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Screaming Fans

Competitive gaming has taken off in the last years. Publishers like Riot Games with League of Legends or Wargaming with World of Tanks have built their business around the idea that these games are indeed a sport. League of Legends now attracts millions of viewers in live streams, and its championship events fill stadiums like LA's Staples Center. It seemingly happened overnight, but it did not. As any sport, electronic sports have evolved into their own complex eco system, with a myriad of business opportunities for multiplayer game developers. This lecture shows how it works, who the significant actors in this burgeoning industry are, how big it has become and sheds light on deal and investment sizes.Slides from my talk at Respawn Gathering conferencee, August 20th 2013.

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Screaming Fans

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  1. SCREAMING FANS & PACKED STADIUMSHow games are turned into a global sport

  2. PLAYER VS PLAYER TEAM VS TEAM ESL ARENA

  3. CHAMPIONS

  4. FAN CULTURE

  5. WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING “ There are fundamental advantages that e-sports will have over traditional sports. ” Gabe Newell, Founder & CEO Valve “ I feel like eSports is happening with or without us. Games have become the biggest unofficial sports league in the world right now. There’s a massive (…) ecosystemof content. ” Eric Hirshberg, CEO Activision “ eSports is growing out of control. It’s alive and breathing and flying away. I have no idea when it’s going to stop. ” Dustin Browder, Lead Designer StarCraft II Blizzard

  6. THE GAMES 32m+ MAU Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) 50mregistered players globally First Person Tank Simulation 10m+copies sold Real Time Strategy (RTS) 5m+ MAU MOBA 30m+copiessoldof all CS Versions First Person Shooter (FPS) 100m players across franchise First Person Shooter (FPS)

  7. THE ECCLESTONES Brandon Beck, Marc Merill League of Legends Victor Kislyi World of Tanks Mike Morhaime StarCraft II ? Icefrog Dota 2 Gabe Newell Counter-Strike Bobby Kotick Call of Duty

  8. WCS 2012 EU FINALS

  9. LOL S2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

  10. IEM KATOWICE

  11. THE INTERNATIONAL 3

  12. How games are turned into sport

  13. KEY LEARNINGS • One-off events don‘t work • Running leagues is hard • eSports is not an acquisition channel • Not every game is a winner • Always be balancing

  14. BEST PRACTICES • Be smart about your investments • Evolve eSports features slowly, steadily • Close collaboration with leagues • Leagues create sustainable eco systems

  15. THE GAME LEAGUES COMMITMENT RESULT • Consulting • Matchmaking aaS • Anti-Cheat aaS • Free-to-play • Matchmaking • Custom Matches • Anti-Cheat • A potential sport

  16. TOURNAMENTS • Anorganic (40k$ annually / region) • Weekly cups with monthly final • Key questions: game mode, maps and team size • Ongoing competition creates stories

  17. RULES & REFEREES

  18. RULES & REFEREES • Leagues are methodic about rule setting • League rule sets designed to form clans out of parties / loose teams • If rules have to work around your balancing, you‘re doing it wrong

  19. CLANS

  20. CLANS • Financial self interest • Support many games, good as testimonials and consultants early on • Various, large communication channels • They want exposure and prize money

  21. Measure of success LIVESTREAMING

  22. COMMENTATORS

  23. COMMENTATORS • Leagues have commentator stables • Pro players, former pros, personalities, full time commentators, hosts • Build up fresh faces • In-house streamers • Faces of your brand • Hire known commentators for industry events (500$+ daily)

  24. BUILDING THE GRASSROOTS LEAGUES • Making players ambitious • Tournaments • Rulebooks • Clans • Commentators • Streaming networks

  25. BUILDING THE GRASSROOTS COMMITMENT • eSports coordinator • Balancing • Streaming-Friendly • Spectator mode • Map editor

  26. BUILDING THE GRASSROOTS RESULT • Ongoing league content • Your first audience • Good commentators • Known players & teams • Balanced game

  27. SANCTIONED LEAGUES

  28. SANCTIONED LEAGUES • Different models: Hands-off, Co-branded, Co-Owned, Secretly funded • 3rd party sponsorships • Existing infrastructure • Leagues operate globally, useful for entering new markets • No ownership of league, still an investment • 50k$-2m$ (depending on regional scale, team size, physical presence)

  29. TV SHOWS

  30. COVERAGE

  31. PROFESSIONALSTREAMING

  32. MEDIALIZATION • Sanctioned leagues offer global event presence • Pay attention to the details • Leagues create the professional environment you‘ll claim

  33. FORMING A SPORT LEAGUES • Sanctioned Leagues • Sponsors • Events • Coverage • Medialization

  34. FORMING A SPORT COMMITMENT • eSports team • Demo recording • Team matchmaking • Custom Match / Stats APIs

  35. FORMING A SPORT RESULT • Outside investments • Eco system • Global infrastructure • Audience

  36. OFFICIAL LEAGUES

  37. OFFICIAL LEAGUES • Online & Offline league covering all major territories • Developer hands-on with the details • Centralized coverage

  38. OWNING A SPORT • Building a new business • Companies change • Own league and infrastructure • Large-scale events • New revenue streams open up

  39. ESL ARENA

  40. PHYSICAL PRESENCE • Fixed studio environment • Frequent global highlight events • Support for Barcrafts & eSports Bars

  41. HAPPY PLAYERS

  42. PRO TEAMS

  43. PLAYERS & TEAMS • Make the pro players really happy • Help teams with visa and establishing physical presences • Team houses are essential to professionalize

  44. TOUCHING THE MAINSTREAM • Livestreams reach critical mass • Name brand sponsors • Traditional TV desperate for young content

  45. REVENUE STREAMS • Sponsors • Ads • Tickets • In-game merch • Merch • TV Licenses

  46. OWNINGA SPORT LEAGUES • League services • Production Services • TV Licensing • Sales

  47. OWNINGA SPORT COMMITMENT • eSports Unit • Operational control • Official league • Contractors • Player Management

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