0
IndustryA new decade means a new beginning, especially for esports. This decade marks itself as one of the most significant decades for the professional gaming scene. The now-booming industry spent a lot to create a foundation for itself and in the process, gave awareness that it was the next big scene. Time and money were invested in making esports work and it paid off. Now esports is at the point where the community can reap the fruits of labor. With esports estimated to pass $1 billion in revenue this year according to Newzoo, the reality of its success becomes more clear. 2020 brands itself as the start of esports greatness.
Apex Legends Global Series
Somewhat shockingly, Apex Legends officially announced a $3 million competitive front for their game. An esports category and competitive series are promised and underway with their first Major tournament premiering in March.
Image credit to EA Sports.
A fresh competitive front for the world means endless opportunities with $3 million worth of prize pools shared throughout the global series. And of course, awareness is certain, especially with sponsors, investors, organizations, and personalities all gathering around the newly-established entertainment gold mine.
Overwatch League Extinction or Redemption
Already known to the public is the Overwatch League’s downfall, going down since 2019. The competitive scene is diverging slowly away from its initial greatness. People who helped it flourish in the past have jumped off the bandwagon. Nearly everyone taking an interest in the competitive front is stumped by the question of what will happen to OWL. But, it’s not dead, yet, with 2020 being a new esport beginning for everyone in the industry. Various actions need to be taken, but if things remain stale, drowning in esports irrelevancy is the main path of destiny for the league. Bouncing back is uncertain, but not impossible. The regular season begins on February 8.
I wish the @overwatchleague success in this pivotal year of localization and I hope we can find some way to work together again in the future. No doubt you will find me cheering at the Los Angeles Homestands next year! (12/12) pic.twitter.com/UDwD4uns1k
— MonteCristo (@MonteCristo) December 31, 2019
Fortnite Pro Scene Grows
With Chapter Two debuting not too long ago, change is a definite factor for the future of competitive Fortnite. Especially when the game made $1.8 billion last year. With a new map, new guns, new playstyle and new strategies, competitive Fortnite is a bundle of unpredictability. However, with the increase in sales and the game basically defining the decade, that means more global tournaments, LAN competitions, events, and seasonal occasions will occur in 2020. Last year, then sixteen-year-old Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf won $3 million at the Fortnite World Cup. This year, that number will surely rise thanks to the esports industry’s success.
League of Legends Season 2020
League of Legends Preseason 2020 brought a whole new design to the map, added perks, a few nerfs, buffs, and changes. The game will likely be changed more when Season 10 debuts January 10. What’s interesting about the new season is how it’ll affect LoL’s esports scene. Professional players must now learn the pros and cons of the four new elemental maps in LoL. Season 10 brings inconsistency, in turn creating more unpredictability.
Image credit to Riot Games.
Overall, opportunities and potential shines brightly in 2020. As each day passes, the esports industry grows more abundant in talent and succession. With that, the only thing fans need to worry about is booking their tickets and crossing their fingers for their favorite team to win the next event.
Written by Jay Hunter
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.