Interest in esports: is there a place for women?

Esports is gaining increasing popularity worldwide and in Ukraine. It is generally believed that esports is predominantly enjoyed by men, particularly younger ones. But is this really the case? And is there a place for women in the esports community?

Trend of audience growth:

Electronic sports are relatively young but have already made a loud statement. International tournaments, large prizes, and the spectacle of esports are attracting more and more fans.

Information reference: Growth of the esports audience worldwide

• 2020 - 435.7 million viewers
• 2021 - 489.5 million viewers
• 2022 - 531.9 million viewers
• 2023 - 574 million viewers
• 2024 - 544 million viewers

Experts believe that in 2025, the number of people interested in esports will reach 640 million. Along with this, general awareness of electronic sports is also growing. If in 2015 about 800,000 people knew about it, then by 2020, over 2 billion people were aware of what esports is.

However, it's not just the absolute numbers of people involved in esports that are changing. There are also shifts in the structure of the audience. If earlier esports was a hobby mostly for men (90%) under the age of 20, now more and more women are turning their attention to electronic sports.

Ukrainian specifics of esports

In Ukraine, the total number of esports fans currently stands at 2 million. In 2020, about 30% of the audience were women, and by 2024, this figure reached 37%. Thus, over the past ten years, the Ukrainian esports audience has grown due to women and has also significantly matured – the average age is now 20-26 years.

The changes in the audience are also noted by employees of the leading Ukrainian esports broadcasting studio Maincast. Alongside the growth of the female audience in Ukrainian esports, another significant change is taking place – language. The studio switched to exclusively Ukrainian-language broadcasts after the events of 2022. The decision proved successful, with a real boom occurring instead of the predicted decline in the audience. During the first year of the full-scale war, the Ukrainian-language segment grew by 1050%.

Information reference: Maincast

• The esports broadcasting studio Maincast was founded in 2018. The startup's development was supported by Ukrainian investor Maksym Krippa. In the first few months of its existence, the studio needed financial support and turned to Maksym Krippa for help. After lengthy negotiations, Maksym Krippa agreed to become a shareholder, a position he still holds today.
• The main commentator and founder of the studio is Vitaliy Volochai. Before Maincast, Volochai founded the RuHub studio in Kyiv, which had to be sold due to unscrupulous investors and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Interestingly, several female commentators, including Mila "Mila" Aliyeva, worked at the RuHub studio.

Esports preferences of women and men:

Although the female esports audience currently makes up only a third, there is already a conditional division of disciplines into those that are primarily watched by women. Experts note that women prefer games that involve social interaction. This includes The Sims 4 and Minecraft, where players can create virtual worlds.

Men, on the other hand, traditionally prefer aggressive sports and games. Popular titles include Call of Duty, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Fortnite. These games involve intense battles and require quick reactions.

Games like Overwatch and League of Legends are popular among both women and men.

Analysts note that the motivation to watch esports matches and tournaments differs between women and men. While the former are attracted by social interactions and communication, the latter are drawn to esports for aggressive gameplay and entertainment.

The economic component of esports:

The global esports industry is interested in increasing the share of the female audience, and in answering the question: "Is there a place for women in esports?", one can confidently say – yes!

The fact is that women tend to spend more money on their hobbies. According to analysts, nearly half of female esports fans in the European segment purchase esports-related merchandise. Women are more likely to buy physical goods, such as clothing and team merchandise.

The global esports market has now reached $3.8 billion. It is projected that by 2030, this figure will double to $6.96 billion. The main sources of income are ticket sales and merchandising, as well as, of course, sponsorship contracts. Attracting the female audience to esports will contribute to increased revenue from merchandise sales and greater variety in advertising offers.

Ukrainian esports generates about $50 million, including sponsorship income and advertising contracts. Thus, the processes in Ukraine follow the same patterns as those in the world. The profitability and prospects of the electronic sports segment are already evident to many, and investors like Maksym Krippa have already been ahead of their time, forming a solid investment portfolio of esports assets. Moreover, Maksym Krippa plans to create an international esports hub in Kyiv.

Information reference: Maksym Krippa

• In addition to his shares in the Maincast studio, Maksym Krippa also owns the esports organization Natus Vincere. Interestingly, NAVI has a women's Counter-Strike team – NAVI Javelins.
• Another asset of Maksym Krippa is the game development company GSC Game World. The release of the company's flagship product – S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl – is scheduled for September 2024, for which Maksym Krippa relocated the developers to the Czech Republic.
• Today, Maksym Krippa is a leading Ukrainian investor in the esports segment. His first investments in the industry were made in 2018.