People try out new gaming products during the DreamHack esports contest in Shanghai in May 2025. CHINA DAILY
An estimated 400 million Gen Z regularly engage with esports, representing an increasingly powerful opportunity for global brands to reach the potentially lucrative youth market through the games, platforms and communities where they already devote their time and attention, said a report.
A white paper titled "The Esports Generation: Who They Are and Why They Spend" was released in collaboration with Shanghai-based Hero Esports, one of Asia's leading esports companies, ESL FACEIT Group, a global leader in esports and gaming entertainment, and market research and consulting firm Niko Partners specializing in video games, esports and livestreaming across Asia and the Middle East and North Africa.
The report draws on survey data from 8,000 Gen Z esports fans aged 13-30 from across eight global markets, and found that esports has become a global entertainment force, attracting digitally-native Gen Z audiences who find the same passion, identity, community and excitement traditionally found in other sports.
According to the report, Gen Z esports fans are not a niche, they are extensively engaged in esports in various ways. They mostly watch gaming content, gaming livestreams and gaming podcasts, while also actively posting in game forums and social media groups, as well as regularly attending gaming conventions and esports events.
