Trends in esports for 2019
4.6 / 5 ( 10 votes )
The trends in esports for 2019 will continue on the path of last year, where some very important advances have already been achieved. So, with the start of the year, this is a good time to brush up on some of the top trends in esports for 2019.
Also to know how to improve conversions in this sector. In addition to knowing some predictions on how it will continue to impact the video game landscape . What is clear is that they will continue to be a revolution in both game broadcasting and advertising.
4 keys in esports in 2019
1.- Google Project Stream
Without going any further, and as an example, Google presented "Project Stream" and, shortly after, began to test its potential with the help of " Assassin's Creed: Odyssey " from Ubisoft.
Allowing streaming is the great goal of the video game industry. Getting rid of the console and having servers take care of running the game is not yet 100% possible. But there are more and more interesting options to send content to simple machines that do not require large resources. For example, play “ Assassin's Creed Odyssey ” from any desktop or laptop computer regardless of your Chrome settings .
This project will mark the beginning of a new era that will significantly influence the sector in two ways:
2.- The rise of influencers who are not video game players
The second of the trends in esports for 2019 has to do with the new direction that influencer marketing is going to take . And this means the hiring of an increasing number of well-known people from different sectors, mainly entertainment . That they become the ambassadors of gaming brands.
This practice has also always existed. But now with recent and highly successful campaigns to feature influencers. That is the difference. One such example is Ryan Reynolds . It seems that Hollywood and video game fans in particular are embracing the game as an entertainment medium as well.
Beyond simply vouching for games, these influencers actively participate in game sessions . In fact, when Drake , a rapper, and an NFL player joined Twitch's Ninja, they broke viewer records on that platform.
3.- 2019 is not the year of 5G
Almost every mobile phone news article talks about 5G. Despite this media hype, this technology is not expected to actually launch until 2020. Or later.
In 2019, only a select few cities will have access to 5G. 5G will require several more years of investment. Both in infrastructure and in technological advances so that it is up to date.
5G will also be limited to a small number of high-end smartphone models. While Samsung, Google, Oppo, Huawei, and others have confirmed 5G-capable smartphones for 2019, this won't be an immediate update.
Also read : Qnnit
Also, Apple will not add 5G technology to its iPhones. Until at least 2020. Which will make the adoption of 5G even more difficult.
4.- Apple will enter the video transmission space
In 2019, Disney + will join a long list of video streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO NOW, and many more. And it seems that another giant will also join: Apple.
The company already offers services for music (Apple Music), payments (Apple Pay) and cloud storage (iCloud). Video will be your next step.
What does all this mean for esports trends for 2019?
These trends in esports for 2019 show that:
A.- The influence of China
Following the reform of video game regulation in China and the formation of the Gaming Ethics Committee, it will be difficult for publishers to launch games in China.
To meet the Committee's new standards, foreign companies must invest time and resources to conform to its standards. Of course, companies will only make these adjustments if they are confident that their games will perform well in China. Which means that only the largest companies will be able to risk.
The new regulations will also cause Chinese gaming companies to shift their focus abroad. In particular, Southeast Asia. Japan, South Korea, Europe, the United States and the Middle East are high-potential markets.
Less growth
On the other hand, although it is a admittedly serious event, the freezing of Chinese participation in the newly introduced games is likely to have consequences in mid-2019 . With the substantial losses experienced by both local companies, Tencent , and foreign ones, the world's largest gaming market will experience slower growth compared to previous years like 2017.
It is another trend in esports for 2019. And this is partly because most foreign companies want to try this new market. They want to experiment. But they do not want to be limited by this or another type of surprises, before resuming their strong investments in the country.
Simultaneously, due to those who are confident to continue investing, another trend in esports for 2019 is likely to be an increase in external advertisers who want to promote their products for Chinese consumption immediately. Primarily in an effort to:
B.- The growth of mobile games in the West
While mobile gaming may have a high impact in China right now, the rest of the world has been slowly making the same transition. The Japanese publisher Konami for example has already announced that it would focus on mobile devices .
And now it has reached a point where it will become the new trend in the West. For example, to the surprise of its fans, Blizzard announced that after waiting almost 7 years since Diablo III, the next installment will have the opportunity to play on a mobile device .
So it seems logical that it will be another of the trends in esports for 2019. You can see that other giants in the sector within the video game landscape will announce similar strategies.
C.- Strategies for mobile devices
Therefore, video game advertisers will need to slowly gain a competitive advantage on mobile devices. Since the relevance of these platforms will increase exponentially this year. This means that app purchase stores will continue to become even more saturated.
Furthermore, this general transition to mobile devices will likely be linked to e-sports and its own growing popularity. Also for the ease they provide for people to play and compete anytime, anywhere.
D.- Purchase regulations
By the end of 2018, PEGI will have introduced a new rating icon on physical copies of games. Mainly to notify the buyer that they include purchase possibilities within the game. Furthermore, the biggest global efforts this year to ban them do not appear to be over anytime soon.
Analyzing these factors together, among others, this is another trend in esports for 2019. Companies that rely primarily on in-game micro-transactions will likely continue to experience monetization problems.
This is especially true for mobile devices . As it has been reported that in-app purchase costs are increasing, while returns are decreasing.
Greater value with interactive ads
In the coming year, some of these companies may try to explore alternative revenue-generating methods, such as interactive ads .
But when these are combined with some of the other trends in esports for 2019, those announcements could present even more added value to your campaigns. For example, with the transmission possibilities mentioned above. The idea of being able to insert short ads is something that can be appreciated by most advertisers.
With so many changes on the horizon, it is important to understand what factors are influencing your campaign performance in the video game industry or across industries. And how you can optimize it for the future.
If you are interested in analyzing how you can achieve an optimal ROI, at Antevenio we can help you because we have the necessary technology to achieve the objectives you set for yourself. Do you need a partner to improve your esports & gaming strategies ?
4.6 / 5 ( 10 votes )
The trends in esports for 2019 will continue on the path of last year, where some very important advances have already been achieved. So, with the start of the year, this is a good time to brush up on some of the top trends in esports for 2019.
Also to know how to improve conversions in this sector. In addition to knowing some predictions on how it will continue to impact the video game landscape . What is clear is that they will continue to be a revolution in both game broadcasting and advertising.
4 keys in esports in 2019
1.- Google Project Stream
Without going any further, and as an example, Google presented "Project Stream" and, shortly after, began to test its potential with the help of " Assassin's Creed: Odyssey " from Ubisoft.
Allowing streaming is the great goal of the video game industry. Getting rid of the console and having servers take care of running the game is not yet 100% possible. But there are more and more interesting options to send content to simple machines that do not require large resources. For example, play “ Assassin's Creed Odyssey ” from any desktop or laptop computer regardless of your Chrome settings .
This project will mark the beginning of a new era that will significantly influence the sector in two ways:
- Opening the doors of advertising to a new market . Without exploiting the players who otherwise could not make a living from these games. But they don't play lesser-known games either.
- Challenging large corporations . They specialize in powerful gaming hardware, to further enhance their business models. And, thus, expand with different software solutions.
2.- The rise of influencers who are not video game players
The second of the trends in esports for 2019 has to do with the new direction that influencer marketing is going to take . And this means the hiring of an increasing number of well-known people from different sectors, mainly entertainment . That they become the ambassadors of gaming brands.
This practice has also always existed. But now with recent and highly successful campaigns to feature influencers. That is the difference. One such example is Ryan Reynolds . It seems that Hollywood and video game fans in particular are embracing the game as an entertainment medium as well.
Beyond simply vouching for games, these influencers actively participate in game sessions . In fact, when Drake , a rapper, and an NFL player joined Twitch's Ninja, they broke viewer records on that platform.
3.- 2019 is not the year of 5G
Almost every mobile phone news article talks about 5G. Despite this media hype, this technology is not expected to actually launch until 2020. Or later.
In 2019, only a select few cities will have access to 5G. 5G will require several more years of investment. Both in infrastructure and in technological advances so that it is up to date.
5G will also be limited to a small number of high-end smartphone models. While Samsung, Google, Oppo, Huawei, and others have confirmed 5G-capable smartphones for 2019, this won't be an immediate update.
Also read : Qnnit
Also, Apple will not add 5G technology to its iPhones. Until at least 2020. Which will make the adoption of 5G even more difficult.
4.- Apple will enter the video transmission space
In 2019, Disney + will join a long list of video streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO NOW, and many more. And it seems that another giant will also join: Apple.
The company already offers services for music (Apple Music), payments (Apple Pay) and cloud storage (iCloud). Video will be your next step.
What does all this mean for esports trends for 2019?
These trends in esports for 2019 show that:
- Video game marketers should use influencer marketing. And the participation in video games by the influencer.
- Partnerships like these with brands can attract a lot of potential new players and viewers . To the true fans of those influencers. What makes them a desired person. And they involve mutually beneficial partnerships.
A.- The influence of China
Following the reform of video game regulation in China and the formation of the Gaming Ethics Committee, it will be difficult for publishers to launch games in China.
To meet the Committee's new standards, foreign companies must invest time and resources to conform to its standards. Of course, companies will only make these adjustments if they are confident that their games will perform well in China. Which means that only the largest companies will be able to risk.
The new regulations will also cause Chinese gaming companies to shift their focus abroad. In particular, Southeast Asia. Japan, South Korea, Europe, the United States and the Middle East are high-potential markets.
Less growth
On the other hand, although it is a admittedly serious event, the freezing of Chinese participation in the newly introduced games is likely to have consequences in mid-2019 . With the substantial losses experienced by both local companies, Tencent , and foreign ones, the world's largest gaming market will experience slower growth compared to previous years like 2017.
It is another trend in esports for 2019. And this is partly because most foreign companies want to try this new market. They want to experiment. But they do not want to be limited by this or another type of surprises, before resuming their strong investments in the country.
Simultaneously, due to those who are confident to continue investing, another trend in esports for 2019 is likely to be an increase in external advertisers who want to promote their products for Chinese consumption immediately. Primarily in an effort to:
- Stand out as " first engines " within this market.
- Show faith in your Chinese peers when others wouldn't.
- Facilitate government acceptance of your future games.
B.- The growth of mobile games in the West
While mobile gaming may have a high impact in China right now, the rest of the world has been slowly making the same transition. The Japanese publisher Konami for example has already announced that it would focus on mobile devices .
And now it has reached a point where it will become the new trend in the West. For example, to the surprise of its fans, Blizzard announced that after waiting almost 7 years since Diablo III, the next installment will have the opportunity to play on a mobile device .
So it seems logical that it will be another of the trends in esports for 2019. You can see that other giants in the sector within the video game landscape will announce similar strategies.
C.- Strategies for mobile devices
Therefore, video game advertisers will need to slowly gain a competitive advantage on mobile devices. Since the relevance of these platforms will increase exponentially this year. This means that app purchase stores will continue to become even more saturated.
Furthermore, this general transition to mobile devices will likely be linked to e-sports and its own growing popularity. Also for the ease they provide for people to play and compete anytime, anywhere.
D.- Purchase regulations
By the end of 2018, PEGI will have introduced a new rating icon on physical copies of games. Mainly to notify the buyer that they include purchase possibilities within the game. Furthermore, the biggest global efforts this year to ban them do not appear to be over anytime soon.
Analyzing these factors together, among others, this is another trend in esports for 2019. Companies that rely primarily on in-game micro-transactions will likely continue to experience monetization problems.
This is especially true for mobile devices . As it has been reported that in-app purchase costs are increasing, while returns are decreasing.
Greater value with interactive ads
In the coming year, some of these companies may try to explore alternative revenue-generating methods, such as interactive ads .
But when these are combined with some of the other trends in esports for 2019, those announcements could present even more added value to your campaigns. For example, with the transmission possibilities mentioned above. The idea of being able to insert short ads is something that can be appreciated by most advertisers.
With so many changes on the horizon, it is important to understand what factors are influencing your campaign performance in the video game industry or across industries. And how you can optimize it for the future.
If you are interested in analyzing how you can achieve an optimal ROI, at Antevenio we can help you because we have the necessary technology to achieve the objectives you set for yourself. Do you need a partner to improve your esports & gaming strategies ?