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Esports Career Pathways

This is an excerpt from Esports Business Management 2nd Edition With HKPropel Access by David P Hedlund,Seth E Jenny,Gil B Fried.

By Tobias M. Scholz, Nicolas Besombes, David P. Hedlund

The growth of digital media platforms that facilitate content sharing, concurrent with the development of online video game platforms and services and improvements in computer processing and storage capabilities, has stimulated the growth of esports in terms of production and consumption practices. The availability of esports content has increased, which coincides with the growth of industry support and the rising number of individuals pursuing careers within the larger esports ecosystem.

Esports have evolved from a niche industry into a complex global entertainment phenomenon with numerous roles and sectors. The most visible role—a player—allows a small minority of people to earn a living through competition. However, as illustrated in figure 14.1, the professionalization of the esports ecosystem and industry extends beyond players. Esports players form a small nucleus surrounded by a considerable number of roles, each with different competencies, that connect to many academic disciplines. Therefore, the representation of the ecosystem in an educational context must go beyond professional play. It should also include the work of esports development, organization, technical skills, broadcasting, streaming, and any other professional strands that exist in the esports industry. Esports careers are an important factor in determining how the market can meet the needs of prospective esports students, graduates, and industry professionals.

Originally, esports were primarily staffed and supported by self-taught, multitasking volunteer enthusiasts. However, the steady growth of the phenomenon has led various stakeholders to seek new skills, often combining disciplines such as technology, sports, and media. They have also expanded their human resources and surrounded themselves with increasingly qualified individuals. Working in the esports industry is a dream for many young people. However, it can be challenging to identify job opportunities and educational pathways, especially for those who are unfamiliar with esports and video games.

Figure 14.1 (based on Scott et al., 2021) presents a variety of esports-related occupations. The purpose of this figure and the resultant discussion is threefold:

1. To showcase the diverse career opportunities available in esports
2. To alleviate any concerns anyone might have about pursuing a career in esports
3. To assist educators, institutions, and organizations in identifying and categorizing the career paths for individuals with diverse interests, skills, and abilities.

It is also important to note that, because of the constant innovation and evolution of technology, new career opportunities are being created in the esports and video game industry every day. Additionally, because of the relative newness of the industry, there are few tried-and-true pathways to any particular career. An individual’s traits such as hard work, grit, determination, and lifelong learning are very important to being successful in any job or career, especially those in the esports and video game industry. Here are 11 of the main areas within which esports-related professions are categorized:

• Performance and health management
• Organization management
• Event organization
• Presenting and casting
• Broadcast management
• Information and technology
• Digital communication and marketing
• Business and services providers
• Support functions
• Esports development and maintenance
• Education

More Excerpts From Esports Business Management 2nd Edition With HKPropel Access

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