Whilst 2024 provided esports fanbases with memorable moments, 2025 looks set to be a milestone year for the industry.
Valve’s well-documented Counter-Strike ecosystem rules will be enacted in 2025, resulting in major changes to BLAST and ESL events. Meanwhile, Riot Games has completely revamped its global League of Legends ecosystem, introducing two new leagues — LTA and LCP — and a third international tournament to its calendar.
For Esports Insider’s look ahead, we asked various prominent industry stakeholders to predict what will happen in 2025. This includes asking which scene will have the most development in 2025 and what the industry needs to work on to succeed.
This is part two of Esports Insider’s industry series; make sure to check out what stakeholders said about 2024.
What are your predictions for the course of the esports industry in 2025?
Steve Arhancet, CEO, Team Liquid: “I think that in 2025, esports will solidify itself as a cultural force rather than a fleeting trend. The past few years have forced companies to mature and evolve, and the separation between companies that have built real businesses and those who chase empty metrics will grow even more significant.
“Because of this, we will see more consolidation, mergers and acquisitions.”
Alban Dechelotte, CEO, G2 Esports: “More consolidation of teams into global organisations capable of competing in major games, major regions and global fandoms.”
Nicolas Maurer, Co-Founder and CEO, Team Vitality: “I’d probably expect a continuation of the trends we’re seeing now, with even more established positions and a growing gap between the industry leaders and the rest of the world. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to operate in this industry if you’re not a top team. Even for the top teams, there are a lot of challenges…
“That said, I think we’ll also see more top teams reaching a point where they can say they’re more or less sustainable. Whether they’ll be profitable, and by what margin, is still unclear, but I’d say this ongoing transition we have all experienced over the last three years will probably reach a point where the top teams are in a more comfortable position.”
Daniel Finkler, CEO, BIG: “In 2025, esports will continue its global expansion, with classic esports and mobile gaming solidifying its dominance. AI and data analytics will revolutionise key areas like marketing, coaching, strategy and fan engagement, while teams increasingly adopt diversified business models to ensure financial sustainability.”
Faisal Binhomran, Chief Product Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation: “Mobile will be the biggest growth area in esports, showing huge potential for the future. It’s easy to see why—it’s accessible, powered by fast-growing networks and supported by the ever-improving performance of handheld devices…
“We saw the huge popularity of events like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile, FreeFire and others at the Esports World Cup this year, and look forward to even more growth in the mobile space.”
Hicham Chahine, CEO, Ninjas in Pyjamas: “Mobile games within esports are starting to transition into more globally recognised esports, and will continue to make their mark on the global ecosystem.”
Animesh ‘8Bit Thug’ Agarwal, Co-Founder, S8UL: “In 2025, esports will continue expanding into more titles, creating opportunities for a broader range of players and audiences. As new games gain traction, regions like South Asia and MENA are expected to emerge as significant contributors to the global esports ecosystem.
“Mobile esports will remain dominant in mobile-first markets, further solidifying its position as a key driver of growth.”
Monica Dinsmore, Senior Director of Esports and Ventures Brand, Electronic Arts: “The competitive gaming landscape continued to evolve in 2024, and 2025 promises to be yet another transformative year. A winning esports strategy in 2025 requires a much more targeted approach to maximise player engagement and retention. Expect to see publishers embrace cultural differences and prioritise esports efforts across core regions and core game titles…
“From virtual naming rights to UGC (User-Generated Content), esports has proved itself as a powerful marketing platform for brands to reach young consumers.”
Craig Levine, co-CEO, ESL FACEIT Group: “The Rise of Super Events — The success of landmark tournaments like IEM Rio and global events like the Esports World Cup have signalled a transition for competitions beyond national and regional boundaries…
“UGC Reshaping the Publishing Model — From brands flocking to make custom maps in Fortnite to Roblox player counts surging, user-generated content is having its moment.
“What’s Old is New Again — The success of video game adaptations and nostalgia culture in 2024 has set the stage for this approach to dominate how publishers wield their IP next year.”
Moritz Maurer, CEO and Founder, GRID: “Betting proved to be a large engagement driver and sustainability contributor for esports. Riot Games’ move to unlock the sponsor category will pave the way for many other game titles to follow suit…
“My prediction is that this development will aid the sustainability of esports significantly, accelerate growth of the ecosystem and deliver value for fans ultimately.”
What are some of your organisation’s targets for next year?
The beginning of the year means brand new KPIs for 2025. So, we asked esports companies what their targets are for the new year and summarised them below.
Daniel Finkler, CEO, BIG: To remain Germany’s leading esports organisation globally by fostering local talent to represent the country across various titles. Expanding its digital and physical infrastructure, including BIG Bootcamp and its UNLTD merchandise operations in Turkey.
Robbie Douek, CEO, BLAST: “Ultimately, 2025 is about growth with intention — expanding our reach, refining our operations and setting the standard for what global esports can achieve.”
Monica Dinsmore, Senior Director of Esports and Ventures Brand, Electronic Arts: To deliver “unforgettable experiences” for its players – whether in the game, on stream, on the main stage or in the stands.
Michael Haenisch, CEO, Freaks 4U Gaming: To further its collaboration with NODWIN Gaming, expand Freaks 4U Gaming’s coverage into emerging markets and solidify its positioning as a global agency in gaming, esports and entertainment.
Moritz Maurer, CEO and Founder, GRID: “To be the standard for data in gaming and esports.”
Marco Mereu, Founder and CEO, M80: To expand and diversify its esports portfolio, deepen its engagement with global audiences and create opportunities for emerging esports talent in North America. “We are ready to help lead North America into the Esports Spring.”
Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director, NODWIN Gaming: To expand its global footprint, strengthen local IPs and “continue bridging gaming with mainstream entertainment.”
Animesh ‘8Bit Thug’ Agarwal, Co-Founder, S8UL: “To set global standards in esports” with its BGMI and Pokémon Unite lineups. S8UL also aims to redefine how brands work with esports and gaming as well as create diverse opportunities for gamers from all backgrounds.
Nicolas Maurer, Co-Founder and CEO, Team Vitality: To return to being the best esports organisation in the world. “With a special focus on being present in Paris for VALORANT Champions and recapturing the magic of our CS2 team’s performance at the Paris Major in 2023. That’s the 2025 dream!”
Steve Arhancet, CEO, Team Liquid: “Team Liquid achieved its 2024 goal of being EBITDA positive.” For 2025, it wants to invest more to accomplish Team Liquid’s mission to “be a leader in competitive gaming and build a global and multigenerational sports team.”
What do you think the industry needs to work on in 2025?
Steve Arhancet, CEO, Team Liquid: “Monetisation models remain the Achilles’ heel of esports. We need to find that next gear beyond just ad spend and sponsorships, and create direct fan monetisation systems that feel natural, rewarding and equitable.
“This would go hand-in-hand with improved economics between developers and/or tournament organisers and teams.”
Daniel Finkler, CEO, BIG: “The industry must address financial stability through stronger collaboration among publishers, teams and tournament organisers. A fair revenue-sharing model is essential for creating a balanced ecosystem that supports all stakeholders while ensuring long-term growth…
“My opinion is that publishers don’t have the expertise themselves to create healthy ecosystems themselves. It’s all about listening to feedback from tournament organisers, clubs and fans to establish a healthy and sustainable environment.”
Alban Dechelotte, CEO, G2 Esports: “Better synergy between publishers and teams, with more publishers rethinking their revenue sharing model like we’re seeing from Riot Games and Ubisoft.”
Hicham Chahine, CEO, Ninjas in Pyjamas: “In 2025 we will see a lot of transition in certain ecosystems — Counter-Strike and League of Legends especially. We need to ensure as a full ecosystem that we work together managing this transition.”
Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director, NODWIN Gaming: “The industry must prioritise regulatory clarity, player welfare and grassroots development. Establishing uniform regulations across states and nations is critical to ensuring sustainable growth.”
Skyler Johnson, Founder, Paper Crowns: “The industry needs to open more lines of honest communication and general transparency to not only audiences and brands, but also the employees working for these companies and organisations.
“Speak directly about financial instability and growth to allow more smart minds to thrive and help innovate the industry.”
Animesh ‘8Bit Thug’ Agarwal, Co-Founder, S8UL: “In 2025, esports must focus on sustainability, grassroots development and creating a long-term ecosystem for players. Establishing structured pathways from amateur to professional levels will be key to ensuring a steady pipeline of talent.”
Craig Levine, co-CEO, ESL FACEIT Group: “It’ll be important to reprioritise grassroots gaming communities. The esports audience is growing 18% year-over-year. In 2024, we saw record-setting attendance at our DreamHack festivals, industry-high viewership for our open Snapdragon Pro Series mobile esports tournaments, and users flocking to connect with each other with the launch of FACEIT 2.0.”
Which esports title do you think will undergo the most development in 2025?
Nicolas Maurer, Co-Founder and CEO, Team Vitality: “I think VALORANT will undergo the most development in 2025. I think Riot has huge ambitions for the upcoming Champions, as it will be the fifth edition, and I think there are high ambitions to make it quite special.”
Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director, NODWIN Gaming: “VALORANT is poised for significant growth in 2025, with expanding franchised leagues, enhanced community engagement and increasing investments from brands and media companies.
“Its appeal as a team-based, spectator-friendly title makes it a prime candidate for deeper global integration and professionalisation.”
Animesh ‘8Bit Thug’ Agarwal, Co-Founder, S8UL: “In 2025, titles like VALORANT, BGMI, and other mobile-first titles will see significant growth. VALORANT will continue its upward trajectory, with a growing global fan base and improvements in competitive formats.
“BGMI will remain a dominant force in mobile esports, strengthening India’s esports ecosystem.”
Hicham Chahine, CEO, Ninjas in Pyjamas: “Very simply, it’s MLBB! The title’s esports ecosystem is making big steps to become a more recognisable global esport and is quickly gaining traction in all corners of the globe.”
Daniel Finkler, CEO, BIG: “That’s a tough question, but I believe Counter-Strike 2 and League of Legends will continue to dominate as cornerstone titles. Additionally, Fortnite and several mobile esports titles will likely play a major role in the 2025 esports cycle.
“My strong belief is that all major publishers will increasingly recognise esports as a central revenue driver, leading to further innovation and investment in their competitive ecosystems.”
Alban Dechelotte, CEO, G2 Esports: “Valve has decided to significantly change the very successful Counter-Strike ecosystem with less security for the organisations investing the most resources. This is gonna be interesting to see how the new model with multiple esports organisers will come together.”
Robbie Douek, CEO, BLAST: Counter-Strike is entering a new stage of its esports journey, with Valve’s changes coming into play from 2025, the scene is set to have more events, more locations and more opportunities than ever before…
“If all goes to plan, this could be BLAST Premier’s biggest year yet, and we can’t wait to share it with fans around the world.”
Skyler Johnson, Founder of Paper Crowns: “It could be a release of a game we haven’t seen yet.
“Publishers will need to stay on their toes to nail the combination of solid in-game releases, map creation and innovative viewing experiences to stay top of mind to their audiences. It’s hard to say, but we keep a close eye on Epic Games.”
