Where does 5G fit into esports?

Simulated car racing has been around since the ’90s, but with recent improvements in streaming software and high-speed connections, sim racing has taken off. On this episode of Recalibrate we dive into the world of esports and game streaming with Global SimRacing Channel commentator Sean Ambrose and MarketScale Creative Producer Denis McInerny to discuss iRacing and how network technology enhancements could impact the growth of this billion-dollar global market. Racers from all across the globe play to compete for real prize money, some investing in expensive simulation rigs to further simulate the racing experience. However, even the best gamers can lose a leading position to their opponents from a momentary interruption in internet connection–something the gaming industry refers to as “netcoding”. Sim racers aren’t the only ones missing opportunities from unreliable connection speeds. Gameplay streaming has seen a massive adoption over the last couple years, and gamers who rely on monetizing their audience often times can quickly lose a majority of their livestream viewership from just a minute of buffered or lost connection. According to Sean Ambrose, predictions show that esports will be a $2.5 billion market by 2023, giving reason to believe that the race to democratize high-speed streaming simulated sports has just begun. As simulated racing and game streaming continues to grow, gamers may have a new solution on the horizon with 5G for a more consistent streaming and online gameplay experience to level the playing field.