Newzoo: A billion people will know about esports by the end of 2016

Esports is outgrowing its status as a niche industry for hardcore gamers, and it’s turning into global entertainment.

More than a billion people will know about the concept of esports before the end of 2016, according to industry intelligence firm Newzoo. The analytics firm researched 16 markets around the world and found that awareness for competitive gaming grew from 53.7 percent in 2015 to 65.7 percent in 2016. That is a huge leap, and Newzoo thinks this momentum will continue as esports establishes itself as an industry worth $463 million.