Viewership on the Amazon-owned site Twitch is also breaking records. For the first time since 2012 (when the platform debuted), Twitch topped three billion hours watched over the first quarter of 2020 (January-March). Te ESL Pro League, a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive professional esports league reported a 27 per cent year over year increase in online viewership with its March 16 event.
Crucially negative perceptions of esports are also being challenged. Te World Health Organisation (WHO), last year labelled “gaming” alongside a number of other disorders related to addictive behaviour. But in a turnaround it is now advising everyone to play video games to combat social isolation during the COVID-19 crisis. Eighteen of the world's biggest game industry leaders initially joined in to take part in a new campaign called
#PlayApartTogether to promote the cause. Forty more game companies have since joined the campaign which is also being promoted by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian West.
While attitudes to esports have changed they have become increasingly present on television. In April ESPN and Riot Games announced an agreement for ESPN to be the official U.S. linear and authenticated streaming platform for the 2020 League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) Spring Split Playoffs. Matches will air live on ESPN2 or the ESPN app. Recently ESPN2 presented a twelve-hour programming marathon, ESPN Esports Day, highlighting a variety of both live and taped esports coverage from the past year including the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix, current Formula 1 drivers as well as England’s cricket player, Ben Stokes. F1 drivers continue to take part
in the video-game version, F1 2019. Te F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series, gives fans the chance to watch Formula 1 races virtually during the ongoing crisis. Hundreds of thousands of viewers watched the first instalment, which streamed on Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, and the Sky Sports channel in the UK. Coverage in the ESPN marathon also included an NBA 2K Players Tournament, first person shooter battle royale Apex Legends Pro-Am which featured streamers, musicians and athletes from the NBA, UFC and WWE.
With virtual playing fields and a digital audience the industry comparatively speaking has been able to continue to operate in a relatively normal way. However the crisis led to cancellations of live tournaments. Te Overwatch League has announced that it will be playing the entire 2020 season online. Similar
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA P49
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