Report: eSports revenues on track to be $278M this year, $765M by 2018

Revenue generated by eSports games, events and advertising is growing faster than expected, reports market research firm Newzoo, and is now estimated to reach $765 million globally by 2018.

That's a notable jump in light of the fact that Newzoo reportedly measured $194 million in revenue generated globally by eSports-related ventures last year, and predicted months ago that the figure would rise to just $465 million by 2017.

The agency has revised its predictions upwards in light of recent research and reports that the fastest-growing aspect of the eSports business is online advertising, which is predicted to almost double its share of global revenue generation (from $65 million last year to $107 million 2015) as eSports-related videos and livestreams prolificate. 

For developers, the biggest takeaway here is that the business of eSports is on the rise and a big chunk of it is tied to a perceived demand for games that can be enjoyed by spectators, not just players.

Newzoo's data (graph embedded below) also suggests that the lion's share of eSports revenue is tied up in things like merchandise and brand partnerships for games, which is worth considering if you're developing an eSports-ready game of your own.