What is esports?
Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, individually or as teams. The burgeoning industry has had an increase in viewership and revenue year-over-year and continues to grow.
What differentiates the Esports Business and Entertainment program from others?
Students gain hands-on experience from internships, class projects, working with the WVU competitive esports team, and with setting up and hosting tournaments.
The growth in Esports over the last 5 years has created the need for business professionals who are experienced in the industry. It is predicted that it will continue to expand in revenue, and in the numbers of gamers and followers. The Esports Business and Entertainment major is designed to better prepare learners to fulfill the future roles within the esports industry.
Why would I let my student go to college to play games?
Esports is a financially lucrative industry. It is predicted that the revenue for global esports will top $2.3 billion in the next couple of years. Additionally, esports is a subsidiary of the greater gaming industry, which continues to grow and boasts more annual revenue than the music and film industries combined. This growth will expand the number of employers looking for qualified individuals with esports and business knowledge.
What types of careers can my student get with a degree in Esports Business and Entertainment?
Students will get careers in various areas after graduation. Depending upon the area they enjoy, learners will be able to enter into esports and fulfill roles that involve management, business administration, and digital media. Or, outside of esports, students will be able to apply their knowledge to launch a career in sports, entertainment, and other prominent industries.
What does the Esports field look like in the future?
It is anticipated that the professional esports industry will continue to rapidly grow in future years. With this in mind, the professional scene provides opportunities for multiple career pathways and it can be expected that even more career pathways will be created over time. Esports in academia is no different, and is growing rapidly at the K-12 and collegiate level! This growth has begun to launch esports career pathways in education that provide ample opportunities for student engagement and skill development. There are now HUNDREDS of job openings in collegiate esports and K-12 institutions are considering adding additional staff positions to better support their esports initiatives.