UK gamers among the least aware of esports

An extensive report from YouGov has found that the UK lags behind every other surveyed country when it comes to esports awareness.

The study found that 35 per cent of the population are aware of the esports, but that only seven per cent had ever watched it. Eight per cent claimed to be interested in watching in the future.

It was also found that the esports audience demographic, in contrast to the widely diversified and gender-neutral market for video games, remains heavily skewed toward younger male consumers. Only 24 per cent of UK esports viewers are female.

Awareness was highest among those aged 18-24 and declined with each older bracket, falling steeply after the ages of 34 and then again at 54. Regarding those who had actually watched esports, those numbers fall extremely sharply in the 35+ age brackets.

Around a fifth of people who watch esports do so at least monthly. Esports is watched by a higher percentage of the population in the midlands and south than it is in London. The majority of people also disagreed with the suggestion that esports players are athletes and that esports is a “real sport”.

The UK’s interest and awareness, however, fell far short of those seen not only in China but also other Western countries such as the US and Germany.

The full report can be downloaded here.