The Future of Gaming is Gen-Z on Smartphones Earning Millions
In London, sixteen teams competed for a share of $3 million.
Illustration: Maggie Cowles for Bloomberg
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (best known for playing the Mountain in Game of Thrones) stalked through the arena in a fur-lined kilt and boots, his long beard in a braid, swinging a 35 kilogram hammer. A blue ice dragon towered above the 2,000 attendees as they filed into the arena. Groups of fans banged thundersticks and waved flags when their teams — mostly Gen Z sitting stone-faced in front of competition-issued smartphones — advanced.
This was the finals of the 2024 PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile World Championships — one of the most lucrative esports competitions in the world. In previous years it’s been held in Dubai, Istanbul and Kuala Lumpur — locations where the game has a large following. This year, with the organizers working to push the game into new markets, it took over the back wing of Excel London, a drab conference venue near the old Royal Docks, more often associated with trade shows and university exams. Attendees watched the action on a big screen, and the event was also broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook.