For some time now I have been reflecting alone on the milestones that made the eSports market explode in Brazil, without a pessimistic bias, looking only at the tragedy of the pandemic and minimizing the arduous struggle of the whole community and, certainly, of some movements that have taken place in recent years.
Of course, I understand that this shift took place during this period and there was undoubtedly interference, but I believe that at that moment, the alternative for high-level and scalable events and entertainment, was already ready and it was just taking advantage and opening up to the new. With that, a market that was not being seen, but was growing in silence, exploded!
I watched a webinar with the talented Thiago Milhazes and Gabriel Duarte - guys who have been immersed in this universe since long before this whole boom happened.
At one point, they were asked what was most relevant in the past two years, and at that moment, in my opinion, it was directly linked to the adherence of the topic today, in the country. Their answer was completely in line with what I had in mind, but with even more interesting observations and I take the opportunity to share with you.
So, as content and credibility help any market to consolidate and grow, certain points were essential milestones for this, and they are:
1. Globo’s enrance (I even had the opportunity to participate for a long time and it was my school on this topic)
Globo is the largest media group in the country and one of the biggest in the world, and with its seal within the theme, since 2016/2017, it has brought more credibility and a market look at the topic. Great and incredible milestones happened there, such as:
• CBLOL with weekly TV broadcasts and incredible digital stories and specials.
• eSports Brasil Award, the Oscar for eSports in the country.
• Creation and officialization of the Brazilian Championship of Counter Strike (CBCS), a modality very consumed and played by Brazilian young audience.
• Free Fire on TV, bringing an incredible window of stories and athletes that until yesterday did not have much.
• More initiatives for the market also participated in general such as the reality "Looking for a Caster" (which gave visibility to several castres that are now successful), GameXP (GamePark Geek with eSports that happens annually in Rio), Player 1 (platform Match Making, so you can find competitions and friends to play with), among many others..
2. In-person events arriving in Brazil
Arrival of relevant face-to-face events with long-term strength. CBLOL, for example, consolidated and with huge events every year end, reaching to show its final to more than 10 thousand people in the stadium of Pacaembu. In addition to it, countless others had been happening before the explosion, such as the Major of CSGO (Largest event of the sport in the world), would happen in Brazil before the tragedy of the virus.
3. Entrance of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
With that, you have the biggest coat of arms of the country stamping electronic games. Teams formed and with contracts - in their proportions - equal to all athletes in the club, be it football, basketball, or rowing. Besides it, other big names like Corinthians were world champions of Free Fire, consecrating a brilliant Brazilian - Nobru - as the best player in the world.
4. Gaules effect
Gaules, who last year was the second largest streamer (talent that produces content digitally and in his own home) in the world, changed the language and narrative to transform the eSports crowd into a traditional crowd, with passion and love for "brasileirinhos". He created a different environment to watch a match. No scripts and formalities, just like watching a game in the stadium with our friends. This generated an absurd engagement and the way you watch a stream has changed since then.
5. Loud, with Free Fire
Birth and rise of Free Fire (battle royale game for cell phones) and the Loud movement, making content, transforming athletes into personalities and including a new audience, who was not an active user of eSports until 2017, where electronic sport is totally elitist, due to the prices to have a good machine. To give you an idea, LOUD is the first eSports organization to hit 1 billion views on its channel.
Reinaldo Checker
Passionate about games and eSports, he worked in the creation and management of projects and in the relationship with companies and publishers in the sector. He participated in products such as the Esports Brasil Award, Game XP, the reality "Looking For a Caster," in addition to the editorial and YouTube of Grupo Globo's eSports and other follow-up projects. Today, he is a partner and responsible for new business development and project management at eFábrica.
