Calling out 1 Bullshit on Gen Z: Esports Audience
Fortnite's fan base isn't as young and male as you may think
The first-ever Fortnite World Cup took place this year, and when it came to the viewers, it revealed some unexpected data.
Esports are video-game competitions played in front of spectators and they’re known to be a young, male-dominated field. But according to StreamMetrics and Bloomberg, the Fortnite World Cup had a more balanced audience in both age and gender.
The three-day video game competition show had — at one point — 2.3 million viewers from around the globe, 43% of whom were women and 44% over the age of 35. That is nearly half the event’s viewership.
Could this be a sign of Esports getting mainstream? Or have we been getting misleading figures all along?
One thing is sure though: esports aren’t as young and male as we used to think, so the representation of their audiences, both in the gaming industry and in media/content outlets, needs an update. A quick one.
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This is part of YAD — Understanding Young Audiences Digest: a free monthly digest on young audiences for VOD and TV professionals. We’ve analysed millions of data points and we don’t mind sharing some of them — if this could help channels and commissioners to reach Gen Z, by understanding their needs, behavioural traits and intrinsic cultural values.
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