We can see some very interesting chapters in the evolution of gaming. It was not very long ago when card games like rummy and poker were played exclusively across the table. Even early handheld video games and console games were often played together with friends.
Then came the mobile revolution that individualized gaming. Now, you can chat about rummy game rules from your couch with a stranger located miles away. However, for gamers who crave a little human touch after gaming alone on mobile, a new physical gaming option is attractive. Gaming has evolved from physical to digital, and now from digital to ‘phygital’.
Out in the Open
If you are looking for a break from online gaming and join fellow members of the gaming community, gaming events are the perfect places to explore. However, these events are much more than a welcome distraction. This can add vibrancy to your life as a gamer and bring an economic surge to the city that hosts the event.
Hosting a gaming convention boosts the local economy, tourism, and the hospitality sector. This gives the city media exposure, offers marketing opportunities to brands, and aids infrastructural development too.
According to market research, global esports revenue is estimated at $1 billion. The cumulative attendance at these events is expected to exceed 500 million this year. The highest prize pool in these events can be as much as $60 million!
But behind these macro glimpses are some very successful gaming events that are churning up the big currency notes for the host cities and drawing millions to attend.
Impact of Past Gaming Events
Take the Esports World Cup (EWC), for instance. This Saudi-backed event is estimated to have given the city of Riyadh a 30% tourism boost! The event had 500 million viewers worldwide, consuming over 250 million hours of gaming content.
This event saw the makeover begin with the airport itself. An EWC-branded airport with EWC-branded tickets and even EWC-branded visas. The mobile network in the city was rebranded to promote the event, while the event featured as the lead brand in the Saudi Pro League (yes, the football league with Cristiano Ronaldo in it!).
It is expected to be a recurring event in Riyadh, and the country even has a National Gaming and Esports strategy in place to take care of it. Gaming is expected to contribute $13.3 billion to Saudi Arabia’s economy and generate 39,000 jobs by the end of this decade.
Unlike common perception, the success of gaming events is not a post-COVID euphoria. Cities have enjoyed the success of gaming events for quite a few years now. For instance, when the DreamHack event came to Dallas, US, in 2019, an estimated 30,000 visitors came to the city. The event directly pumped around $3.6 million into the Dallas economy, which includes food and beverages, lodging, transportation, retail and recreation, etc.
DreamHack Winter takes place every year in Sweden. The events in Jönköping and Stockholm saw record-breaking attendance in the event’s history last year, drawing more than 45,000 visitors. It has been estimated that more than 70% of the visitors are non-locals, directly boosting the local tourism and hospitality sectors.
Gaming Events from India
Given its stature as the home to the world’s second-largest gaming community, India hosts several popular gaming events. Pune hosted participants from several Asian countries, such as Spain, Russia, Australia, and more. Apart from around 50 companies, influencers, esports industry watchers, and government representatives participated in the event.
The annual Digital Gaming Expo in New Delhi is arguably the flagship event in terms of impact. With 1034 participants and 268 startups featuring from across the world, the event attracted nearly 49,000 visitors.
Given India’s importance in the global gaming scene, these events attract massive international attention. The high footfall in each of these events adds to the economy of the host city. Besides, with the Indian gaming community growing every day, many domestic visitors are attending these events.
Building Community and Economy
Gamers look forward to gaming events as an opportunity to engage and interact with networks within the community. The Digital India Expo, for instance, hosts card games, action and adventure games, arcade games, AR games, as well as puzzles, role play, multiplayer games and a lot more.
Apart from the benefit to the gaming community, the economic impact of these events can be seen in host cities across the world. This has led to an estimated $280 million in Singapore due to the Dota 2 event and the unveiling of the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas.
As gaming events gain more popularity, these economic impacts are expected to soar even further.
