As more and more investment dollars pour into virtual reality (VR), the excitement within the world of sports is palpable. It’s also becoming more clear that VR will have a major impact on the booming competitive video game (eSports) industry. With the number of hardcore fans projected to reach 148 million by year’s end and 215 million by 2019 (see figure below), the eSports phenomenon is real. Still, there are questions surrounding the opportunity for VR within competitive video games. The following are four important elements to keep in mind as the two burgeoning industries collide.
1. Finding gold and caution
While physical sports are experimenting with delivering VR broadcasts from the sidelines of live events, eSports, and with its digital nature, offers the potential to literally transport viewers into the game and directly into the action in real time. Likewise, the prospect of enthusiastic, and typically tech-friendly, gaming audiences engaged through a bevy of broadcasts or fan installations is clearly attractive. In that light, eSports hasn’t gone unnoticed by the world of VR.
“One of the many use cases predicted for VR is the ability to attend live sports games remotely. In a similar way, there’s a lot of opportunity for VR to create a new type of viewing experience even using the currently successful eSports game genres,” explained Patrick Walker, VP of insights and analytics at Electronic Entertainment Design and Research.
However, expectations that eSports audiences will soon be watching professional events in VR must be tempered with reality. For example, video game publisher, Wargaming.net has already experimented with VR installations during competitive events, but potential issues with interrupting play prevented a full scale rollout.
Unlike traditional sports, which benefit from decades of investment in broadcast infrastructure, most competitive video game events are still sorting out quality concerns, such as delays caused by problems like network connectivity. Media outlets like Turner Sports are grappling with the nuances of competitive video game content on TV, let alone through virtual reality.
Takeaway: Given the nascent nature of eSports, live virtual reality broadcasts is not a realistic near term objective.
2. Authentic content wins
Considering inherent challenges with today’s virtual reality technology, such as simulator sickness and low image refresh rates. the most immediate opportunity in eSports is identifying creative content best suited for VR delivery; where the goal is creating a product connection with competitive gaming audiences. Where, in contrast to traditional sports, consumer generated gaming content attracts a significant chunk of viewership among eSports audiences. For example, in 2015, an average of 1.7 million broadcasters streamed every month on Twitch.tv, leading to 241,441,823,059 total minutes of content streamed.
Twitch viewers also consumed an average of 421.6 minutes per month. Why? The nature of entertainment is undergoing a rapid shift for key demographics (18 – 25 years old) that flock to platforms like Twitch, and overwhelmingly compose eSports enthusiasts. The general popularity of authentic, video-based content represents a key dynamic for stimulating mass adoption of virtual reality in competitive video game segments. Notably, that traditional packaging isn’t a precursor for compelling content.
Takeaway: Virtual reality content intended for eSports audiences must soundly resonate with the pitch and tone of its overall culture.
3. Touch Points make things go
While a new generation of immersive gaming experiences will emerge from a nexus of eSports and virtual reality, the bigger opportunity involves the entire ecosystem. To portray where both domains intersect, it’s worth investigating a profile of the eSports consumer. For starters, fans and supporters of electronic sports are not accustomed to HD broadcasts, delivered via linear TV, and favor a wider range of devices on which to consume content (see figure below). This bodes well for introduction of virtual reality devices as eSports consumers haven’t established a dominant viewing experience, such as sports on TV.
The concept of eSports is far from a monolith. In fact, the term actually represents a number of distinct segments surrounding different video game titles. This segmentation offers opportunity for various players in the virtual reality market to carve a distinct niche and create separation from competitors. Certain games are more popular to play, others more popular to watch, but each community is unique. Therefore, any thoughtful conversation about virtual reality and eSports starts with understanding the relevant segment(s) being discussed. Likewise, the opportunity’s flavor will differ depending on the game(s) involved. Even more so than in traditional sports, it’s critical to strategize around the temperament of various eSports communities – players, viewers, fans, etc.
Takeaway: eSports is friendly to new device experiences.
4. Participatory competition
When compared to traditional sports, competitive gaming is unique in that all participants, regardless of skill level, play the same exact game; this blurs the line between spectator and player. Meaning, for a given eSport title, there is a strong correlation between those who play the game on their own time and those who view it played by others. Along those lines, it’s clear that the vast majority of eSports viewers are gamers (see figure below).
The connection between watching games played and playing them has created a “skills economy” for gamers who wish to improve their competitive gameplay. As a result, a number of companies are targeting this marketplace, offering boot camps, coaching support, competitive game strategy, etc. Virtual reality companies have the chance to spur consumer adoption and awareness by developing tailored experiences that serve as a player development aid. Gamers are already spending thousands of hours practicing with hopes of improving their skills, and perhaps going pro. The purity of this dedication is at the heart of eSports engagement, and enables every fan to feel a part of the sport. Virtual reality can win in eSports by aligning with and facilitating this emotional connection.
Takeaway: eSports is not simply a spectator experience; it contains strong elements of participation for gamers.
Alex Fletcher runs his own eSports consultancy, providing strategic advice to companies across the world. He’s also a big sports fan and dog lover. You can subscribe to his FREE newsletter here – http://tinyletter.com/