Esports industry festival ESI London expands into the creator economy & film

Image credit: Esports Insider

Esports Insider (ESI) is proud to announce two exciting new additions to this year’s ESI London, the world’s esports industry festival: checkpoint and the ESI London Film Festival.

With over 700 attendees expected to attend from around the world over October 16th-17th at BOXPARK Wembley, ESI London has established itself as the go-to event for esports and gaming professionals, investors, and enthusiasts. This year, ESI is broadening the horizons of the premier esports business event by introducing two new events focused on film and the creator economy. 

These reflect the rapidly evolving nature of the esports and video game industries, offering a more comprehensive experience to all attendees and adding a specific offering for a broader range of delegates too.

According to a report by Streamlabs and Stream Hatchet (2022), the creator economy within the video game industry saw significant growth in 2021. The report found that Twitch and YouTube gaming creators earned over $6bn (~£4.9bn) in revenue in 2021, a 20% increase from the previous year.

Additionally, the number of hours watched on Twitch and YouTube gaming increased by 11% and 3%, respectively. This is a trend which looks set to continue through 2023 and beyond. On October 17th, checkpoint, an event for the video games creator economy, will take place at BOXPARK Wembley, with a focus on the business of the video games and esports niche within the content creator space and industry. As the creator economy continues to boom, checkpoint will provide invaluable insights into the latest trends and developments.

checkpoint ESI London
Image credit: Esports Insider

Also taking place on the evening of October 17th, at a venue which will be announced soon, is the inaugural ESI London Film Festival. Tickets for the event will be released shortly.

The potential of video games and esports to make a meaningful, positive difference to people’s lives is enormous and film is one medium to help change that. Accordingly, ESI introduced the ESI Film Festival; the very first esports and gaming short film festival. 

This exciting new addition to the ESI London agenda will shine a light on those behind the screens, with a focus on stories related to esports and video games. The festival’s themes this year are digital inequality, diversity, and mental health, reflecting the potential of video games and esports to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Entries for the ESI Film Festival are now open for submissions here, and you can find out more about it here.

ESI Film Festival
Image credit: Esports Insider

Sam Cooke, Managing Director & Co-Founder of Esports Insider commented: “We’re thrilled to be adding checkpoint and the ESI London Film Festival to this year’s ESI London.

“Film is such a powerful medium to tell stories, and there are plenty of esports and gaming stories which need telling and deserve this platform; we hope to grow the ESI Film Festival year on year to help in this regard. The creator economy meanwhile is exploding, especially where gaming is concerned, and there is a natural and ever increasing alignment with the esports space, so we’re incredibly excited to launch checkpoint.”

Furthermore, ESI has added pre-scheduled meetings capability and AI-powered matchmaking function to enable delegates to make the most of their time at ESI London and further enhance the attendee experience. Alongside the main stage sessions and workshops, there will be ample opportunities for fun and entertainment, including a variety of activities such as VR gaming, pop golf, and axe throwing. Last but far from least, the event will feature exceptional culinary options from outlets such as Smoky Boys, Sides, and Zia Lucia, catering to a diverse range of dietary requirements.

ESI London takes place on October 16th-17th and promises to be the biggest and best edition yet. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the world’s premier esports industry festival. For more information and to purchase Super Early Bird tickets, visit the ESI London website.

The full line-up of speakers and events will be announced over the coming months, so subscribe to ESI’s Dispatch newsletter here and follow ESI Events on Linkedin to stay updated with the latest information.

Esports Insider