Adversity is the opportunity in progress and esports is a splendid example to quote to support the same. How? After the Pandemic, esporting is on the rise across the world. The UK video games market has seen a remarkable rise, now valued at £7.05 billion in 2022, which is more than twice its size in 2013. In 2022, the UK box office saw a 66% increase in video game-based films, making it the largest year ever for such movies. Yet, there’s another reality in the making that the UK is still far from Asia in recognizing esports.
Asia: Enjoying the First Mover Advantage in e-Sports
In Chengdu, five major esports international events took place in December 2023. The UK Immigration Department demands endorsement from the Football Association or the Rugby Football Union for players to travel for tournaments. The finale is usually held in a closed stadium with real-time fans, while the earlier levels are hosted digitally through AR/VR.The success of the event will further push the esports adoption in China, and it could witness a 517 million population moving to esports in China by 2024 as per iResearch Consulting Group.
How Can the UK Catch Up with This Pace?
The UK is slowly matching up with the Asian pace by registering a 50% rise in esports that would bring the UK a little closer to China. At the moment, the UK eSports market is valued at $69 M. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says: “The appetite for video games in the UK is palpable. The UK’s consumer games market is currently valued at £7.05 billion in 2022 – more than double its size in 2013. And 2022 was the biggest year for films based on video games IP at the UK box office ever, up 66% from 2019.” Whilst Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “It’s clear that Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is a global leader in esports.
The UK government recognizes the potential of esports as an area of national strength, but the country’s immigration system does not consider professional gaming events as professional tournaments. This makes it difficult for fans and players to acquire visas and legal documents quickly. London & Partners, a business and tourism company partially funded by the Greater London Authority, is also supporting these efforts. However, the realization of these ambitious goals depends on strong decisions from the government. Presently, the UK’s immigration system does not recognize professional gaming events like esports as professional tournaments, making it increasingly difficult for fans and players to obtain visas and other legal documents quickly.
Conclusion
The Park is becoming a hub for esports, offering training and job opportunities, and contributing to London’s prosperity. The UK government has recognized esports as a potential area of national strength. The need of the hour is to clearly define regulations which could make esports mainstream in the UK. To compete with the front-runners and dominators in the esports category, we need to demonstrate political will to push the application and commercialization of esports. To read more of such articles do visit us or explore our digital solutions directly.
