Paradoxical Effects of the Health Crisis within the Esports Industry: How French Esports Organizations Illuminate the Perceived Revenue Growth Façade
Résumé
From an outside perspective, it may be believed that the video gaming and esports industry thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns due the capacity for online gaming and many media reports citing surging player and viewer statistics. However, little attention was paid to actual economic ramifications of the pandemic, particularly with mid-size and smaller esports-related companies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the pandemic’s economic impact on the esports industry, taking into account varying types of stakeholders (i.e., primary esports activities performed, legal status, business size). An online survey was disseminated to esports industry stakeholders in France (n = 86 complete responses). Overall, 89.5% of the sample reported the pandemic negatively impacted income, demonstrating an estimated French esports loss of revenue between 13% and 26% compared to the previous year, primarily explained by event cancellations and sponsorship losses. Discussed findings reveal areas that may facilitate the sustainability of the esports industry and related stakeholders.