Christina Gough
Research expert covering sports and video gaming
eSports in Europe - statistics & facts
eSports, which stands for electronic sports, refers to video game tournaments that are played by amateur or professional gamers at regional or international level. Competitions can be played by individual gamers or as teams, and events are often streamed live over the internet, attracting a large number of viewers. In recent years, the eSports market in Europe has grown rapidly and this growth is forecast to continue. Many different types of video games are played in eSports tournaments. Some of the most popular games include League of Legends, a multiplayer online battle arena game, and Call of Duty: Warzone, a multiplayer battle royale game. Many video game developers are now designing games with eSports in mind, incorporating tournament capabilities in their games or providing funding for gaming events.
Most popular countries for eSports in Europe
Professional gamers who play eSports can win large sums of money at competitions, and while eSports are not as popular in Europe as they are in North America and China, European eSports players earned a fair amount of winnings in 2022. Russia was the European country with the highest amount of eSports prize money won that year, with a total of nearly 9.5 million U.S. dollars in winnings. However, while Russia brought in the most money in tournament winnings, Poland and Spain were the European countries with the highest share of eSports viewers in 2022.eSports fans spend big on the hobby
In addition to watching livestreams of tournaments online, eSports fans can purchase merchandise related to their favorite games, professional gamers, and teams. This includes not only physical merchandise, but also digital content such as skins, banners, and content passes. Tickets to events and related purchases were the most popular eSports products purchased by European fans in 2022. Hardcore viewers of eSports in Europe, classified as those who spent more than 10 hours per week consuming content, spent an average of 29 euros per month on their hobby.Leading eSports players and teams
The top eSports players in Europe earn hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars each year through their exploits. The leading eSports player in the United Kingdom in 2022 was Harry Pearson, also known by his gamertag Veno, who earned almost 345 thousand U.S. dollars competing in Fortnite tournaments. Tundra Esports, a professional eSports organization based in London, was the leading eSports team worldwide in 2022 based on combined earnings. Competing primarily in Dota 2 competitions, the team won The International in 2022 without losing a single series.
