Ready to play...? Is the cinema industry capturing the esports flag, or is it struggling to find the health boosts needed to survive? Melissa Cogavin plugs in and sees where this sector can lead exhibitors.
AYBE YOU’RE OLD ENOUGH to remember Sony’s launch of the original PlayStation in 1994? If so, you’re arguably too old to be fully aware of the gaming revolution taking place right now. First, a few numbers. The number of online gamers globally is predicted to rise to 2.7bn by 2021, up from 1.8bn in 2014. The average gamer spends 90 minutes online a day. The global value of the industry in 2018 was $135bn, compared to global box office last year which was $41.7bn. The gaming industry is worth more than the music and movie industries combined. Cinema esports events are a novel sideline and an exciting development worthy of investment, but they are far from the gaming industry’s core business. Gaming forms a tiny fraction of the box office share of your average multiplex; some are dabbling, others are committed, but it’s still early days and
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www.cinematech.today
15/02/2020 09:34
