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Esports trends in 2022 and beyond The rise of mobile esports
THE RISE OF MOBILE ESPORTS
PC is fast being replaced by mobile devices as the dominant platform for esports , but there is still significant room for further growth
MANY IN the global esports industry will know that the once PC-dominated esports universe is now making way for the rise of mobile . Next generation devices and increasing smartphone penetration are fuelling its phenomenal growth .
For years , the number of mobile gamers had already outstripped that of PC and consoles combined . Newzoo ’ s Global Games Market Report 2021 estimates that around 2.8 billion of the world ’ s 3 billion gamers will have played on a mobile device at some point last year .
In its 2019 report Evolution of Mobile Esports for the Mass Market , Niko Partners predicted that mobile esports will become a cornerstone of the global digital games industry over the next five years .
This phenomenon will be driven by the development of mobile gaming markets in greater Southeast Asia and South America , along with the continued growth of the mobile gaming market in North America , Europe , South Korea , Japan and China .
The reasoning behind this is simple : mobile devices are far more accessible and convenient than PC and consoles . In 2021 , the number of smartphone users in the world stood at 6.378 billion , or approximately 80 % of the planet ’ s population ( source : Bankmycell )
Steven Salz , co-founder and CEO of Canadian esports betting firm Rivalry , told Forbes that he believes mobile gaming will become a significant force in both esports and esports betting in the very near future .
“ Our prediction is that in two to
Esports trends in 2022 and beyond