Esports is one of the newest topics reaching the top of professional sports. Ten years ago, the idea of picking up a controller and making money, organizations, or a career out of it was unheard of. Now, in 2021, many children do not dream about becoming an astronaut nor a firefighter–and definitely not a policeman.

Now, kids want to be YouTubers, streamers, or esports professionals. This shift in ideas has been aided by many things: especially from celebrities like Drake, DJ Marshmello, Dillion Francis, Jack Black, and Zac Efron, who have gone out and shown their talents for the public to see, and would even go out of their way to better themselves at their work.

Nowadays, we see people all around the world making a career out of being the everyday idol the newest generation of kids look up to. But– how viable is the future for the esports scene? 

The esports scene is very popular nowadays, having hundreds of organizations spending millions on franchises, advertising, and most importantly, the players. The scene has broken many new records and previously-set numbers: Newzoo, a marketing research company, claimed that in 2019, the esports scene as a whole had surpassed the 1 billion dollar mark, and by the end of 2020, the industry would surpass 1.1 billion dollars in overall revenue. Meanwhile, the viewership will skyrocket to an astonishing 495 million active followers, according to Newzoo. However, the most frequently asked question is: Where does all this money come from?

The majority of the money made from esports is made through sponsorships and media rights, making up 74.8% of the 1.1 billion dollars, establishing a $822.4 million dollar profit for the industry. Merchandise and Consumer spending will total $121.7 million, while another $116.3 million will come from game publishers’ investments into the esports space. These numbers are being led by China, the population of the nation topping the list in the largest Esport markets, with a revenue of $385.1 million. Second to China is North America with $252.5 million earned revenue, and hot in their heels is Western Europe with $201.2 million. When it comes to the numbers, the esports scene has passed with flying colors. Only time will dictate its peak, as esports have many new outlets to expand, monetize, and develop compared to traditional sports.  

The esports scene is definitely not coming up short regarding profit and popularity, so, how do the esports players feel about the increase in publicity for the relatively ‘new’ scene?

Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro, a former Halo Professional and current Call Of Duty (commonly referred to as its shortened acronym, CoD) professional, believes that when it comes to entering the esports scene, passion and dedication is crucial for success: “ The start is finding the passion to put it in the effort, and the love of the game. When becoming a pro nowadays, it is not just [about] having skill–it is [about] having a personality, putting up with some of the worst tempered people, and honestly, just trying to be positive all the time–which can get very difficult.” He later explained how during his uprise, he had to put multiple hours into not only his skill, but also his brand and personality to become who he is now.

In the past, esports enthusiasts have become big by dominating the Amature leagues. Now, the market has been rich with young players, and it comes down to more than just skill. Cuevas-Castro commented saying, “ You can find a good player anywhere–probably even better than me–but finding a player who can play sixteen hours a day, for eleven months straight, can get very tiring. People imagine esports athletes as people who have it easy and stay at home all day, but like anything else, it gets tiring after a while.” 

Cuevas-Castro mentioned the future of not only CoD, but all esports in general, stating, “ I think it is the brightest sport to date, and with the new games franchising and dumping loads of content and tournaments, it will only improve. It brings a new dimension to the game of more than competitive gaming.” 

Cuevas-Castro is one of the newer CoD players, and being only nineteen he has found glory 3x in Call of Duty and Halo, bringing hope to upcoming players who strive to be a multi-fps champion.

How is the esports future looking for regular teenagers like us?

16-year-old Gustavo Trejo, who plays competitive Fortnite and has become an amateur in the CoD scene, has spent thousands of dollars pursuing his dreams in esports and improving on his craft. However, according to Trejo, even if you do not have the financial stability to invest in esports, that is not a problem: “When starting, you do not need money at all. If you believe you are skilled enough, you can play for free, and then challenge others to win your first dollars to invest [back] into your craft. After that, [it is all] playing your cards right, and knowing what you can face off against and what you cannot is one of the challenges of being an amateur. Now, when it comes to Fortnite, you do not need to spend a dollar: just time, lots, and lots of time.”

When people think of esports, they think of playing games all day, and consequently, one’s grades and social skills. To Trejo, this is simply a stage in becoming dedicated: “The truth is, you will lose a lot of things when coming into the scene. But, when people want to be in the scene, they never think about it in a business way. If you want to reach [your] goals, you have to be in love with the game, and have fun. That means dropping your friends and social activities is no problem. Now, when it comes to your grades, it depends on how you are as a person.” Mr. Trejo explains how like any other dream, you will be losing and sacrificing some things in order to achieve said dream, but that is part of the chase.

How can a student who is in love with the game get started? According to Trejo, ” Taking out a lot of time out of your day to practice and get your name noticed [is key]. Playing small matches on websites like Gamebattles.com and MLG.com is the easiest way to improve your game, and the rest is on how you are with people. You can be the best player, but you also need to get along with people, and be able to be social with other people in the community.

The future looks bright for the esports community, as everyday the scene brings more opportunities to all: from newer organizations to the newest players with new games coming out every year, the chances are endless. With a growing community and fan base, time will only tell what is out for esports.