US eSports Market Analysis
The global gaming market is projected to reach $188.8 billion in 2025 with the US esports market, accounting for more than $59 billion in 2025. It faces a maturing market with slowed growth. While the broader gaming industry shows steady growth, driven by mobile and console gaming. With over 30% of gamers engaging with esports content, the sector is expected to thrive through major events like the 2027 Olympic Esports Games, though Economic factors including inflation, tariff changes, and the shift from new user growth to player retention may influence the eSports market size and future growth.
US eSports Market Trends
Esports viewership has increased,with the future audience becoming increasingly gender-balanced, with a strong engagement from Gen Z.
Consumers prefer shorter, digestible content like highlights and recaps, with platforms like YouTube and TikTok leading in engagement.
Gamers, especially those aged 18-34, are drawn to watching their favorite teams or players, valuing community-driven content and behind-the-scenes drama.
Esports faces competition as there’s a shift towards integrating the casual, interactive experiences of streaming culture, emphasizing personal connections and inclusivity in the eSports market.
Frequently Asked Questions about the US eSports Market
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The US eSports Market is projected to reach more than $188 billion in 2025.
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Growth in the US esports market is driven by increasing mobile and console gaming, the rising popularity of live events, and engagement from a gender-balanced Gen Z audience.
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While specific leading players are not named in the report, the esports market is influenced by major gaming platforms, prominent esports games like Fortnite and Call of Duty, and organizations investing in large-scale events like the Olympic Esports Games.
About The Report
The US eSports Market Report 2025 provides in-depth insights into the current state and future outlook of the esports industry in the US, including key trends, growth drivers, consumer preferences, and the impact of economic factors. It covers areas such as market dynamics, esports engagement patterns, the role of social media, and the evolving relationship between esports and traditional sports. Additionally, it highlights the performance of major gaming devices and the influence of major events like the 2027 Olympic Esports Games. The eSports Market Report also examines demographic differences in esports engagement and the role of streaming platforms. This report will benefit industry stakeholders, including game developers, esports organizers, marketers, investors, and advertisers looking to understand the engagement patterns which can influence esports market share and make informed strategic decisions in the expanding eSports market.
Key Topics Analyzed in the Report
- The impact of economic conditions on the US esports and video game market
- The role of social media and streaming platforms in esports consumption
- Demographical differences in esports engagement and viewership
- The influence of cultural events and drama on esports engagement
- The evolving relationship between esports and traditional sports viewing
- The potential for esports in upcoming Olympic events
| Report Attributes | Details |
|---|---|
| Published Date | September 2025 |
| Data Range | 2019 – 2030 |
| Measurement Metrics | Revenue in US $ |
| Country Focus | United States of America (USA) |
| Consumer Data | 1,678 internet users aged 18+, July 2025 |
| Number of Pages | 63 |
| Market Segmentation | Call of Duty, Fortnite, Street Fighter, EA Sports FC, League of Legends, PUBG, Counter-Strike, Apex Legends, Rainbow Six, Rocket League, Valorant, and Dota 2 |
| Leading Companies | Riot Games, Valve, Nintendo, Activision-Blizzard, and esports organization – Olympic Esports Games |
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Brian Benway. As a Gaming Analyst, Brian researches and analyzes the video game industry across genres and platforms. Brian has been with Mintel since 2017. His education background in Game Design and Animation informs his expertise and consumer insights in the gaming sector.
Gaming and esports are growing, but esports is facing challenges. Shrinking prizes, ageing games and slowed growth are hurting momentum. Esports needs a PR win.
Brian Benway
Senior Tech and Gaming Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Global video game market size
- Market predictions
- Gamers are players first, and they like to watch what they play
- Prioritize concise recaps, but provide full-length videos too
- Esports is heavily dependent upon social media
- A three way tie in the reasons viewers watch esports
- Opportunities
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market context
- Global gaming market
- Entertainment Software Association essential facts
- Global video gaming revenue is forecasted for slow and steady growth of 3.4%
- Graph 1: global video game industry revenue, 2022-28
- 5.5% year-on-year growth for consoles on Switch 2 success
- Graph 2: global video game industry revenue share (billions), by device, 2025
- The post-COVID-19 paradigm shift in the gaming industry
- Market drivers
- De minimis exemption end could create opportunities in gaming inspired retail products
- What causes pool shrinkage, er prize pool shrinkage?
- Graph 3: The International tournament prize pool by year, 2025
- The washing of Saudi Arabian image with younger gamers via Olympic esports
- Graph 4: attitudes towards Saudi Arabia as the home of future Olympic esports (% agree), 2025
- AI is likely here to stay but viewers, especially younger ones, want it to stay in the backseat
- How an anti-porn lobby on payment processors censored thousands of video games
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Consumer fast facts
- Esports engagement
- Online streams remains the most approachable way to engage with esports
- Graph 5: esports engagement in the past six months, 2025
- Esports needs an exciting kick, Olympics might help
- Highlighting community bonds could help reinforce commitments to esports
- Graph 6: esports engagement in the past six months, 2025
- Esports leans towards men today, but that could soon change
- Graph 7: esports engagement in the past six months, by gender, 2025
- Esports remains largely a younger person’s game
- Graph 8: esports engagement in the past six months, by age, 2025
- Esports as a cultural lifestyle event could reshape engagement beyond competition
- Esports playing and watching preferences
- Gamers watch games they personally care about
- Gamers are player first, and they like to watch what they play
- Graph 9: played or watched esports in the past six months, 2025
- Younger men drive PUBG engagement while other titles show closer gender parity
- Graph 10: played and watched esports games in the past six months, by gender, 2025
- Gamers tend to prefer esports of a similar stripe
- Age often divides esports fans more than gender
- Graph 11: played and watched esports games in the past six months, by age, 2025
- Asian and Hispanic gamers may not love every game, but they’re esports fans
- Graph 12: played and watched esports games in the past six months, by race or ethnicity, 2025
- Esports viewing habits
- Prioritize concise recaps, but provide full-length videos too
- Graph 13: esports viewing habits in the past six months, 2025
- The ways that fans are watching esports is very closely aligned
- Graph 14: esports viewing habits in the past six months, by age, 2025
- Who is playing, and what they’re playing, matters to esports fans
- Graph 15: “If my favorite team or player started playing a different game, I would stop watching” (% agree), by age, 2025
- Olympic esports doesn’t have quite the same cross-gender appeal
- Graph 16: “I’m looking forward to watching the Olympic Esports Games in 2027” (% agree), by age and gender, 2025
- Esports and social media
- Esports could learn a thing or two from streamers
- Esports is heavily dependent upon social media
- Graph 17: esports content engaged with on platforms in the past six months, 2025
- Bucking trends, younger women lead esports viewership on Twitch
- Graph 18: esports content engaged with on platforms in the past six months, by gender, 2025
- Gamers who watch esports are largely aligned by age in where they watch
- Graph 19: esports content engaged with on platforms in the past six months, by age, 2025
- Esports entry point
- Drama appeals to the natural human desire for storytelling
- A three way tie in the most important reasons folks watch esports
- Graph 20: aside from the entertainment value, I enjoy watching other people play games (including esports)…, 2025
- Streaming provides alternative avenues that cut into esports relevance
- Graph 21: aside from the entertainment value, I enjoy watching other people play games (including esports)…, 2023-25
- Now is a great time to capture esports popularity with younger women
- Graph 22: aside from the entertainment value, I enjoy watching other people play games to see games that my favorite team or player played, by age and gender, 2025
- Motivations for watching cast a broad net with some age related wrinkles
- Graph 23: aside from the entertainment value, I enjoy watching other people play games (including esports)…, by age, 2025
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES
- Launch activity and innovation
- Amazon Games new MOBA shoulders its way into the competition
- Not releasing on Steam seems crazy in 2025, will the MOBA esports scene support this old game coming back?
- Marvel Rivals adds Daredevil with an Eastern inspired redesign for Season Four
- Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls brings a new take on fighting games
- Marketing and advertising
- Ads aren’t disruptive, but they might not be landing either
- Despite child safety concerns, esports gambling moves forward opening new marketing doors
- Be your own hype man, no one can tell your story better than you
- Intersection of esports and traditional sports celebrities
- Fortnite-ification of Overwatch
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APPENDIX
- Market definition
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- US video game consumers
- Gaming devices usage and frequency
- Graph 24: gaming devices usage and frequency, 2025
- Mintel gamer segments – device and frequency
- Graph 25: Mintel gamer segments – device and frequency, 2025
- Console brand usage
- Graph 26: console brand usage, 2025
- Mintel gamer segments – motivations
- Top reason for playing video games, aside from the entertainment value
- Graph 27: top reason for playing video games, aside from the entertainment value (any rank), 2025
- Gamer segments – Achievers and Explorers
- Gamer segments – Socializers and Competitors
- Mintel gamer segments – motivations
- Graph 28: Mintel gamer segments – motivations, 2025
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