In recent years, Portugal has shown steady annual growth in its Esports and video gaming sectors, and by the end of the year, the projected growth is expected to reach just over $18 million.
It may not seem much compared to the revenue generated by the Esports industry in countries like the United States, China, South Korea, Finland, and Germany, to name a few, but it is still impressive, nonetheless.
The ecosystem in Portugal surrounding the video gaming industry and professional Esports continues to mature and grow as it attracts more lucrative advertising and sponsorship deals, funding, and educational programs, meaning that it could one day end up featuring in the top ten as one of the world's biggest Esports countries.
How big is the video game industry in Portugal?
The thing to remember about Portugal is that this Western European country only has a population of just over 10 million people. However, despite the relatively small population, Esports and video gaming in general are hugely popular and have been ever since the early days of the 1990s.
In fact, the country is home to one of the world's oldest Esports organizations, K1ck Esports.
Apart from K1ck Esports, other notable organizations that have either come and gone or stood the test of time are For the Win and Grow uP.
Additionally, some of the industry's biggest Esports leagues, competitions, and events/conferences/exhibitions are held here, such as the XL Games, Lisboa Games Week, the LPLOL Split 2 2024, and the Valorant Challengers event, to name a few.
By 2028, the projected market volume increase of around 6.33% will see the annual revenue leap from $18.2 million to $23.2 million. By 2028, the number of Esports market users is expected to climb to around 2,800, while the average revenue per user is currently estimated to be $7.43.
The country is home to a modest but thriving community of highly skilled pro gamers as the Esports market continues to grow. Some of the most famous and successful Esports teams that Portugal has ever produced are the following:
- BIG Equipa
- Team Falcons
- FC Lorient
- Eternal Fire
- EGN Sports
- EFIVE Esports
- FTW Esports
- For The Win Esports
Others include Fourteen Esports, SAW Youngsters, White Dragons, and sAw. That's not forgetting Portugal/Portugal Team, Porto, Impulse Gaming Warriors.
The most popular Esports games played in Portugal are the usuals, such as Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive 2 (CS:GO), League of Legends (LOL), Valorant, Wild Rift, Rainbow Six, Rocket League, and Overwatch.
Professional video gamers also compete against some of the world's biggest Esports teams, playing games like FIFA 23, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Hearthstone, Call of Duty (CoD), and even Pokemon.
Betting on Esports in Portugal on licensed and regulated online bookmakers is also becoming more common – legitimising professional gaming to the same level as traditional sports like football and basketball.
Speaking of, the iGaming industry in Portugal continues to grow and set new revenue records quarter on quarter. Leading platforms are routinely looking to adapt their services to the latest trends to stay competitive – incorporating everything from the latest, thriving payment methods to in-demand games like bingo casino games or live poker. As such, not only are legislative changes having positive impacts on Portugal’s iGaming scene but iGaming industry’s own relentless pursuit of better keeps pushing it to higher heights too.
Upcoming Esports tournaments still to come in Portugal in 2024
If you want to see what the video gaming sector, more specifically, the Esports sector, looks like in Portugal and catch some of the live events as they unfold, one of the biggest upcoming events you may want to add to your diary is the Circuito Retake Season 8 (CS:GO) on June 8, 2024.
What is the future of video gaming in Portugal?
Young gamers in Portugal do more than play video games and compete anywhere from the amateur level up to the professional level.
They also learn about the basics of video game development, including key areas from designing and programming to modelling, testing and beyond.
There is a huge appetite for gaming in Portugal, and if the country can continue to provide the right kind of funding, education, tournaments, and a fully developed ecosystem, the country could one day be a driving force on the global stages of both the video gaming industry and pro-Esports scene.
We will just have to wait and see what happens.
