The gaming industry is expected to be worth $51.96 billion, more than double its value in 2009. The largest demographic of online gamers are people aged between 25 and 34 followed by those aged between 16 and 24. There is no right age to become a professional gamer.
While online gaming is something you can do in the comfort of your home, professional gamers are concentrated in specific countries. The US is home to the highest number of gamers. In Europe, Malta leads as a gaming hub, followed by the UK and Finland.
In Finland, the gaming industry grew by 45% between 2004 and 2005. 20% of professional gamers in the country are foreigners, meaning there is a potential of aspiring online gamers to pursue a career.
But why is online gaming such a big thing right now?
Convenience
Feel like playing some game in the middle of the night? Get your Internet-connected phone out and access your favorite app. Love to spend time on your PC during lunch break at your workplace? You can participate in a match and win before your workday is not over.
Of course, you don’t want to take gaming to your work unless you want to get fired. But there are lots of scenarios where you can pass time gaming. Think of the airport when your flight gets delayed. If the games become too addictive, you can continue playing throughout your flight.
Wide Game Variety
Gone are days when you could only find the best games at brick and mortar arcades With a fast Internet connection, you can now participate in live strategy games and many more. Some online services support more than 1000 games while most support at least 500 games each.
Free Games
There is power in freebies. And online games have mastered the art of attracting players by offering free games. Almost every modern online gaming site offers a variety of free games. When you sign up, some platforms will offer you free games. Here is an example of a Finnish site that offers free bonuses, https://voitolla.com. Apart from bonuses, some game developers allow players extra rewards for testing services. Sometimes the free games could be in the upwards of a dozen. Online portals are a great place to try out online games without spending money.
Beginner Friendly
Free games, generous bonuses and lots of guides online make gaming a beginner friendly industry. Compared to other gaming, online gaming sites are easy to join and navigate through.
An online platform allows you to deposit money and play wherever you choose. You can find tutorials to play almost any online game, including on the gaming websites. With some little experience, it’s easy to become accustomed to online games.
Safety
Online gaming is thrilling. The glimmering lights, lots of people and games galore. But within the large crowds are thieves who spy on players waiting for them to win and steal from them.
Many games have improved security to protect players, but it still does not beat the safety provided by online portals. Safety is a huge concern among many players. There are just too many stories of people who got robbed online. And that makes online gaming the better option for anyone who wants to have fun without fearing for their safety.
Rules and the Environment
Whether it’s the dress codes or rules that allow smoking, some rules in esports venues can be deal breaking. To an introvert, in particular, the environment at some gaming events can be inconvenient.
Online gaming ensures players have the freedom to play in an environment that best suits them. Unless you’re a professional gamer competing for a gaming tournament at a specific location, you don’t need any dress codes to game online.
You can put on your favorite pajamas. Drink; watch TV or lay in your bed and you can still participate as long as you have your Internet-connected device.
In Conclusion
Gaming is increasing in popularity day after day. The industry is more popular in the US than other parts. In Finland, the online gaming industry is growing much faster than in any other region. If you want to turn to gaming into a career, you only need to some due diligence and join when you’re ready.
There are great games that have came from Finnish gaming industry like Legend of Grimrock for example, it’s worth checking out!
Never would have expected Finland to have such a growth in the gaming industry, especially considering it’s not as populous as other countries in Europe. But now thinking about it, Scandinavia as an entire region (Norway, Sweden, and Finland) would kind of be a good spot for the gaming industry, especially since you have Mojang in Sweden which is a country that borders Finland. Plus when it comes to tertiary education, Finland does have AMKs (polytechnics) with engineering being the most common field of education, so it’s not a huge surprise if there’s a gaming industry boom in Finland.