The Esports industry is packed full of different games, but it’s fair to say that MOBA offerings like League of Legends and Overwatch rule the roost. Interest in racing is on the rise, though, with the Formula One Esports Series attracting more viewers and players every year.
The wider entertainment industry is likely to help racing become a bigger player on the Esports scene. With related products on different platforms, the genre will keep attracting new fans.
Entertainment Industry Could Drive Interest in Racing Esports
According to experts, racing could start making its rise to becoming one of the biggest Esports sectors in the next few years. This has been helped by Formula 1: Drive to Survive on Netflix, which has led to a spike in interest in Formula One Esports. The series gives viewers a behind-the-scenes experience and details some of the top drivers in the business. With the immersive nature of the program, it’s easy to see why viewers want to enjoy the sport in new ways. This has led to higher viewing figures in both the real sport, and the Esports version.
The official games for the Formula One Esports Series are the F1 offerings from Codemasters and EA Sports. The latest release in that franchise was F1 23, which was met with a strong reception from various top publications. It’s clear that a lot of viewers are now crossing over from real-world Formula One to the Esports version, as the ESL recently announced a brand new racing competition with a prize pool of $50,000. Esports hasn’t seen those figures in the past, so it appears to be at a turning point.
It’s clear, though, that eRacing needs the wider entertainment industry to help boost its fortunes. Along with racing console games being boosted by movies like Neill Blomkamp’s Gran Turismo, other sectors of entertainment like online casinos could provide a boost too. We’ve also seen esports offered as a popular sports betting market, generating further interest in tournaments where punters can bet on their chosen players. It seems esports is following in the footsteps of other major sports by making games more of an event catered to spectators and not just participants.
Esports is an Evolving Market
The great thing about the Esports industry is that it’s constantly evolving and shifting. There’s no one sole game that leads the pack, with the number one title changing over time. This means that there’s plenty of opportunity for new titles to come in and challenge to be the most popular Esports.
As long as there has been gaming, the racing genre has been prevalent. Certain franchises synonymous with racing, like Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Gran Turismo and Forza from Xbox Game Studios, have endured for years, highlighting how there’s always going to be a market for these games. The Esports industry is still young, and there’s plenty of time for eRacing to climb the ranks and be regarded as one of the biggest genres.
With interest in Formula One on the rise and other areas of the entertainment industry promoting it, it feels like the time is ripe for eRacing to get a bigger platform. This genre could soon be one of the top Esports, with
