Even before the pandemic, the global e-sports audience has been rising steadily, with more and more viewers tuning in to watch some of the best gamers in the world. However, the Covid-19 has fuelled the entire market’s growth, as millions of people turned to e-sports and video games amid the lockdown.
According to data presented by Safe Betting Sites, the global e-sports audience is set to reach 474 million viewers in 2021, almost a 20% increase since the Covid-19 struck. The increasing trend is set to continue in the following years, with the number of e-sports viewers growing by another 20% and reaching 577 million by 2024.
After the pandemic hit, e-sports and gaming became one of the most popular in-door and online activities for millions of people isolated in their homes. In fact, the Newzoo data revealed more than 38 million people started watching e-sports in 2020 only, with the total number of viewers reaching 435.9 million last year. This 2021 is expected to witness the same growth rate, with the global e-sports audience rising to 474 million people.