As the mobile games industry continues to grow, so to the games-related industries that surround it, such as esports and livestreaming.
In its latest report, Newzoo predicts that by the end of 2022 the global esports audience will reach 921.2 million, with this figure projected to jump to 1.4 billion by the 2025.
Newzoo stated that one of the reasons for the growth is due to the changes in habits as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which caused growth "beyond [the firm’s] initial expectations".
Sponsorships drive revenue
As the esports audience grows, it is expected that revenues grow, with Newzoo projecting that by the end of 2022 esports revenues will reach $1.38 billion, a rise of 22 per cent from the previous year. Of this amount, roughly 60 per cent of esports revenues are generated from sponsorships at $837 million.
By 2025, the firm predicts that this figure could grow as high as $2.28 billion.
Although PC esports are dominant in developed markets, mobile esports are the leading the front in emerging markets, such as Latin America, Southeast Asia, the MENA region, and India.
Similarly, mobile games livestreaming sees its largest audiences in this region, with YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming as the largest platforms for mobile esports, with titles such as PUBG Mobile, Free Fire, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang among the most popular.
Investment into the mobile esports sector has also increased. Recently, Legendary Play raised $4 million to develop a mobile games suite for esports fans.
