"UK eSports needs more investment"

Professional gaming in the UK is lagging behind its rivals in Asia, the US and Europe in terms of sponsorship, says eSports specialist Multiplay.

The firm says that eSports is as popular in the UK as it is in other territories, but it’s not generating the same commercial attention. And it has called on new investors to get on-board.

We ourselves have given away over 500,000 in prize money over the last ten years. At the last event we paid out over 30,000 in prize money. So there is a perception that eSports is not big, but it is,” said Multiplay boss Craig Fletcher.

The prize money in the UK is on par with standard events over in the States.

There is a thriving scene here. It’s just not getting as much attention and certainly not as much sponsorship. We have found it quite difficult to convince people to invest in eSports, because it is not well-known.

We are definitely at a very evolving point in this. We are already seen the beginning of professional teams, in the UK the most established team is Team Dignitas. But eSports needs more investment and it needs more people to recognise the benefits of this and get on board.”

Look out for MCV’s detailed look at the eSports sector which will be published online later today.