The annual Intel Extreme Masters Counter-Strike 2 tournament in August drew a sold-out crowd of 13,000 people to the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, and broke its previous viewership record of 700,000 with more than 1 million people watching the games from home. Much like a conventional sporting event, the attentive audience was also exposed to a wide variety of brands looking to build loyalty and awareness.

By 2025, there are expected to be more than 318 million esports enthusiasts worldwide, up from 215.2