The Industry
A recent client provided Greenfinch with the fascinating opportunity to dive into one of the most rapidly expanding industries of the modern age, otherwise known as esports. A generation of technology natives are turning away from traditional sports and embracing online gaming.
Competitive gaming has attracted millions of fans worldwide, and professionals compete either individually or within teams across a variety of different games. These include League of Legends, Overwatch and DOTA 2. Enthusiasts can tune in at home or else flock to tournaments to watch on big screens, selling out massive stadiums. As the debate surrounding the consideration of online gaming as a sport gains momentum, there have even been whispers of adding an esports division to the next Olympics.
A recent report on the gaming industry by computer gaming research company Newszoo puts the sheer magnitude of the esports platform into perspective. Between 2016 and 2017 its audience grew at a rate of 19.6%, landing at an impressive 191 million viewers. This figure is only expected to grow further, with predictions of the esports audience reaching 286 million by 2020. Revenue is also on the rise – the industry raked in a substantial $696 million in 2017, which is expected to increase to $1220 million by 2020. In addition to the industry’s exponential growth, professionals within the space now compete for prizes worth up to $24.6 million.
The Task
We were approached by the founder of Esports Gold, who had a vision in mind for a website that aimed to provide a centralized platform for gamers across all esports. It was our responsibility to develop the software and turn this vision of an esports destination site into a reality. The website went live last month and incorporates various useful features for gamers to explore such as content, match data and news. It enables one designated place for passionate gamers to easily navigate through content relevant to esports, essentially aggregating data surrounding online gaming. It is one of the first and only portals online that provides such a service.
Our team worked with various technologies to deliver the final product on time and on budget. The website was hosted in Azure, with the data stored in Cosmos DB. Azure functions were also utilized for the import data, while the code was implemented using .NET Core 2.0. On the client side, for example views, Angular 5 was implemented.
The selection of up to date and effective technologies allowed our team to produce an efficient and reliable website which functioned well from the outset. Esports Gold was a case in which smooth collaboration resulted in a well finished and effective product. Working with the company was an enjoyable and worthy experience in which our team relished the opportunity to work within this interesting space.
Client Testimony
“As a startup creating a unique hub that covers multiple esport games, we were looking for developers who could help deliver our first platform build. We went with Greenfinch due to the level of understanding and effort they put in through the engagement phase – we needed a partner who “got” our concept and we had confidence in. Greenfinch delivered the site build on-time, with functionality and within budget, which for a start-up is critical in ensuring we could move our business forward to the next stage. Happy with the result and look forward to the next stage of development”
Sean Hynes, Director and Founder Esports Gold
https://www.esportsgold.com/home
Greenfinch Technology
