in-game training, which can not only help with focus and mindset, but in preventing strain or injuries that can come with sitting at your computer for prolonged periods of time.”
The esports industry in 2020
- The industry, which is currently worth $1.1 billion in 2020, is projected to be worth $1.8 billion by 2022
- The top competing countries are the USA, China and The Republic of Korea
Esports have come a long way since their conception – from ‘Spacewar’ played on the first ever computer to ‘Dota 2’, best enjoyed on a specialist gaming PC. So, what does the industry look like in 2020?
Today esports have the potential to fill huge arenas with thousands of fans. Not to mention the additional at-home audience watching live competitions streamed online. The Intel® Extreme Masters, held in Katowice in 2017, was one of the largest esports events in history, with a live attendance of 173,000 and viewership of 46 million.
While many live 2020 esports events were forced to cancel in response to the coronavirus pandemic, some went ahead in a virtual format. In fact, popular streaming sites such as Twitch and YouTube experienced a 20% increase in the number of hours streamed in lockdown, suggesting gaming provided solace to many throughout quarantine.
The esports industry has grown by epic proportions in recent years. Over the last five years, revenue has tripled from $325M to $1.1 billion and audience size has quadrupled from 120M to 495M. What’s more, the industry is projected to be worth a huge $1.8 billion by 2022.
While the esports world is very much a global playing field, with players hailing from all around the globe, the top competing countries are the USA, China and The Republic of Korea. 2019 winnings totalled $41.3 million, $18.5 million and $16.5 million for the respective nations.
Streamer Chris Ball aka ‘Sacriel’ says, “as the technical limits on game engines get pushed further and further back with breakthroughs in computing prowess, I think esports and streaming is going to become more mainstream and I look forward to what the new technology brings us.”
You can view the full list of those make it to the top in the eSport industry here.
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Apollo Games
REEVO Announces a New Partnership with Apollo Games
REEVO has announced a new partnership with Apollo Games, a Czech game studio renowned for its distinctive fruit and joker-style slot games. This collaboration marks another exciting step in REEVO’s continued expansion, further enriching its aggregation platform with proven, entertainment-driven content that appeals to players across multiple markets.
Through this partnership, Apollo Games’ portfolio is now available on the REEVO aggregation platform, providing operators with seamless access to a collection of engaging titles through a single integration. The addition reinforces REEVO’s commitment to delivering a diverse content ecosystem that combines established player favourites with innovative experiences from leading studios.
At REEVO, building a world-class aggregation platform means partnering with studios that understand what keeps players coming back. Apollo Games has established a strong reputation for combining classic casino appeal with modern mechanics, intuitive gameplay, and memorable entertainment. This makes the studio a valuable addition to REEVO’s growing portfolio of premium content providers.
As REEVO continues to expand its global footprint, every new partnership strengthens its ability to offer operators greater variety, stronger player engagement, and scalable content solutions through a single integration.
Daniel Cuc, Head of Account Management at REEVO, said: “Apollo Games brings a style of content that has stood the test of time while continuing to evolve with today’s players. We’re excited to welcome them to the REEVO platform as we continue building an aggregation ecosystem that combines trusted content with fresh experiences. Every new partnership is about giving our operators more opportunities to succeed, and Apollo Games is another excellent addition to our growing network.”
Robert Mikudik, CCO at Apollo Games, said: “We are truly excited to begin this new chapter with REEVO. This partnership will significantly strengthen the distribution of Apollo Games’ portfolio across multiple markets and help us bring our games to an even wider audience. I would like to thank everyone from both teams who contributed their time, energy, and expertise to successfully bring this project to life. A special thank you to David Ciolovan and Daniel Cuc for their dedication and for playing a key role in making this deal happen. We are very much looking forward to everything we can achieve together.”
This partnership reflects REEVO’s continued momentum as it expands its aggregation platform with providers that combine quality, innovation and commercial value. By growing a carefully curated content ecosystem, REEVO remains focused on helping operators deliver outstanding gaming experiences while supporting sustainable business growth.
The post REEVO Announces a New Partnership with Apollo Games appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Bacta
MGD – the Tax That Could Cost Britain its “Great Seaside Holiday”
Bacta has warned how an increase in Machine Games Duty will have a devastating impact on the country’s seaside piers and arcades forcing closures and undermining the appeal of the Great British seaside holiday.
The warning comes after research conducted by VisitBritain showed an 18% year-on-year decline in trips to England’s coast, an alarming down-turn that has seen it launch the domestic coastal campaign – #AllOnTheCoast – which encourages the supply chain of seaside businesses and partners to share videos and social posts to inspire Brits to discover England’s seaside and coastal destinations.
Commenting on the VistBritain campaign against the backdrop of the recent Social Market Foundation proposal to increase Machine Games Duty, Bacta President Joseph Cullis said: “Such a decline in trips to the coast, as reported by VistBritain, is extremely concerning.
“What’s perfectly clear is that any increase in the tax burden for already under pressure destination venues such as piers and coastal arcades will directly impact the appeal of a trip to the seaside as businesses either close permanently, are forced to pass on tax increases to holiday makers or have to reduce the hospitality offering. However individual businesses respond, the outcome is inevitable – a significantly reduced and more expensive experience that will serve to either transform two or three- night breaks into a day trip, and/or encourage families to holiday abroad.”
Increasing the tax burden would also have a significant impact on regional economies.
“Many seaside piers and amusement arcades rely on the income from their gaming areas to stay viable year-round. That income helps keep staff employed beyond the summer season and it helps maintain the attractions and buildings that are part of Britain’s coastal heritage. Take it away and the damage spreads throughout the broader business community of bars, cafes, newsagents, restaurants, convenience stores and B&Bs. Healthy, well-maintained piers and sea-front arcades make the difference between resort status and simply being somewhere that visitors go for a coastal walk,” noted Cullis.
“A pier does not survive on warm words about heritage, an arcade cannot pay wages with nostalgia and games creators aren’t able to invest in new products if the market is taxed into decline. It would be painfully ironic if the government chooses to implement a destructive tax regime that will destroy the Great British seaside holiday at the same time as funding VistBritain’s #AllOnTheCoast campaign.”
The post MGD – the Tax That Could Cost Britain its “Great Seaside Holiday” appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Andreas Hackl
Bet-at-home Goes Live with Fast Track
Bet-at-home, the European online sports betting and gaming operator, has gone live with Fast Track, using the platform to manage player engagement across its sportsbook and casino.
Founded in 1999 and listed on the Regulated Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Prime Standard), bet-at-home operates online sports betting and gaming across European markets, with Germany among its core markets. The agreement is the next step in bet-at-home’s player engagement strategy, as the operator continues to deepen the experience it delivers to players across regulated markets.
Fast Track gives bet-at-home’s team a single real-time customer model across CRM, Rewards and Greco, enabling the operator to scale player engagement, gamification and loyalty strategies, and build a gameplay intelligent bonus strategy from one connected platform. bet-at-home also uses Fast Track AI to power fully agentic CRM workflows, allowing its team to work with the platform in natural language and delegate end-to-end CRM tasks to AI agents.
“We needed a platform built for the realities of operating in regulated European markets, with the data foundation and agility to engage players consistently across our brands. Fast Track gives us exactly that, and we are excited about what this partnership will let us build for our players,” said Andreas Hackl, Head of Operations at bet-at-home.
“bet-at-home has built one of European betting’s most recognised brands over more than two decades, and across exactly the kind of regulated, competitive markets Fast Track was built for. We are looking forward to the work ahead together,” said Simon Lidzén, Co-Founder and CEO of Fast Track.
The post Bet-at-home Goes Live with Fast Track appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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