2021 Expected to be Another Year Of Record Growth In Esports And Gaming Video Content Industries

- Financialnewsmedia.com News Commentary

PALM BEACH,  Fla., April 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The eSports and Gaming Video Content industries have seen rapid growth in the past several yea­­rs and is expected to accelerate in years to come due to several factors: the amount of viewers/subscribers of GVC and eSports will increase, more advertisers and corporate sponsors will turn to eSports and GVC to diversify their revenue, and more gamers will join professional ranks as prize pools grow. In 2020, video games provided seasoned and rookie gamers an escape through competition and communities amid trying circumstances.  Community-driven user engagement and monetization is likely to increase in 2021, and another year of record growth is possible. An article in Seeking Alpha said: "We believe the video game industry's performance last year was a major milestone, but it's wasn't an endpoint." Active tech companies in the markets this week include Versus Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: VS), Super League Gaming, (NASDAQ: SLGG), Glu Mobile Inc. (NASDAQ: GLUU), Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT), Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA).

The article continued: "As pivotal and successful as 2020 was, we believe that it was just part of the industry's growth journey, and not its destination. The industry has several growth opportunities ahead which could prove to drive outsized returns for investors over the long run. A number of events accelerated the video game industry's growth last year. The pandemic pushed at-home activities like video games to the forefront of entertainment. The same happened with esports, which came to the rescue with live content while in-person sports and events were on pause. New console releases, a number of new hit titles, and the rise of community/social gaming also contributed to the growth. As a result, industry revenue totaled $175 billion in 2020, a 20% increase from 2019.^"

Versus Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: VS) BREAKING NEWS: Versus Systems to Allow Prizing in UK Starting in Q2  - Versus Systems today announced that it has added new functionality to its patented Dynamic Regulatory Compliance prizing engine to support uses in the United Kingdom, which is the largest television advertising market in Europe, one of the largest interactive gaming markets in the world, and home to the Premier League, the most popular football league in the world. Versus will be partnering with some of its existing content partners to launch in the UK in Q2 of this year.

With a population of over 66 million^[1] , the UK is a global leader in media consumption with 37 million people playing video games^[2] , approximately 20 million subscribers to OTT and streaming services^[3] , and an average of 1.5 million viewers tuning in to each of the 380 Premier League season games in 2018/2019^[4] . 

By expanding into the UK market, Versus will leverage its gaming and second-screen expertise to provide unique prizing solutions for brands and content partners looking to engage with this audience across multiple screens and live events.

"The UK's deep penetration of gaming, interactive TV, and streaming services represent tremendous opportunities for content creators and brands that want to add prizing and interactive engagement for their audiences," said Matthew Pierce, Versus' CEO. "Adding access to UK is a very natural target for expansion, given our multi-year partnerships with Xcite, Frias, HP, and all of our content and brand partners."   Read this and more news for Versus Systems  at:  https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-vs/

In other industry news:

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) Microsoft Corp. recently announced it has helped over 30 million people in 249 countries and territories gain access to digital skills, topping its initial goal of 25 million last June, and is extending the company's commitment to help 250,000 companies make a skills-based hire in 2021.

From laid-off factory workers to retail associates and truck drivers, millions of people turned to online learning courses from GitHub, LinkedIn and Microsoft during the pandemic to help prepare for and secure the most in-demand roles, including customer service, project management and data analysis. The announcement, detailed on the Official Microsoft Blog, builds on the company's efforts to help people by extending through 2021 free LinkedIn Learning and Microsoft Learn courses and low-cost certifications that align to 10 of the most in-demand jobs. The next stage of the initiative sets a new foundation for a skills-based economy through a suite of new tools and platforms designed to connect skilled job seekers with employers.

Glu Mobile Inc. (NASDAQ: GLUU), a leading developer and publisher of mobile games, recently announced the availability of MLB Tap Sports Baseball 2021 on the App Store and Google Play. In collaboration with Major League Baseball (MLB), MLB Players, Inc. (MLBPI), MLB Tap Sports Baseball is back for the MLB 2021 season with two young MLB All-Stars as the cover athletes of the game Washington Nationals outfielder and World Series champion Juan Soto and Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr.

^[1] Statista, Total population of the United Kingdom (UK) from 2015 to 2025, 2019-2020
^[2] The Creative Industries Council, 2018
^[3] Statista, Estimated number of unique subscribers to OTT SVOD services in Europe in 2018, by country, 2018
^[4] TopMedia, 2020

For the first time, new features in the mobile game allow players to pitch and join new Club Rally events to team up with friends. MLB Tap Sports Baseball 2021 contains more authentic MLB baseball content than ever before, with new ways to compete in events that mirror the real events of the major leagues.

"In 2020, the Tap Sports Baseball franchise surpassed $340 million of lifetime bookings," said Nick Earl, Glu President and CEO. "As one of Glu's leading Growth Games, I'm proud of the team's talent and the continued success of the franchise with our new 2021 experience."

Super League Gaming (NASDAQ: SLGG), a global leader in competitive video gaming and esports entertainment for everyday players, recently announced an exciting level of audience enthusiasm for the company's amateur and semi-pro tournament series, Super League Arena. With three events so far in 2021, Super League Arena live broadcasts and on-demand video content have generated more than 10 million total minutes – more than 180,000 hours – watched, including more than 40 million views across major platforms including Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.

"Anyone who is still questioning the power of esports is beyond out of touch," says Matt Edelman, Chief Commercial Officer of Super League Gaming. "When amateur events and the personal stories of athletes aspiring to break through to the next competitive level generate this level of audience interest, you know you're in a growth market. We're energized by the initial success of Super League Arena and thrilled for it to expand as a showcase for talented players."

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) recently unveiled EA SPORTS PGA TOUR: Road to the Masters as the exclusive home of the historic Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, one of the most prestigious golf events in the world, with some of the most recognizable traditions in sports. The Masters made its first-ever virtual appearance with EA SPORTS in 2011, and its return to video games has been highly requested by golf fans. Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, unveiled the new cover of EA SPORTS PGA TOUR today during his annual press conference before the 2021 Masters Tournament.

"We're honored to partner with Augusta National, home of the Masters Tournament, to feature the course and its traditions exclusively in EA SPORTS PGA TOUR," said Cam Weber, EVP and GM, EA SPORTS. "EA SPORTS is committed to growing the love of sports for everyone, and through our partnerships with the PGA TOUR, Augusta National and the other majors, we will bring new and longtime fans closer to the biggest events in golf than ever before."

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