Great news reached Peru and South America in early September 2024, when The Global Federation of Esports (GEF) announced that Lima, the Peruvian capital, will be the home of the Global Esports games in 2025, as well as announcing an alliance that will put the country on the world e-sports map.
The decision was made unanimously and, as GEF said, “marks the beginning of a several-year collaboration with the city to organize one of the most important esports events in the world.”
“We are proud that the iconic city of Lima, Peru, is the venue for the first global e-sports games in America. The Federación Global de Esports is committed to breaking new ground through innovative associations,” commented Mario Cilenti, GEF chief operating officer and president of the Pan American Esports Foundation. “The agreement signed today demonstrates that Peru is the ideal destination for world-class esports events,” the director added.
Lima will not only be home to the world’s premier esports event but will also host several annual stages of the Tour Global de Esports professional series through 2028. The first event, which featured a higher-level Dota 2 competition, was held in November 2024.
“We feel honored to organize these global events for millions of athletes and e-sports fans worldwide. Peru has proven to be a cultivator of talent in the esports community. The opportunity to host the iconic GEF Global Esports Games 2025 in our capital city, Lima, and the annual stages of the Global Esports Tour will further strengthen our capacity as an esports community,” said Diego Mohme, president of the Peruvian Esports Foundation.
Brief history of eSports
Although video game competitions have existed for years, in fact, their debut dates back to 1980 with the first Space Invaders championship, e-sports as we know them today began to emerge in the early years of the 21st century.
In fact, according to some, the first eSport game was StarCraft, a popular real-time strategy game launched in 1998. In 2000, the StarCraft craze spread to South Korea, where a growing circuit of professional gamers (pro gamers) developed and became so popular that video game tournaments were broadcast on three different channels.
Since then, the popularity of esports has transcended the borders of South Korea and Asia and today they are known throughout Europe and America. Video game tournaments attract large crowds of spectators, so large that they fill entire stadiums and are broadcast live on the Internet through various online streaming services.
Nowadays, the global esports market is worth $2.39 billion and looks like it could exceed $10 billion by 2032, growing at an annual rate of 20.9 percent.
Esports fans are growing by the day
The esports audience is also on the rise: it is expected to exceed 640.8 million viewers this year, encompassing more than 322 million casual viewers and 318 million avid fans.
What about the bets? Because like any self-respecting game (online or otherwise), there is also the betting part! Esports odds represent the probability that a given event will occur in a sporting event or any other form of betting. So if esports events and fans continue to increase, so will betting odds! As a result of so much success, the worldwide esports odds market revenue is also growing strongly: it is expected to reach $2.8 billion in 2025, with most of the revenue generated in the United States. And how could it be otherwise when esports fans continue to grow unabated?
The success of LOL
All video game companies aspire to make inroads into the world of eSports, which is not to blame given that in 2015 Riot Games, the developer of the highly successful eSports game League of Legends, made over $1.8 billion in revenue in 2022. The figure is not surprising considering that in 2020 the game had more than 115 million monthly active users. Much of this popularity is because the game is one of the most popular eSports titles in the world, around which an official system of leagues and world championships has been created whose highest prizes reach figures exceeding $1 million.
Major eSport events are broadcast on popular streaming platforms and, in some cases, also on traditional television channels. Viewers are engaged by choreography, special effects, and engaging storytelling. This emphasis on entertainment helps solidify eSports as a pillar of digital entertainment in the future.
More and more shows: the future of eSports is in entertainment
eSports is rapidly evolving from a niche competition into a mass entertainment phenomenon (like the Global Esports Games event in Peru), and part of this growth can be attributed to the creation of recognizable characters, such as Dr. Disrespect and Ninja. These influencers built a recognizable brand and a large following around themselves, transforming competitive gaming into a true spectacle. In addition to the intrinsic value of the competitions, esports promoters are increasingly investing in the entertainment aspect, making the final product more interesting and enjoyable for the tens of millions of fans worldwide. This means an enhanced viewing experience, with high-quality productions and engaging content designed to keep audiences glued to their screens.
The transformation of eSports into a show goes hand in hand with increased interest from sponsors and the media, who see this industry as an opportunity to reach a young, passionate audience. Major eSport events are broadcast on popular streaming platforms and, in some cases, on traditional television channels, where viewers are engaged by choreography, special effects, and captivating storytelling. This emphasis on entertainment helps solidify eSports as a pillar of digital entertainment in the future.