The Early Foundations of the Industry Boom: 1970–1980
The story of esports began in 1972 with the launch of Pong by Atari, a simple two-dimensional game that simulated tennis. Despite its simplicity, it marked the starting point of a new industry that attracted digital entertainment enthusiasts and established the concept of virtual competition.
The Transformation Phase: 1990–2000
Two decades later, with rapid advances in electronic hardware and growing competition among companies to deliver better experiences, sports games evolved into more realistic and engaging formats. Graphics quality improved, colors became more diverse, and movements became smoother and faster. As a result, audience engagement continued to rise, and games began to establish themselves as a core component of global entertainment culture.
EA Sports Leading Global Competitiveness: 2010–2020
In the new millennium, EA Sports emerged as a key player in enhancing realism in sports gaming, particularly through the FIFA series, which evolved into highly accurate simulations of player movement and in-game dynamics.
Similarly, Visual Concepts introduced NBA 2K, which raised the standards of basketball simulation. This decade witnessed a qualitative leap in interactivity, precision, and realism across sports games.
Sports Games as a Technology-Driven Industry
Technological advancement played a pivotal role in elevating the gaming experience to a new level. The integration of artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality technologies, along with live streaming, made competitions more immersive and realistic.
The playing field evolved from a physical space hosting thousands of fans into a digital arena connecting millions of players and viewers across continents.
Esports: A Rapidly Rising Market
Since 1998, the number of professional players has grown annually by more than 40%, with Asia — led by China, Japan, and South Korea — remaining the primary source of talent.
Streaming platforms have played a central role in driving popularity. In 2020, Twitch recorded a historic milestone of 18.4 billion hours watched, attracting unprecedented global investment. Total investment increased from $1.51 billion in 2016 to $6.13 billion in 2020.
Saudi Arabia as a Major Global Player
Saudi Arabia has entered this race with strong momentum. The Kingdom is home to approximately 21 million video game enthusiasts and is investing $38 billion in the sector.
Savvy Games Group has allocated $8.3 billion to acquire global companies, in addition to funding exceeding $290 million in 2024.
By 2030, the Kingdom aims to add SAR 50 billion to GDP, establish 250 national gaming companies, and create more than 39,000 jobs, positioning Saudi Arabia among the top three countries globally in the number of professional players.
Growing Market Value Driven by Investment Scale
In 2022, the global esports market reached $1.38 billion, while Saudi Arabia captured SAR 3.8 billion of the Middle East market — reflecting the Kingdom’s strong regional presence.
The Market Through a Future Lens
Esports penetration is expected to reach 12.6% in 2025, rising to 14.2% by 2029.
By 2027, the global number of video game users is projected to reach 1.472 billion, while active esports players are expected to reach 896 million by 2029.
By 2032, the global esports market size is estimated to approach $10 billion, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21%.
