Company – New generation Grand Prix: Dorna launches its virtual MotoGP championship –

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New generation Grand Prix: Dorna launches its virtual MotoGP championship

Company - New generation Grand Prix: Dorna launches its virtual MotoGP championship -

Electronic sport, or “eSport”, is booming right now. So much so that Dorna has decided to launch her own virtual championship: the MotoGP eSport Championship which will be contested this year, exclusively on Sony PlayStation 4.. Explanations.

According to Newzoo, a consulting company specializing in video games, the turnover generated by eSports around the world in 2020 could reach 1.5 billion US dollars, and the number of spectators will approach 600 million….

These estimates are as dizzying as they are contested, as are the figures announced for the year 2016: the 493 million dollars in revenue from the electronic sport market and the 323 million people who – directly or indirectly – followed a competition can be challenged.

Company - New generation Grand Prix: Dorna launches its virtual MotoGP championship -

But whatever the scale – thousand, million, billion? -, the phenomenon of video games now played by professionals continues to grow. And the facts are not mistaken: in 2014, for example, Amazon spent $ 970 million (!) To afford Twitch, a platform for sharing video game streaming sessions..

According to another study unveiled in April during the Wargaming Grand Finals of the World of Tanks game – does that ring a bell? -, the income generated by electronic sport last year in France amounted to 22.5 million dollars ().

Millions of dollars in … video games

"Video games are at the heart of the digital industry, which has experienced rapid development in recent years, and the phenomenon of eSports is a revolution in its own right," said Alexander Beresford, head of "Gaming" at PayPal France. "Considered a few years ago as the expression of the" core gamers "subculture, e-sport has seduced the general public to become today a booming industry which generates millions, and continues to grow. gain in popularity and scale ", notes the French manager.

Dominated by war and / or combat game licenses, the electronic sports sector is also invested in motor sports. A pioneer in the field, Darren Cox, has just founded the first virtual racing team..

Company - New generation Grand Prix: Dorna launches its virtual MotoGP championship -

The former Managing Director of Nissan Europe and Marketing and Sales Director of Nismo was behind the GT Academy: an international competition created in 2008 by Sony, which allows the best Gran Turismo drivers on PS4 to start competing "in real life "(in real life).

For a year now, this famous Mister Cox has been the boss of the first professional virtual racing team in the world: the "eSports + Cars" team which totally crushed the Microsoft Xbox One last December..

This competition, contested in Audi cars and sponsored by Michelin, was won by the French driver Aurelien Mallet (cocorico!), His teammates taking the next three places in the three races contested. Lack of competition? If so, it won’t last !

Motorsports: eSport takes to the track !

"Porsche has increased the speed of its activities in video games in recent months," says Darren Cox: "they are considering setting up an eSport racing team, which shows how much even premium brands are interested in electronic sports ".

"In 2016, shareholders such as Disney and the National Basketball League (NBA) invested $ 300 million in rights to the content of League of Legends competitions for the next seven years", also illustrates the team manager dress English.

"The numbers today prove what we have long suspected: Motorsport is set to be one of the main growth sectors in esports, and brands can reap great benefits by entering this curve early. growing, "said Darren Cox. But who says curve, says motorcycle, no ?!

Company - New generation Grand Prix: Dorna launches its virtual MotoGP championship -

Dorna, promoter of the MotoGP and Superbike world championships, has rightly decided to negotiate its digital shift by launching its eSport MotoGP Championship this year: "MotoGP‘s first steps in the world of eSports mark the beginning of a new era "said Pau Serracanta, executive director of the commercial sector at Dorna Sports..

"With this approach, we seek to stimulate our fans and send a strong message to players in general: MotoGP is not only one of the most beautiful motorsport, it is also a digital experience now without equivalent on a game console ", assures the Spanish manager.

eSport MotoGP Championship

"We want to create as many bridges as possible between the two worlds, real and digital, to strengthen the authenticity of our championship. Renowned partners, TV channels, MotoGP teams, all the main players on the circuit will work together to get the best start possible in the world of eSports and give the competition the international scope it deserves ", he predicts.

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Like the GT Academy, could the new virtual MotoGP championship become a bridge between the show and the Grand Prix for young "lovers" of motorcycles and "pros" of the controller? The transition promises to be more complicated: if in cars, Sunday players benefit from force feedback steering wheels and pedals, on motorbikes, simulators are still underdeveloped..

Company - New generation Grand Prix: Dorna launches its virtual MotoGP championship -

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), organizer of the 24 Hours auto and motorcycle, is not left with the launch of the 24 Hours of Le Mans esports in partnership with Microsoft, which will take place on June 17 and 18 around the legendary automobile race. "After this virtual race, the winners of these 24 Hours of Le Mans esports will receive their trophy on the official podium, just like the drivers who will compete in and win the Sarthois double clock", explains the ACO, which assumes its responsibility. strong commitment to the world of video games in order to promote motorsport and endurance there in particular, at the international level, to connect with new audiences who are adept at new virtual and real experiences ".

Electronic competition nonetheless remains a relevant solution for a major problem that arises at the Grands Prix (cars and motorcycles): capturing a young audience. Because according to studies carried out in France, 19% of e-sports fans are between 13 and 17 years old and 33% between 18 and 24 years old! As a reminder, the average age of the French biker continues to climb: currently 46 years old…

Come on young people, motorbikes are fun !

Earlier this year, F1 team boss Toro Rosso, Franz Tost, lamented: "Young people are not so interested in cars anymore and we have to find a way to bring them back to Formula 1. Why not broadcast don’t we have an eSport race on Sunday morning to generate interest? "

This is the direction MotoGP is taking, via a sound on which players will compete from home (on PS4 only), "with the aim of qualifying for the season finale, which will be held in November at the circuit de Valence, on the sidelines of the FIM MotoGP World Championship Grand Prix ".

Company - New generation Grand Prix: Dorna launches its virtual MotoGP championship -

"This eSport final will be broadcast live by Dorna’s television partners", specify the organizers who are already working on "a more important calendar for the next season of the eSport championship, supported by many founding members, most of whom are already involved in the MotoGP World Championship as sponsors or partners ".

Official MotoGP car since 1999, the BMW "M" is precisely the first prize in this first eSport MotoGP championship. A jackpot with an approximate value of 50,000 euros which will undoubtedly be able to motivate the fathers of? – players of !

We are still far from the record amounts reached in 2016: the "prize pool" of the last international tournament on Dota 2 – a battle arena-type video game – exceeded 20 million dollars, of which 9 were awarded to the Chinese winners! Who knows if, in a few years, the pros of the throttle – virtual throttles – will not earn as much or more than the aces of the handlebars ?!

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