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Expert: E-Sports Offers Level Of Engagement Not Found In Traditional Sports

Troika Creative Dir Seton Kim during the closing presentation of the ’16 E-Sports Forum noted e-sports offers a "level of engagement that doesn’t exist in traditional sports.” He then preceded to show a clip offering a fan’s view from a football stadium seat versus the first-person perspective of a video game. “Even from a floor seat at the game you’re a passive spectator,” he said. “But in e-sports we can see what the gamer sees, the moves they make, the choices they’re making. You can see their tactics and how we can improve our own games.” Kim noted that 90% of e-sports fans actually play video games: “The pros are the players are the fans.” For marketers, Kim offered this nugget from a recent study: “Gamers are fiercely protective of their culture and we have to earn their trust. Storytelling is shifting into the hands of the gamers. Fans want increasing control not just of games, but of their lives.”

QUICK HITS:
* Kim noted how e-sports is turning PPV on its head: “Fans can earn in-game currency for live streaming the competition on Twitch. Breakaway gamers will get paid to watch. They’ve turned spectating into active engagement.”

* He said, “While there’s a lot of pressure like in any sport, we have to understand that a lot of these guys skew younger, and what draws them together is their humor. The enjoyment of being able to laugh at things binds this community together.”

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