The growth of electronic sports is evident in the number of players and in the interest. FIFA is betting on its popularity

If you thought that video games were just a matter of fun for a group related to electronics, you may be wrong. The video game industry has become one of the most profitable in the world, according to the electronic magazine MarketWatch.com. For instance, US consumers spent in 2016 the amount of US $ 30.4 billion, and as indicated by the New York Times according to a report by the company SuperData Research, the global consumption is approximately US $ 105,000 million, and the curve continues growing.

Leer en español: Los Gamers también tienen su mundial:¡Y es avalado por la FIFA!

The eSports market is one of the fastest growing in the world, according to statistics issued by the most important consulting firm specializing in the subject: Newzoo. In its latest report, the company showed statistics for the month of June, wich displayed 100 countries with the greatest gains in video game consumption. The list is led by China with earnings of US $ 37,945 million, followed by the United States. Representing Latin America are: Mexico in 12th place with US $ 1,606 million; Brazil in position 13 with US $ 1,484 million; Argentina in position 27 with US $ 456 million; Colombia in 33rd place with US $ 335 million; Chile and Venezuela in positions 43 and 44 respectively, with US $ 205 and US $ 190 million.

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The FIFA eWorld Cup of gamers

The sports sector has not been oblivious to the interest in joining the eSports sector. An example of this was the inclusion of FIFA in the new market with the intention of being the organizer of a massive event that would bring together millions of fans of sports video games, in this case of football, in one place through qualifying rounds.

From 2004 to 2017 it was known as the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC). However, as of this year it was renamed FIFA eWorld Cup, as explained on the FIFA’’s official web page. The leading brand in the creation of sports video games EA SPORTS, has been responsible for accompanying the organization of this alternative event for gamers. Every year a new updated version comes out and makes it one of the bestselling games in the world.

In the first edition of the FIFA Interactive World Cup held in 2004, the world champion turned out to be Latin American, the Brazilian Thiago Carrico de Acevedo took the cup on that occasion.

In this year, with the format updated as FIFA eWorld Cup as it has reviewed the London newspaper Telegraph, the final was held last weekend at the iconic O2 stadium in London. After several months of qualifying competitions starting from November of the year, 20 million people belonging to more than 60 countries for the first stage disputed a quota among the 32 that could play the final.

The finalists for the match were: Mosaad 'Msdossary' Aldossary (ultimately champion) representing Saudi Arabia, and Stefano 'Stefano Pinna' Pinna for Italy. The modalities of the final are through playing with two consoles, XBOX and PlayStation. Both matches were victory for the Saudi who would rise as the new FIFA World Cup eWorld Cup 2018, in addition to receiving US $ 250,000 and a trip to the ceremony of The Best FIFA Football Awards. As reported on the FIFA website, this event was broadcast on the Internet in four languages ​​and broadcast by the English television station Sky who acquired the television rights.

As you can see the video games are no longer a distraction or a hobby, now they are a sector that has been professionalized with great importance and continue growing.

LatinAmerican Post | Gabriel Moros

Copy Edited by Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz