Summary

The global esports market, valued at $1.39 billion in 2022, is experiencing robust growth with a projected CAGR of 16.7% from 2022 to 2030. In Italy, esports fans approximate 6 million with a majority being males aged 21 to 30, engaging mainly in games like FIFA, Call of Duty, and Fortnite. The Italian market value ranges between 47 and 51 million euros as of 2022. During the COVID-19 pandemic, esports saw a surge in viewership with a 15% increase in the fanbase and a 166% rise in streaming hours on Twitch. Twitch dominates the Italian market with substantial increases in hours streamed and total views, reaching over 6 million hours (+22%) and 1176 million views (+51%) respectively in 2021. League of Legends remains a leading force in the competitive scene, but a diverse array of games like Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite are also popular on Twitch, while Rocket League and Rainbow Six Siege hold sway on YouTube. Despite lacking specific regulatory frameworks, the industry grapples with issues like copyright and privacy laws. Revenue streams for companies engaged in esports include advertising, sponsorships, and sales, with significant players such as Activision and Riot Games in publishing, Beyond the Summit in event organization, and Twitch and YouTube in broadcasting..**Trends and Dynamics in the Evolving Italian E-sports Market** The Italian e-sports market is amidst a rapid ascension, capitalizing on a flourishing interest in video gaming and a burgeoning community base. Tracking the trajectory of e-sports viewership, Italy has seen a significant upsurge in recent years, indicative of an industry on the cusp of extensive opportunities for professional gamers and companies scouting for market entry points. One of the key trends in this market is the industry's resilient response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which spurred augmented viewership and an uptick in advertising revenue. The market's resilience is likely augmented by an ever-maturing e-sports ecosystem, flourishing with professional teams, superior competitions, and strategic corporate alliances. The volume of hours enjoyed on mainstream platforms like Twitch reflects the growth narrative, with hours reaching around 500 million in 2021, marking an over 50% increase from the previous year. This growth, albeit with a comparative slow-down from the year 2020, denotes a stabilization of user interest post the initial pandemic surge. Similarly, metrics such as total views and airtime on platforms like Twitch have demonstrated consistent growth. Diving into fan demographics, we observe an average age of enthusiasts at around 27 to 28 years, with a skew towards male gender, particularly amongst 'avid fans.' There is a noticeable inclination of e-sports fans towards higher education and income brackets, with a major chunk falling between 1501 and 3000 euros monthly income. Moreover, this market segment displays an acute motivation towards e-sports for entertainment, community engagement, desire for skill improvement, and a draw towards competitive aspects of gaming. Geographically, the southern regions of Italy, along with island territories, house the most substantial concentration of e-sports aficionados. The preference for playing and streaming platforms reflects distinct patterns, with Twitch commandeering a more substantial share of viewership, while YouTube holds a secondary, yet substantial, share. Specifically, games like League of Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Fortnite are amongst the most streamed on Twitch, while Rocket League and Rainbow Six Siege are the frontrunners on YouTube. The Italian e-sports market is valued between 47 and 51 million euros, with a direct economic impact of approximately 38 million euros. Key market players include publishers such as Activision and Ubisoft, event organizers such as Beyond the Summit, and broadcasters like Twitch and YouTube, each bringing distinctive contributions to the overall market structure. Concerning regulation, the Italian.### Key Players Shaping the Esports Landscape The esports market has seen an incredible surge in growth, popularity, and professionalization, thanks to the efforts of a variety of vital industry stakeholders. These range from game publishers responsible for the creation and dissemination of competitive titles, to event organizers who bring the thrill of tournament play alive for millions of fans around the globe. Furthermore, broadcasting platforms serve as the digital coliseums where these electronic battles are fought and watched by eager fans. Here’s an overview of the main players in each of these integral market segments: **Game Publishers: Influencers of the Virtual Arenas** - **Activision**: Known for its blockbuster franchises such as Call of Duty, Activision has been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of competitive gaming. Through the development of highly engaging titles, they've been a central force in the turnout at many esports tournaments worldwide. - **Riot Games**: Riot Games’ crown jewel, League of Legends, remains one of the most influential and widely-adopted games within the esports community. Their yearly League of Legends World Championship is one of the most prestigious events in the esports calendar, attracting viewership and player participation from all corners of the globe. - **Ubisoft**: Makers of the tactical shooter phenomenon, Rainbow Six Siege, Ubisoft has developed a strong competitive scene around the game. They continue to cultivate their presence in the market by hosting numerous esports events that boast high levels of professionalism and production value. - **Epic Games**: Epic Games has taken the industry by storm with its cultural phenomenon, Fortnite. Beyond the game's widespread casual appeal, Epic Games hosts the Fortnite World Cup, an esports event that has handed out some of the largest prize pools ever seen in the sector. **Event Organizers: Architects of Esports Experiences** - **Beyond the Summit**: Known for its innovative approach to esports broadcasting, Beyond the Summit has a reputation for creating intimate and entertaining events that are a hit both with players and the audience, particularly in games like Dota 2 and Super Smash Bros. - **Esport Engine**: Recognizing the need for impeccable production values, Esport Engine specializes in designing, producing, and programming world-class esports experiences for staging tournaments that are not only competitive but also broadcast-friendly affairs. - **Gfinity**: A leading esports solutions provider, Gfinity has a strong presence in the UK and beyond. They have a hand in organizing various events and leagues, offering a full suite of services that ensure the success and smooth execution of professional esports tournaments. **Broadcasting Platforms:
Get all the information you need
to understand this market

Detailed content

Inforamtion

  • Number of pages : 30 pages
  • Format : Digital and PDF versions
  • Last update : 17/07/2023
Update Details

Summary and extracts

1 Market Overview

1.1 Definition and presentation

E-sport (electronic sport) characterizes the internet-based practice of a video game alone or in teams via a computer or video game console (especially Playstation and Xbox). E-sports appeared in the 1980s, but the industry has now become more professional, with major tournaments organized and recognized worldwide, such as the Esports World Convention (ESWC), Major Language Gaming (MLG), or the Cyberathlete Professional League. The value creation system is based on various sources of revenue: advertising revenue, post-transmission revenue, sponsorship revenue, and so on. The e-sports market can be segmented according to these revenue sources or according to regional perspectives.

The size of the Esports market has been estimated at $1.39 billion in 2022. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.7% over the forecast period (2022-2030).

In Italy, e-sports fans number about 6 million, and they connect with each other using specific social networks, especially Facebook to share opinions, and Twitch to join the rest of the online community. The Italian e-sports audience is composed mainly of males (62%), with a medium to high level of education, mostly between 21 and 30 years old (44%), but with a fair incidence also between 31 and 40 years old (38%). Among the most popular games, topping the list in Italy is Fifa, which is the most played and well-known. It is followed closely by Call of Duty and Formula 1, Fortnite and Pokemon.

Focus on the Italian market, audience growth and engagement activities, investment in league tournament infrastructure, and increased live streaming of games are considered the main drivers of growth. The professionalization of the industry has created lucrative opportunities for game developers, gamers, influencers, and event organizers. For these reasons, millennials are considering e-sports as a professional career because of the rise in popularity of game tournaments.

All our studies are available online in PDF format

Take a look at an example of our research on another market!

Do you have a question about this study?   +44 238 097 0676

Latest news

Microsoft's $70 billion takeover of Activision: the trial of the century - 02/07/2023
  • Microsoft wanted to buy Activision for around $70 billion.
  • Nearly forty countries, including those of the European Union, China and Japan, approved the deal.
  • Activision's market capitalization reached $65.3 billion
  • The FTC sued Microsoft in an attempt to block the deal.
  • Microsoft previously bought ZeniMax for $7.5 billion.
  • Development costs for high-end games such as "The Last of Us Part II" and "Horizon Forbidden West" cost $220 million and $212 million respectively.
  • In some years, these high-end games accounted for up to 15% of Sony Interactive Entertainment's profits.
  • Sony has negotiated exclusivity for the much-anticipated "Final Fantasy XVI", which is not planned for Xbox.
  • Activision's mobile revenues passed the $3.5 billion mark in 2020, representing almost 50% of its total sales
  • Microsoft's share of the mobile gaming market is just 0.3%.

Companies quoted in this study

This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :

Activision Blizzard
Riot Games
Ubisoft
Epic Games
Beyond the Summit
Esport Engine
Gfinity
Youtube
Twitch

Choosing this study means :

Access to more than 35 hours of work

Our studies are the result of over 35 hours of research and analysis. Using our studies allows you to devote more time and added value to your projects.

Benefit from 6 years' experience and over 1,500 industry reports already produced

Our expertise enables us to produce comprehensive studies in all sectors, including niche and emerging markets.

Our know-how and methodology enable us to produce reports that offer unique value for money.

Access to several thousand articles and paid-for data

Businesscoot has access to all the paid economic press as well as exclusive databases to carry out its market research (over 30,000 articles and private sources).

To enhance our research, our analysts also use web indicators (semrush, trends, etc.) to identify market trends and company strategies. (Consult our paying sources)

Guaranteed support after your purchase

A team dedicated to after-sales service, to guarantee you a high level of satisfaction. +44 238 097 0676

A digital format designed for our users

Not only do you have access to a PDF, but also to a digital version designed for our customers. This version gives you access to sources, data in Excel format and graphics. The content of the study can therefore be easily retrieved and adapted for your specific needs.

Our offers :

the e-sport market | Italy

89 €
  • What are the figures on the size and growth of the market?
  • What is driving the growth of the market and its evolution?
  • What is the positioning of companies in the value chain?
  • Data from several dozen databases

5 reports pack (-15%) IT Italy

75.6 € / study
378 € instead of 445 € -15%
  • 5 reports at €75.6 excluding VAT per study to choose from our Italian catalogue for 12 months
  • Save 15% on additional studies purchased
  • Choose to be refunded any unused credit at the end of the 12-month period (duration of the pack)

See the terms and conditions of the pack and the refund of unused credit.

Updates

Our customer references

They have consulted our studies Discover the opinions (+500)

Malcolm Vincent
Linkedin logo

Malcolm Vincent

Astoria Finance

Gregoire de Castelnau
Linkedin logo

Gregoire de Castelnau

Stags Participations

Timothé Huignard
Linkedin logo

Timothé Huignard

PWC

Paul-Alexis Kebabtchieff
Linkedin logo

Paul-Alexis Kebabtchieff

BCG

Aymeric Granet
Linkedin logo

Aymeric Granet

Publicis Consultant

interviews & case studies All interviews and case studies (45)

La pépite Interview

BFM Business

Paul-Alexis Kebabtchieff

Boston Consulting Group

Marie Guibart

Kea Partners

Elaine, Durand

Crédit Agricole, Information & Veille

Philippe Dilasser

Initiative & Finance

Anne Baudry

Metro

Amaury Wernert

Kroll (Duff & Phelps)

Smart Leaders Interview

B-Smart

Do you have a question ?
Our team is at your disposal at   +44 238 097 0676