insights on some of the key franchises - …...also watch smash bros. esports content of lol esports...

INSIGHTS ON SOME OF THE KEY FRANCHISES

NEWZOO AND THE ESPORTS BAR:

THIS REPORT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ESPORTS BAR

FOREWORD

VIEWER OVERLAP OF TOP FRANCHISES

TOP GAMES ON TWITCH BY ESPORTS HOURS

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS

COUNTER-STRIKE: GLOBAL OFFENSIVE

DOTA 2

OVERWATCH

HEARTHSTONE

ESPORTS TITLES TO WATCH

USING CONSUMER INSIGHTS

3

5

7

8

10

12

14

16

19

21

UNDERSTANDING ESPORTS FROM A FRANCHISE PERSPECTIVE

1. How can I best reach my target group through esports?

3. Which esports franchise is the best fit with my brand?

2. What impact can sponsoring have on awareness and perception of my brand?

TYPICAL QUESTIONS THE BRANDS WE WORK WITH ASK:

RECENT BRAND/CONTENT PARTNERSHIPS

The rapid growth of esports as a revenue-generating sector is a phenomenon that is catchingthe attention of brand owners and marketers globally. This White Paper, brought to you byB2B networking event Esports BAR, aims to help brands understand the top franchises in thespace and the communities that fuel their success.

NEXT EDITION: September 18-20

Miami

44 © copyright Newzoo

OF ESPORTS VIEWERS WATCH CONTENT

AROUND JUST ONE FRANCHISE

MOST ESPORTS VIEWERS WATCH CONTENT OF JUST ONE FRANCHISE

VIEWER OVERLAP*

OVERLAP LOL – CS:GO – DOTA2

*Consumers who have viewed esports content of at least one of the three franchises from professional leagues or events in the past twelve months. ONLY LOL ONLY CS:GO

ONLY DOTA2

ALL THREE

LOL + CS:GO

CS:GO + DOTA2LOL + DOTA2

ONLY DOTA2

LOL + CS:GO

ALL THREE

COUNTRY SCOPEUS, CA, UK, DE, FR, IT, ES, SE, NL, BE

Source: © Copyright Newzoo 2017 | Esports Consumer Insights | Online Population Age 10-65 | April 2017

of people who view esports content from one

of the top three franchises, watch

content from just one franchise

Just

of viewers of these franchises watch

esports content from all three with LoL

viewers the least likely to watch other games


FIVE FRANCHISES ACCOUNTED FOR

OF ALL ESPORTS HOURS WATCHED ON

TWITCH IN MAY

1 League of Legends 87.8M 21.2M 24% 1

2 Dota 2 34.3M 16.7M 49% 1

3 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive 23.3M 9.4M 40% -

4 Hearthstone 39.4M 9.3M 24% -

5 Heroes of the Storm 10.4M 2.0M 19% 3

6 Overwatch 20.5M 1.8M 9% 1

7 World of Tanks 5.0M 1.6M 32% 5

8 StarCraft II 3.2M 1.4M 43% 2

9 Street Fighter V 2.6M 1.2M 47% -

10 Super Smash Bros. Melee 1.1M .6M 54% 1

GAME TITLE TOTAL HOURS CHANGERANK ESPORTS HOURS SHARE ESPORTS

Most Watched Games on Twitch by Esports Hours and Total Hours Watched:

newzoo.com/insights/rankings/top-games-twitch

BY TOTAL ESPORTS HOURS WATCHED IN MAY | GLOBAL

THE BIGGEST ESPORTS FRANCHISE

LEAGUE OF LEGENDSPLATFORMS: PC

LAUNCH DATE: OCTOBER 2009 PUBLISHER: RIOT GAMES (TENCENT)

HQ: LOS ANGELES, USA

of Game Enthusiasts

REACH* PC GAME RANK**

in Europe and U.S. in May

TWITCH RANK

esports hours in May


PLAYERS VIEWERS

ONLY PLAYING PLAYING & VIEWING ONLY VIEWING

Source: © Copyright Newzoo 2017 | Esports Consumer Insights

**Based on Newzoo’s Most Watcehd

Core PC Game Ranking | May 2017

*among consumers aged 10-65 who have played a game on mobile, console, or PC, and/or watched esports content in the past three months.

League of Legends in the world’s most popular game and

esports title. It ranked as the most popular title on Twitch every month of 2016 and 2017 to date. Besides the largest reach in the West, League of Legends is also the top title in China and South Korea. The five-on-five battle arena game attracts a relatively young audience, who like to both play and watch the most out of the five franchises.

DEMOGRAPHICS, MEDIA BEHAVIOR, AND BRAND PREFERENCE

of LoL esports viewers mainly use Apple vs.

35% of gamers

of LoL esports viewers have a

positive attitude about Nike vs. 77%

of gamers

of LoL esports viewersalso watch Smash Bros.

esports content

of LoL esports viewers use

Facebook vs. 88% of all gamers

of LoL esports viewers have a Netflix

subscription vs. 65%of all gamers

18%

36%14%

8%

17%

7%

Millennials

M10-20

M21-35

M36-50

M51-65

F10-20

F21-35

F36-50F51-65

MEDIA PREFERENCES

VIEWERSAGE/GENDER

BRANDPREFERENCE

OVERLAPIN ESPORTS VIEWING


COUNTRY SCOPEUS

1%

THE MAINSTREAM TV TITLE

COUNTER-STRIKE: GLOBAL OFFENSIVEPLATFORMS: PC

LAUNCH DATE: AUGUST 2012 PUBLISHER: VALVE

HQ: BELLEVUE, USA

CS:GO is one of the most popular esports titles in the world, consistently ranking in top three game on Twitch by hours watched. It attracts an older audience than other titles and is easy to follow as a viewer. The U.S. has seen very heavy investments in CS:GO, such as the prestigious ELEAGUE run by Turner Broadcasting on TV. Of the five esports titles, CS:GO has the highest “only viewing” share.

Franchise onTwitch by totalViewing Hours

In May

of Game Enthusiasts



TWITCH RANK





PLAYERS VIEWERS





of CS:GO esports viewers

mainly use Apple vs. 35% of

gamers

of CS:GO esports viewers have a

positive attitude about Coca Cola vs.

74% of gamers

of CS:GO esports viewersalso watch Overwatch

esports content

of CS:GO esports viewers use

Instagram vs. 54% of all gamers

of CS:GO esports viewers have a Apple Music subscription vs.

17% of all gamers

20%

37%

17%

7%

13%

5% M10-20

M21-35

M36-50

M51-65

F10-20

F21-35

F36-50F51-65

MEDIA PREFERENCES

VIEWERSAGE/GENDER

BRANDPREFERENCE



COUNTRY SCOPEUS

1%Millennials

THE DEDICATED FANBASE FRANCHISE

DOTA 2PLATFORMS: PC

LAUNCH DATE: JULY 2013 PUBLISHER: VALVE

HQ: BELLEVUE, USA

of Game Enthusiasts



TWITCH RANK


Dota 2 is known for its incredibly dedicated fanbase. This is showcased by the millions of dollars it contributes to The International’s prizemoney every year. This dedicated

community also tends to play the game rather than just view it, with 57% only playing the game. Dota 2 has a relatively low reach in the West, as it is most popular in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia.


In May







PLAYERS VIEWERS


of Dota 2 esports viewers mainly

use Samsung vs. 34% of gamers

of Dota 2 esports viewers have a

positive attitude about Samsung vs.

77% of gamers

of Dota 2 esports viewersalso watch CS:GO esports content

of Dota 2 esportsviewers use

WhatsApp vs. 22% of all gamers

of Dota 2 esportsviewers have a HBO

subscription vs. 31% of all gamers

16%

41%13%

6%

17%

6%M10-20

M21-35

M36-50

M51-65

F10-20

F21-35

F36-50F51-65

MEDIA PREFERENCES

VIEWERSAGE/GENDER

BRANDPREFERENCE



COUNTRY SCOPEUS

COUNTRY SCOPE

Millennials

THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

OVERWATCHPLATFORMS: PC, CONSOLE

LAUNCH DATE: MAY 2016 PUBLISHER: BLIZZARDHQ: CALIFORNIA, USA

of Game Enthusiasts



TWITCH RANK








PLAYERS VIEWERS


In May

Released in 2016, Overwatch is a very new esports title. While the game lived up to expectations of attracting millions of gamers, its esports scene is still very much in development. As such, Overwatch has a very high “only

playing” share. The upcoming Overwatch League might

be able to accelerate the game’s esports viewership.


of Overwatch esports viewers

mainly use Samsung vs. 34% of gamers

of Overwatch esports viewers have

a positive attitude about Intel vs. 66%

of gamers

of Overwatch esports viewers also watch League of Legends

esports content

of Overwatch esports viewers

use Snapchat vs. 36% of all gamers

of Overwatch esports viewers have a Netflix


21%

37%13%

7%

16%

6%M10-20

M21-35

M36-50

M51-65

F10-20

F21-35

F36-50F51-65

MEDIA PREFERENCES

VIEWERSAGE/GENDER

BRANDPREFERENCE



COUNTRY SCOPEUS

Millennials

THE CARDGAME NICHE OUTLIER

HEARTHSTONEPLATFORMS: PC, MOBILE

LAUNCH DATE: MARCH 2011 PUBLISHER: BLIZZARDHQ: CALIFORNIA, USA

of Game Enthusiasts

REACH* PC GAME RANK*


TWITCH RANK


The digital card-battle title Hearthstone is a very large niche game in esports. The game is a cross-platform title playable on PC and mobile and has grown into one the favorite titles of the gaming community. As it is a 1v1 game, viewers of Hearthstone more often follow individual players rather than tournaments or teams. Hearthstone also has the highest share of female viewers of the five titles.


In May







PLAYERS VIEWERS

PROFILING THE HEARTHSTONE ESPORTS VIEWER

of Hearthstone esports viewers

mainly use Samsung vs. 34% of gamers

of Hearthstone esports viewers have

a positive attitude about Windows vs.

79% of gamers

of Hearthstone esports viewers

use Reddit vs. 12% of all gamers

of Hearthstone esports viewers have a Spotify


16%

31%

15%

8%

20%

9%M10-20

M21-35

M36-50

M51-65

F10-20

F21-35

F36-50F51-65

MEDIA PREFERENCES

VIEWERSAGE/GENDER

BRANDPREFERENCE



COUNTRY SCOPEUS

1%

Millennials

of Hearthstone esports viewers also

watch Starcraft 2 esports content


EACH FRANCHISE COMMUNITY IS UNIQUE

WITH DIFFERENT MEDIA HABITS AND

BEHAVIOR

GAMES WITH ESPORTS IN THEIR DNA

ROCKET LEAGUEPLATFORMS: PC, PS4, XBOX ONE

LAUNCH DATE: JULY 2015 PUBLISHER: PSYONIX (INDEPENDENT)

HQ: SAN DIEGO, USA

PLYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUND

PLATFORMS: PC, (XBOX ONE END 2017)LAUNCH DATE: MARCH 2017 (EARLY ACCESS)

PUBLISHER: BLUEHOLE STUDIO (INDEPENDENT)HQ: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

Rocket League is a flourishing and innovative competitive game. Its highly hectic and fun gameplay features cars on steroids and a giant ball. Although it is not yet on par with the top tier esports franchises in terms of viewership, the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) is becoming more popular. The league will be broadcast by NBC on TV and has attracted non-endemics Old Spice and Brisk as sponsors.

Bluehole Studio’s PLYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUND (PUBG) was an instant hit on Steam and Twitch. The tactical open-world survival game matches 100 players against each other and ends with a sole survivor. It is still early days for PUBG, but its viewing success combined with its tactical gameplay make the game a real contender as the first big massive multiplayer online esports franchise.


In May


In May

MOBILE ESPORTS ON THE RISE

CLASH ROYALEPLATFORMS: MOBILE

LAUNCH DATE: MARCH 2016 PUBLISHER: SUPERCELL (TENCENT)

HQ: HELSINKI, FINLAND

BRAWL STARSPLATFORMS: MOBILE

LAUNCH DATE: Q3 2017 PUBLISHER: SUPERCELL (TENCENT)

HQ: HELSINKI, FINLAND

Clash Royale was released in 2016 and was an instant success. The battle arena game revolves around tactically selecting cards to destroy your opponent’s towers. It’s simple to follow but its extensive tactical play has helped the game to become the most successful mobile esports title in the west.

Supercell will be releasing its new major title in the second half of 2017, Brawl Stars. The new title will be played in a 3v3 battle arena, where players select a brawler to compete with. The game seems tailor made for mobile esports, as it will be a fast-paced and team-based competitive title.


In May

THE WORLD’S LARGEST GAMING COMPANY IS BUILDING AROUND ESPORTS

STRIKE OF KINGSPLATFORMS: MOBILE

LAUNCH DATE: MAY 2017 PUBLISHER: TENCENTHQ: SHENZEN, CHINA

Strike of Kings is Tencent’s Western adaptation of its massively successful mobile title Honor of Kings (王者荣耀). Tencent has placed esports at the core of its gaming division, stating that esports has driven engagement and spending on its games. As a part of this strategy, the company wants to invest $15 billion in the esports scene in the coming five years.

SPORTS GAMES GO BIG

NBA 2K17PLATFORMS: CONSOLE, PC, MOBILE

LAUNCH DATE: SEPTEMBER 2016 PUBLISHER: 2K SPORTS

HQ: NOVATO, USA

FIFA 17PLATFORMS: CONSOLE, PC

LAUNCH DATE: SEPTEMBER 2016 PUBLISHER: EA SPORTS

HQ: REDWOOD CITY, USA

The basketball game NBA 2K17 is among the first sports-based titles to go big in esports. The NBA announced that 17 of the participating teams in its basketball league will also compete in the NBA 2K ELEAGUE, starting in 2018. With ELEAGUE, the NBA also wants to attract more Chinese viewers to its leagues and is considering hosting a Chinese ELEAGUE.

In Europe, several elite soccer clubs have entered esports with the signing of FIFA players. Schalke 04 and PSG have gone even further and signed League of Legends’ teams. Soccer leagues have also moved into the space, with the Dutch Eredivisie setting up the digital E-Divisie, where every club competes with its own FIFA player.

TO MATCH YOUR TARGET GROUP AND OPPORTUNITIES IN ESPORTS

www.newzoo.com

“Ultimately, we were able to quantify, per country, the number of Esports Enthusiasts that currently do not use our product yet and could potentially be reached through our envisaged esports sponsorship.”

QUANTIFY POTENTIAL REACH

“Understanding the demographic

profile and complete media behavior of the community around the major esports franchise allowed us to define our own target audience and spend our sponsorship money most effectively.

SUBSCRIBE

WYBE SCHUTTEVP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

[email protected]

PER COUNTRYPER COUNTRY

/YRCLICK HERE TO: GET A QUOTE >>

Newzoo’s esports consumer insights allows you to profile your audience on 200+ variables including demographics, media behavior, esports participation and viewership, favorite franchises, spending habits, and brand attitude. Find a factsheet with topic list here.

28 COUNTRIES

UNITED STATES

UNITED KINGDOM

SPAIN

BRAZIL

GERMANY FRANCE NETHERLANDS BELGIUM SOUTH KOREA INDONESIA

CANADA SINGAPORE MEXCIO RUSSIA CHINA AUSTRALIA

ITALY SWEDEN TURKEY POLAND JAPAN ARGENTINA

MALAYSIA PHILIPPINES VIETNAM THAILAND TAIWAN INDIA

FOCUS MARKETING SPEND

CONTACT

200+ VARIABLES

12-MONTHS ACCESS TO OUR CONSUMER

INSIGHTS DASHBOARD

INCLUDES:DEDICATED EXPERT ANALYST SUPPORT

INCLUDES:DEDICATED EXPERT ANALYST SUPPORT

CROSSTABS & GRAPHS EXPORTABLE TO:

DIRECT ACCESS & SUPPORT

https://newzoo.com/solutions/standard/consumer-insights/consumer-insights-games-esports-mobile/#contact

https://newzoo.com/solutions/standard/consumer-insights/consumer-insights-games-esports-mobile/

THIS REPORT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Reed MIDEM’s Esports BAR is the first-of-its-kind networking event dedicated to bringing together esports professionals andcommercial partners in one place to develop esports into the entertainment of the future. The sold-out inaugural edition took place15-17 February 2017 in Cannes. It will be followed by the second in Miami during 18-20 September, when over 100 pre-selectedleading executives from esports teams, leagues and tournaments, game publishers, brands, advertising agencies and relatedtelevision and online platforms will meet to do business.

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insights on some of the key franchises - …...also watch smash bros. esports content of lol esports...

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