Video gaming is one of the world’s most fast growing and lucrative industries, with its global revenue expected to top $154 billion by the end of the year.
Whilst eSports – online, often multiplayer, competitive gaming – only makes up a small proportion of that figure, with the industry valued at just over $1 billion, that number is fast growing, and could double by 2025.
In such a fast growing, ever changing industry, keeping track of the performance of your favourite eSports teams is essential for fans worldwide. Most of us carry our smartphones with us everywhere we go, making apps a great way to stay up to date on the latest happenings in the eSports world, as they happen.
You’ll find everything about eSports, from the latest betting odds to breaking news and commentary, on these apps. If you’re ready to have the eSports universe available at your fingertips, read on to learn about these 6 must-have apps for eSports fans.
STRAFE
As one of the most established names in eSports, the Strafe app has everything a fan needs to keep track of their favourite teams and players. When you open the app for the first time, it will prompt you to choose your favourite eSports games, team, and, lastly, players.
Strafe uses this information to show you information relevant to your interests, including news, updates, and live scores. It’s a complete app that tailors what you see to what you selected when you signed up for the app. The app will notify you of essential eSports news and game results. If you’re looking for a comprehensive app to track eSports, this is the one for you.
FANDUEL
Although FanDuel is best known as being one of the sleekest fantasy sports apps available, it also has an eSports sportsbook. In 2019, FanDuel became the first online sportsbook in the US to offer betting on eSports competitions. So, with FanDuel, you can test your knowledge of eSports by placing a wager on your favourite team. And the best part? This can be done using fantasy money, in the spirit of the industry, rather than having to commit to placing any actual coin.
FanDuel and several other sportsbooks offer risk free bets to new customers, allowing you to test your expertise without breaking the bank (‘risk free’ allows you to get part or all of your stake back). The FanDuel app is available for Apple and Android.
Remember that no bet is truly risk free, even if no money is deposited. Take time to think before using such websites.
TWITCH
A must-have app for gamers and eSports fans alike, Twitch is the most popular streaming site for gaming content. Whether you want to watch a major tournament or a smaller local event, you’ll be able to find it on Twitch since almost all eSporting events are streamed here.
Plus, professional gamers worldwide use the platform to stream their gameplay and share their thoughts on various games, giving fans a unique way to interact with the sport’s top players. Twitch will even notify you when eSports content that you follow goes live, so you won’t have to worry about missing any of your favourite eSport gaming news or events.
YOUTUBE
Yep, when it comes to livestreaming eSports, Twitch is king. That said, it probably comes as no surprise that one of the best apps for watching videos on the internet is also a popular destination for eSports content.
YouTube’s video archive and video on demand platform stand out for their coverage of eSports tournaments and commentary from professional eSports players. The best thing about YouTube is that most of the livestream coverage is uploaded almost immediately after an event has finished. So, you can watch it when and where you want, on your schedule.
UPCOMER eSPORTS
If you want to track eSports, then UpComer eSports is your app. The app has a stellar tracking system and an excellent interface. Just configure the notifications to get started tracking your favourite professional eSports players.
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The app offers everything from real-time scores to tournament updates and news. When you open the app for the first time, you’ll be prompted to choose your favourites. From there, you’ll be able to see the scores from your preferred teams and get updates on relevant news. You can also use their tournament bracket system to keep track of all the tournaments underway. The brackets are updated in real-time, so you never miss out on how your favourite teams are performing.
eFORCE eSPORTS
This easy-to-use app has everything an eSports fan needs to keep track of the latest news from around the eSports world. The app has a clean interface that takes you directly to the eSports news, scores, and event listings that you want to see. When you open the app, you’ll see a calendar displaying the day’s eSports events, so you can navigate to events of interest. You’ll also get eSports news in real-time from all over the world. You can browse the tournaments section to check out participating teams and upcoming events.