The video game industry as a whole has never been bigger than it is at the moment. Playing video games in any way, shape, or form has finally become mainstream and it is no longer looked down up by the fans and supporters of more traditional hobbies like reading, art like painting or playing music, or watching movies, series, or TV in general.
Gamers all over the world are now doing something that generates immense revenue that keeps growing every year. You have probably already heard that the gaming industry is now more valuable in terms of sponsorships, revenue, and opportunities than the music and movie industries combined. On top of this, the online gambling industry is integrating more and more core gameplay elements into their casino-style games, combining two ultra-popular hobbies into one that appeals to both fan bases.
An Overview
Actually, a little game called Grand Theft Auto V that originally came out in 2013 is the most successful entertainment title ever, taking into consideration all movies, music albums, and anything else ever. On a budget of $265 million, it has made over $6 billion worldwide and it is one of the most popular and widely played games 7 years since its launch. As a matter of fact, during its first day, it made $800 million, which climbed to $1 billion by the end of the first three days on the market. It is also the second best-selling video game of all time with more than 135 million copies, behind only Minecraft.
Speaking of Minecraft, the multi-platform game appeared in 2011, and in the last 9 years over 200 million copies were sold. To this day, millions of people paly it online, and millions of more watch streamers on popular video game streaming services and platforms. As of 2024, the game has 126 million monthly users worldwide.
These numbers are insane in comparison to any other entertainment branch, which is why immense investments are being put into video games. With this in mind, in this article, we are going to explore three of the most interesting facts about online games, since they are the ones most popular right now. To find out even more on the topic, make sure to visit this site.
1. ESports are Slowly Overtaking Sports
Thanks to all the competitive online games skyrocketing in popularity, investors, sponsors, and the best players saw the opportunity and launched numerous tournaments and competitions, both online and in huge venues with thousands in the audience. Right now, the most popular ESports games include Fortnite, Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, League of Legends, Apex Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, several Call of Duty games, DOTA 2, Valorant, and World of Warcraft.
Considering the situation caused by the coronavirus outbreak, most tournaments have been moved entirely to an online format, a move that proved to be the right one considering the success and popularity of online streaming services like Twitch and YouTube. Professional gamers and streamers have incredible audiences and fan bases, similar to those of athletes playing regular sports.
Gaming was already more popular than many of the sportspeople never really watched to begin with but now it is slowly taking over the most popular sports unless there is a big competition going on like the UEFA Champions League, NBA Playoffs, the Super Bowl, the World Cup, or regional national championships. Best of all, there are so many different games to choose from and most players play a few of them equally well. Therefore, they also watch more games, more content creators, and more official competitions.
2. Online Games Help with Teamwork and Reflexes
Considering the fact that playing different online games requires teamwork and strategizing in order to be successful, many people claim they have their favorite titles to thank for their real-life skills in organizing, getting along with others, understanding them, and building stronger and more meaningful relations with people. To be able to overcome obstacles as a part of a team, you have to be an equally important part of that team as the rest of your teammates. Only together can you win in a team-based video game, and most of them are either in squads of 2 or 3, or teams of 4, 5, 6, or more.
Furthermore, faster reflexes, quick decision making, thinking out of the box and adapting to sudden changes all happen in every single match of every single game. These skills will remain with you even when you log out of the game and go back to the real world. Athletes and amateur sports enthusiasts know this full well, as most of them who are also gamers have better eye-to-hand coordination and are better at making split-second decisions. The benefits of such an experience on your brain are seemingly endless, and it is the belief of passionate gamers that children should grow up with a certain exposure to video games from their early ages in order to develop these aspects more.
3. Competitiveness and the Will to Succeed are on a High Level
Last but not least, and quite obviously, it should be said how beneficial video games are in shaping our minds towards winning and being the best we can be. If you are constantly being dominated in your favorite video games, you will try everything you can to change your approach, change how you play and with which hero or character, switch up your loadout and equipment. All of these are necessary before you crack down the best formula for yourself and start winning.
Being competitive is a great treat in all areas of life, from school and work to the general competitiveness of being your best self at everything you do. There is no room for participation awards in gaming, as you either win and move on with better gear and more experience, or you are sent back into the lobby to try again. It is the most win-or-go-home approach you can ask for, and the gamers do not mind it.
It is a part of their culture to constantly strive for greatness and to adopt that mentality in other areas of their lives, no matter if they are professional gamers who play games for a living, or amateurs who do it as a hobby.
