Esports are evolving beyond the storylines of who is winning and losing. Games like Fortnite and others in the battle royale genre are changing the way video games are thought of as competition and making them into cultural events. They’re becoming a new type of media and capturing the next generation of gamers. Previously thought to be a fringe hobby, esports is now more than mainstream, it has begun to have crossover appeal into new markets. Industry veterans and experts will talk about the changes in streaming, esports tournaments, and what this means for the future of the esports industry. We will explore perspectives from streamers, esports teams, business owners, and the creators of tools for players to understand how new media opportunities have emerged.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.