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The Role of Streaming Platforms in the Esports Boom

Since the 1970s, when we witnessed the first large-scale video game competition, the e-sports industry has not stopped increasing. Actually, Statista, in a recent report, projected that there would be over 285 million frequent viewers of eSports by 2024. But what exactly could be the reason for this continued growth?

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Well, as there could be several reasons as to why eSports has continued to pull millions of audiences, streaming has definitely played a huge role. In this article, we will cover several aspects of how this tech advancement has contributed to the proliferation of eSports.

What Part has Advanced Internet Connectivity Played?

If you have been participating in the eSports industry since the late 20th century, you can actually agree that the experience, compared to our modern times, is a whole different. Consider, for instance, if you want recent news or up-to-date reviews and guides of different games. Platforms like Slottivity have made access to such information very easy and seamless. Regardless of where you are – whether on the road, in an office or in a parking lot waiting for someone – you just need a simple touch of a button, and you are good to go.

Even when it comes to how we watch tournaments nowadays, things have changed. Unlike in the 70s, where players would engage in tournaments over networks, platforms like Twitch have emerged to allow you to view virtually. And good enough, you can earn by streaming videos of others playing.

A good side to the popularity of the internet is that more and more audiences can participate in streams. There are no restrictions that were brought about by traditional physical locations or specific TV networks. And, in the case that you miss any stream, you can always go back to the platform and follow the action as it unfolds.

Ever Increasing Numbers

While eSports might have been previously a niche industry, it has grown to become a global phenomenon. If statistics are anything to go by, about 100 million unique viewers followed Amazon’s Twitch monthly in 2014. The following year, the platform streamed over 240 billion minutes – this is about 460,000 years’ worth of content. And just recently, in 2022, this number grew to about 1.35 trillion minutes.

Part of the reasons why these platforms are moving crowds is their attention to interactivity and community engagement. For instance, through their live feedback loop, streamers can respond to you directly, which creates a sense of connection. Plus, their live chat functionalities improve the overall experience, ensuring you can comment and ask questions in real-time.

As a player who’s looking forward to engaging streams, you probably won’t mind watching multiple perspectives simultaneously. That’s what most of these streaming platforms, including Twitch, have made possible. Using their multi-view feature, you can follow specific players or teams to the end of the game. The interactive overlays that offer extra information, like in-game data and player stats, only make your viewership more engaging.

So, as you can see, live streaming has played a critical role in the widespread adoption of eSports. Especially now that it has become possible to enhance user engagement on these platforms, more and more viewers have been joining the streams, and we can expect this trend to continue in the coming days.



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