Julia Stoll
Research expert covering TV and video media
Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease pandemic effect on the eSports industry - statistics & facts
The effect of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the eSports industry was significant, as people sought alternative forms of entertainment due to travel restrictions and cancelations of live entertainment events. eSports are video game competitions played online either alone or as a team, and so they are not as constrained by public safety measures as live sports. Sporting events in particular were hard hit by COVID-19, with many professional sporting events outright canceled due to the pandemic or played without fans in attendance. As people were unable to tune in normally to sporting events, eSports engagement boomed during the health crisis. One of the main reasons for increased investment in eSports in 2020 related to COVID-19, with the primary causes being increases in the use of online streaming platforms and social distancing measures forcing people to connect online.
