Scandinavian Players in Esports: Are they good?
Are Scandinavians good at playing esports? The answer is quite simply yes. From the early days of esports, Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, have been giants on the scene. Despite the relatively small populations of Scandinavian countries, they have dominated esports games like Quake Champion and Counter Strike 6.1 over the years. But why are Scandinavians so good at playing such games? Let’s take a closer look.
Are Scandinavians the highest earners in esports?
It’s clear that the best esports teams and individual players can earn very big money. For example, Swedish player Gustav Magnusson has earned a staggering $2,545,394 since he began his career.
Revenue is increasing, particularly as esports now attracts fans from all over the world. Indeed this has also opened up other ways for fans to get involved, such as betting on their favourite players’ or teams.
As of 2020, Swedish esports teams have collectively earned $38,967,059 in prize money since tournaments began. That places Sweden in fourth place for highest-earning teams in the world. The first place goes to the United States, with $156,103,954. China is in second place, with $112,452,316. In third place is South Korea, with $96,490,032. Denmark is in fifth place, Finland is in tenth place, and Norway is in twenty-first place.
Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/performance-city-competition-3110696/
Scandinavia Has More Esports Players Than Anywhere Else
According to a 2017 survey by Unibet, there are more esports players in Scandinavia than anywhere else in the world. Sweden has the most, followed by Denmark, Finland, and Norway. And one of esports most popular games, League of Legends, has more players in Denmark and Sweden than anywhere else in the world. Teams like Denmark’s Astralis and Sweden’s Fnatic have ranked as some of the best in the world.
Scandinavian Countries Had Excellent Internet Access First
One of the world’s first regions to roll out internet access to the majority of its population was Scandinavia. In the 1990s, the governments built IT infrastructures themselves instead of relying on outsourced-companies. With better internet access than anywhere else on the planet, Scandinavians were able to buck trends, including establishing themselves in the early esports community. Having that head start allowed countries like Sweden and Denmark to become the powerhouses of esports they are today.
Scandinavia’s Education System Enables More Career Choices
In some countries, esports is still not considered to be a serious career option like it is in Scandinavia. The education system in Scandinavia is one of the best in the world and is, for the most part, free. With Scandinavians accessing free education grants, they are encouraged to explore any career option they can think of, including gaming. Having such a supportive education system creates a sense of security for gamers who want to become professional players, which is undoubtedly one reason why Scandinavians are so good at esports.
Scandinavian Countries Receive Great Support from Governments and the Media
With support from the governments and the media of Scandinavia, esports has become as accepted as conventional sports. Unlike other countries, spending all day in front of a screen is not seen as addictive behavior. It is seen as training, just as with a physical sport. And Scandinavia’s approach of treating esports as equal as physical sports has helped esports become more accepted in other countries. Sweden even has a dedicated channel called Sveriges Television, which broadcasts esports games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Starcraft 2. With so much support from the government and the media in Scandinavian countries, it is no wonder so many Scandinavians have taken up esports, and so many have become such successful professional players.
