Esports BAR+ Americas is taking place from September 22nd, 2020 — September 25, 2020. The online esports business event will host several conferences, panels and sessions via easylive.io. One of the greater topics that will be covered across multiple discussions at Esports BAR+ Americas is how game developers will affect the shaping of the future of esports.
The global success of games like League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive as competitive titles has resulted in many developers factoring in the opportunity for a competitive scene into how a game is created. For example, Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch was created with a competitive scene in mind, and it didn't take long for OW esports competitions to begin around the globe.
Another example is League of Legends developer Riot Games' VALORANT. The tactical shooter was released on June 2nd, 2020, but professional player signings by esports organizations for their VALORANT teams began as early as March.
Jay "sinatraa" Won, 2019 Overwatch League Most Valuable Player and star DPS for reigning champion San Francisco Shock, retired from professional Overwatch in the middle of the 2020 OWL season to join Sentinels, who since building around sinatraa has established itself as a top team in the budding VALORANT esports scene.
Building a game from the ground up to be viable for high-level competition undoubtedly affects the approach to development, and while older titles such as Street Fighter became long-standing esports completely organically, the future of esports will be reliant on how a game is developed and how the ecosystem surrounding the game is fostered. Let's take a look at a few of the panels at Esports BAR+ Americas that will be tackling this nuanced topic.
There is no doubt that the size of the esports fan base is growing. The make-up of this audience is as complex as for any established traditional sport and viewers spend hours watching their favorite games being played and following their teams/players. But it is not all about similarities: differences exist across markets, game genres and individual titles, to name a few.
Esports is challenging the definition of sports programming and even how we consume entertainment, attracting new audiences and advertisers through new distribution channels. How do you develop the best business models to target both avid streamers and linear TV viewers? How do you succeed in the fast-changing world of esports? How do you engage with audiences in the long run?
Speakers:
Nowhere has the impact of fast-evolving digital technology been felt more keenly than in the gaming world, where it has dramatically changed how products and services are developed and managed, and how the industry connects with audiences. It is no different in esports.
As the industry keeps up its fast pace of growth, how will the increased exposure of esports to broader audiences evolve the industry? To what extent do those who are driving esports need to look at innovative ways to not only attract new audiences but also to win over potential investors and sponsors?
During the coronavirus crisis, esports has filled the void left by the sports shutdown. For years, esports leagues have tried to emulate traditional sports to reach a larger and more mainstream audience.
Since content consumption changed, product adaptations have been necessary: esports leagues have had to adapt in a way that emphasizes their digital-first nature. Why? Typically, competitive video games are played offline in a studio or arena environment. This is where innovation comes in. Re-creating offline competitions while everyone – from players to event producers – was (and still are in many cases) working from home creates a unique set of challenges.
For the full schedule, list of speakers, and more information about the event, head over to the Programme on the Esports BAR+ Americas official website. More information on Esports Bar outside of the event can be found on its official blog.
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