Rethinking sports games for PC players
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GTA 6 is making gamers rethink their console priorities in 2025
GTA 6 isn’t even out yet, but it’s already changing how people spend on gaming. For a lot of players, 2025 is the, and that means the budget only has room for one new console. The idea of GTA 6 on a handheld sounds dreamy until you imagine the battery lasting an hour trying to render all that chaos. Could Rockstar eventually bring GTA 6 to the Switch 2? Maybe. But no one’s holding their breath. For many, it’s goodbye Kirby, hello chaos and crime in neon-lit Florida.
Grand Theft Auto 6
GTA 6 isn’t even out yet, but it’s already changing how people spend on gaming
Why the Switch 2 might be the unfortunate casualty in the year of GTA
GTA year
Let’s be honest. We all love a good Nintendo release, and the Switch 2 is shaping up to be a solid upgrade. But the year is 2025, and there’s only one thing that matters:. It’s the kind of once-in-a-decade launch that makes people pause, re-budget their entire gaming lives, and—yes—put off buying another shiny handheld console.One writer, a die-hard PC gamer, summed up what a lot of people are feeling. They’ve never needed a console, never even bothered with exclusives because most games hit PC eventually. But with GTA 6? Things are different. Rockstar’s masterpiece won’t hit PC on day one, and that’s enough reason to finally buy a PS5.They’ve skipped every GTA launch day before. Not this time.And they’re not alone—many gamers are dusting off old consoles or budgeting for new ones just to make sure they don’t miss that iconic moment when GTA 6 drops. Some are even ready to drop hundreds on a PS5 just to get early access, even if that means giving up on another major release.The Nintendo Switch 2 is actually looking pretty sweet: potential FromSoftware exclusives, open-world Mario Kart, GameCube classics—this isn’t your typical Nintendo launch. Plus, it’s still more affordable than other consoles and offers solid value. So what gives?It’s simple. GTA 6 is bigger. It’s not just a game—it’s a cultural moment. For a lot of players, 2025 is the, and that means the budget only has room for one new console.And let’s face it, no one’s missing out on Vice City’s comeback for the sake of a handheld with 4K docking.Also read: GTA 6 might cost over $100 and Donald Trump’s tariffs could be the reason fans are freaking out Could Rockstar eventually bring GTA 6 to the Switch 2? Maybe. But no one’s holding their breath. The idea of GTA 6 on a handheld sounds dreamy until you imagine the battery lasting an hour trying to render all that chaos.So even the most loyal handheld gamers are making a tough call. For many, it’s goodbye Kirby, hello chaos and crime in neon-lit Florida.
Redefining Games and Esports: The Future of Entertainment
Savvy Games Group was established in 2021 by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to energize the games and esports industry. In its first year, Savvy acquired shares in historic publishers like Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, and Take-Two Interactive. In 2024, the first-ever Esports World Cup was held in Riyadh, bringing together roughly 1,500 players to compete across 22 different games. The MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region is set to become an even greater fixture in the global gaming community with the introduction of the OlympicEsports Games, first of which will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2027. The CEO of Savvy believes that the current moment is a true moment in the history of the gaming industry, and that the future is bright for the industry in the Middle East and around the world. He says that gaming is a medium for home consumption, but it’ll only get better as more and more people engage with it in a variety of ways in the coming years.
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But to carry the world of esports into the future — and further cement its role in a shared global pop culture — it’ll require serious investment, and a commitment from governing parties to accelerate healthy growth and proliferation.
That’s the mission of the Savvy Games Group, a games and esports company based in Riyadh, that was established in 2021 by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to energize the games and esports industry as a key part of the country’s economy.
Since its arrival, Savvy has quickly become a major player in all aspects of the industry. In its first year, Savvy acquired shares in historic publishers like Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, and Take-Two Interactive. With a keen eye on the astronomical reach of mobile gaming, the company acquired developer and publisher Scopely — the powerhouse behind hits like Monopoly Go! — and now-owner of Niantic, the creator of a little title called Pokémon GO, a sensation that garnered over 100 million players in 2024 alone.
But Savvy’s most prolific contribution to gaming has arguably been its work in esports. According to CEO Brian Ward, within 60 days of the company’s formation, they had penned deals to purchase ESL and FACEIT, two of the leading global organizations in esports. ESL is the leading esports company behind the world’s largest tournaments like Counter-Strike’s Intel Extreme Masters series; FACEIT being a gaming platform where users can both watch live esports broadcasts and organize their own community play. As a combined organization, ESL FACEIT Group also hosts DreamHack, a wide-ranging celebration of all things gaming culture that has spread to cities like Dallas and Stockholm. Editor’s picks
But the trajectory of Savvy hasn’t stopped at just fostering well-known institutions, but spearheaded the creation of their own. In 2024, the first-ever Esports World Cup was held in Riyadh, bringing together roughly 1,500 players to compete across 22 different games. The eight-week international tournament was the biggest esports event of its kind and will continue this summer in its second iteration.
Building on the foundation set by Savvy with the Esports World Cup, the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region is set to become an even greater fixture in the global gaming community with the introduction of the Olympic Esports Games, the first of which will be held in Riyadh in 2027.
Amid all this, Savvy remains focused on its core goals. “Our mission is to build the world’s number one global games and esports company,” Ward tells Rolling Stone. “This is a very audacious objective. But an important underlying part of that mission is to be a good investor and to be a good steward of overall industry growth, [and] lead to growth in games and esports.”
To do so, the company will focus on some key tenets behind their mission.
Shifting consumer dynamics
While all forms of modern entertainment require some form of participation — music and streaming shows should at least stir your attention — the interactivity of gaming drives a level of engagement far beyond what’s expected in traditional media. Platforms like Twitch have made passively consuming gameplay the norm for many, while FACEIT takes it a step further with the ability to individually track specific esports’ players POVs in-game and personally organize and jump into matches in real-time.
But a huge part of audience engagement isn’t limited to virtual space or even the direct control of games. For Savvy’s CEO Brian Ward, there’s never been a more pressing time for fans to engage with gaming on all levels. “The engagement in esports viewership and participation has been off the hook for a long, long time, so we anticipated that there might be some investment coming in that we could help that consolidation,” he says. “And now I think we’re at a different stage of that inflection point where having some very large events — Esports World Cup last summer and Gamers8 two summers before — is raising awareness and broadening viewership into a broader segment of the population.”
Ward acknowledges the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has on the proliferation and adoption of virtual esports as a medium for home consumption, but it’s true that the heart of esports from its earliest grassroots days, is in the IRL community. And while Savvy-owned organizations like ESL FACEIT Group have been hosting esports tournaments and festivals for thousands of attendees for over two decades, the CEO believes that the current moment is a true “inflection point” for the industry, with events like the Esports World Cup driving global attention — and more importantly, investment.
“Now, I think we’re turning that corner. [These] mega events, thanks to some very large investments, are making it more obvious that these things are exciting and that we can attract [people] — there were 2.6 million visitors to the Esports World Cup in Riyadh over eight weeks last year,” he says. “Hopefully, our investment in ESL and FACEIT, and later Vindex and Hero Esports in China, and our commitment to providing long-term capital to the sector has helped encourage both the publisher side [and] the sponsors’ and advertisers’ side of the equation.”
“Then,” he adds, “you start turning the flywheel in the opposite direction.”
Gaming can also be a deeply personal experience. Social media and content creator culture has helped feed into the art of self-expression for gamers, who are following their favorite esports teams (or creating their own moments) on FACEIT. User-generated content is a huge boon to the esports industry, as is the parasocial relationship between audiences and pro gamers within fandom.
The biggest contributing factor to the personalization of gaming, however, is the mobile market — something Ward has been, well, savvy about. “Let’s face it, there are now 3.4 billion who play games — only 200 million of which have consoles — but the other 3.2 billion are playing on their phone,” he says. “And that wasn’t the case 15 years ago. In the PC/console days it was more, I wouldn’t say ‘niche’ activity, but you had to have a piece of hardware. And now, you still have to have a piece of hardware, but it’s something you already own.”
The new global games and esports hub
Historically, there’s a few regions that come to mind when players think of the gaming industry. The United States and Japan have played an integral role in game development since the earliest days. Parts of Europe and South Korea have helped turn grassroots esports communities into stadium-selling spectacles. Now, with investment from companies like Savvy Games Group, MENA is primed to become an epicenter of all things gaming moving forward.
Part of that stems from the region’s built-in audience, with a population that skews younger than most. As a generation of old school gamers pass on their passion to the next, MENA is fertile ground for esports’ attention. “I think this is a generational thing for sure — the adoption of games and game-related enthusiasm, esports enthusiasm, is amongst the highest in the world,” Ward says. “And that’s, in part, because the population is so young. 70 percent of the population is under the age of 35. So, for them, it’s just perfectly natural that you would enjoy this as a form of entertainment; it might be your primary form of entertainment — and you might be interested in studying it at school or having a career in it.”
There’s also a cultural difference in how the current generation of players perceive gaming and esports in general. While in the old days, it was considered a more male-oriented area of interest, today the gender gap in participation and fandom is much less skewed. Ward recalls visiting China in 2024 for an “all-star” esports tournament where he and his team had expected to see huge crowds, but not as intensely dominated by female attendees as it was. “These professional athletes are like K-pop stars in the East, and that’s not something we see in the West,” he notes. “Esports athletes are not yet of that stature culturally yet.”
But behind the old pop cultural ethos of, “Build it and they will come,” lies a key factor: the building. According to Ward, that’s where the biggest hurdles have been in cultivating esports in most regions. Although many organizations, and even publishers themselves, have attempted in the past to provide their own infrastructure, a true commitment to the endeavor requires more capital than most are willing to commit long-term. (“Something [always] gets cut,” Ward says, “and it’s usually on the marketing side.”)
That’s what the government-led coordination of Savvy aims to do differently. With a long-term investment in turbocharging growth and innovation in games and esports, Saudi Arabia’s National Games and Esports Strategy is pushing to provide consistent funding to create a sustainable infrastructure. Savvy tells Rolling Stone that the target estimate of its contributions is adding to the tune of $13.3 billion to Saudi Arabia’s GDP and creating 39,000 jobs by 2030.
Yet, for the betting man, it might seem like a lofty gamble — even to Ward himself. “You’d ask yourself, ‘Why, if you’re building a games company, would the very first thing you spend money on — and a lot of money ($1.5 billion) — would be in esports, which is the segment of our ecosystem that doesn’t yet make a profit?’
Ward continues, “The answer was, it’s a very important part of [the] investment in the global industry. Focusing on developing esports across all vectors, from training and development to professional competitions to grassroots, and so forth.”
The word “grassroots” here is key. For Ward, developing a sustainable and lucrative gaming incubator is dependent on introducing and supporting gaming as a hobby and career path early on.
“People do play these games at young ages. When we grew up playing traditional sports, we all had some kind of grassroots way to participate in that sport, whether it was baseball or hockey or soccer, and that doesn’t really exist in esports,” he says. “So, I think that’s one of the longer-term ambitions that we’re trying to unlock: how do we develop a grassroots ecosystem for esports? It gives younger people a chance to compete and develop their skills. I think the Olympic Esports Games will help foster that because every National Olympic Committee that will participate in the Esports Olympics will have an ecosystem in their own country for developing athletes.”
The cultural impact
It’s well known by now that gaming, as an industry, is more profitable than music and movies combined. With over 3 billion “gamers” on earth, engagement is at an all-time high. Combined with social media and content creation, the medium has become a nexus point where playing, spectating, and both active and passive fandom align.
While most people themselves play games — and everyone at least knows someone who does — it’s become more than just a hobby; it’s a part of our culture writ large.
Woven into the pop culture fabric is celebrity. What was once, “what are they wearing?” could very well become, “What are they playing?” And when it comes to big events, celebrities also play a huge role in the modern world of esports.
“These big events attract a lot more viewership because they’ve got more to them than just the competitions. There are festivals and there’s all kinds of entertainment that goes with [them]. They attract celebrities; celebrities attract more viewers,” Ward explains.
“I think of my old days at EA and the Madden Bowl and, you know, Madden was a cultural icon — partly because of the Madden Bowl and the excitement around celebrities and players playing the video games during Super Bowl week. I think we’re starting to see more of that with these events, and we’ll see even more of it with the Esports Olympics Games.”
Yet the definition of “celebrity” doesn’t precisely mean the same thing that it once did. As content creators and influencers have become a dominant force in global digital culture, Ward believes it’s time for the same level of adoration to be applied to esports players.
“When you look at and understand the physiological demands on these esports athletes, it’s tremendous,” he says. “It’s almost the same sort of realization you have at how hard it is to drive a Formula One car in a race. These athletes are really underappreciated and under-acknowledged in society, and I hope that we have the opportunity to tell more of the stories of the people who are involved in these competitions.”
With a 30-year career in gaming, stretching from companies like EA to Activision, and now Savvy, Ward has seen it all. Or, at least, he thought he had. His biggest revelation in the esports space came when he attended his first big tournament in Poland some years back. “What surprised me the most [was] seeing 15,000 people, mostly 40-year-old guys and their 9-year-old kids, and the people screaming their heads off are the 40-year-old guys,” he says. “Then, I really got it. I really understand the fandom around watching professionals who are amazingly skilled at a game.”
He adds, “People like to compete. Seems to be human nature! And they like to see others who compete in something they’re familiar with, at a higher level, and watch their expertise in action.”
Ward himself is (of course) a gamer, although with his duties as a CEO working for a company that aims to be the largest gaming organization on the planet, he’s got less time these days. “I was a very wicked Space Invaders player back in the arcade days, and that dates me,” he laughs. “I got into Doom 3 for a long time. That gave me nightmares.” Today, his go-to “turn off your brain” game is Scopely’s own Tripeaks Solitaire. But not having time to commit to mastering modern games, he remains in awe of the dedication and skill of esports pros — as well as the people behind-the-scenes who organize the tournaments.
Referring to the hit F1-centric docuseries, Drive to Survive, Ward muses that getting to know the people that make esports a global juggernaut would only further expand its reach. “I think if we did a better job of telling human stories — and there are great human stories in esports — from the team management to the athletes themselves, to the organizing of these events, and the things that the folks like EFG go through putting on dozens and dozens of [events] all around the world every year. Some of these stories are frankly mind boggling. ‘How did you pull off a World Cup in nine months?’
Ward is hesitant to go as far as saying that esports needs its own Drive to Survive, but maybe it does. “If we figure out a way to bring viewership to the ecosystem by focusing on the human element more, then I think we’ll get more people interested in the underlying competition.” Trending Stories The DOJ Told Trump He’s in the Epstein Files: Report Trump Goes Full Fascist: ‘Whether It’s Right or Wrong, It’s Time to Go After People’ Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath Singer and Heavy Metal Pioneer, Dead at 76 Watch Ozzy Osbourne Sing ‘Paranoid’ in His Final Live Performance
Through the work being done by Savvy, Ward is confident that the future of esports is brighter than ever, but it can only come to fruition through committed investment.
“There are not very many places in the world that could put this on,” he says. “But Saudi Arabia is clearly the leader in investing in this space and intends to be the leader in this space for decades to come.”
Warriors News: Dubs have to ‘rethink everything’ if Jimmy Butler misses Game 3
Jimmy Butler is listed as questionable for Saturday’s Game 3 against the Houston Rockets. The Warriors star took a hard fall in the first quarter of Game 2 and an MRI revealed a deep glute muscle contusion. Golden State coach Steve Kerr said if Butler is out for extended time, the team will have to rethink their rotations. Jonathan Kuminga played 26 minutes (third-most on the team) and scored 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field, including two three-pointers. Draymond Green finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting and is sure to be a man on a mission Saturday in Game 3 after this. The Rockets are a plus-30 in the rebounding battle and snarl and swagger in the paint compared to the Warriors. The first-round series is tied at 1-1 with the Rockets leading the series 2-1 after Games 1 and 2. The game will be played at 5:30 p.m. PST on Saturday at Chase Center.
The Golden State Warriors lost Game 2 against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, but even more pressing is the status of their star wing Jimmy Butler. After leaving the game early following a hard fall in the first quarter, an MRI the following day revealed Butler has a deep glute muscle contusion and is officially listed as questionable for Saturday’s Game 3.
Golden State’s Jimmy Butler has been diagnosed with a deep glute muscle contusion and his status for Game 3 against the Houston Rockets is in serious jeopardy, league sources tell ESPN. This is best case because MRI showed Butler avoided any fracture or structural damage. pic.twitter.com/nTEjv4QKp7 — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 25, 2025
Butler’s departure clearly had an effect on the team and shifted the tone of the game as Golden State struggled to recover without his presence on both ends of the floor. During his postgame press conference, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was blunt about the impact of Butler’s absence.
“If Jimmy’s out, we have to rethink everything”
Steve Kerr on Golden State’s rotations if Butler is out for extended time pic.twitter.com/nUIErH9std — NBA TV (@NBATV) April 24, 2025
One of the solutions may include re-inserting Jonathan Kuminga into the rotation. He had success against Houston during the regular season, including one game where he posted a then career-high 33 points in a 99-93 win back in December. Following Butler’s injury on Wednesday, he played 26 minutes (third-most on the team) and scored 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field, including two three-pointers.
While Kuminga still has some rust to shake off after recently falling out of the rotation, Steph Curry made it clear postgame that he’ll needs to stay locked in as the team may be leaning on him more heavily again — especially if Butler can’t go in Game 3.
Steph Curry talked about what he wants to see out of Kuminga if he gets his number called again:
“The challenge has always been for him to ‘see the pictures,’ understand the intensity that’s out there, try to be in the right spots defensively, and then when he has opportunities… pic.twitter.com/9GYlrL9GZ0 — KNBR (@KNBR) April 24, 2025
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, April 25th:
Warriors News:
Jimmy Butler underwent an MRI that revealed no structural damage, but the Golden State Warriors star is in serious jeopardy of missing Game 3 with a deep glute muscle contusion, league sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Warriors and Butler have two days off before hosting the Houston Rockets on Saturday at Chase Center with the first-round series tied at 1-1. Considering that the MRI showed no fracture after Butler took a scary fall in the first quarter of Game 2 on Wednesday night, the Warriors got a best-case scenario result, sources told Charania. Butler will use the time before the 5:30 p.m. PST tipoff to do everything he can to play. His return likely will be determined by how his body responds to treatment in the next two days.
Draymond Green finishes third in Defensive Player of the Year voting
He’s assured to make First Team All Defense. He’s also sure to be a man on a mission Saturday in Game 3 after this pic.twitter.com/hWP6cB2OdW — Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) April 24, 2025
This series is only two games in, but it’s clear that physicality — and the level both teams bring to the table — could determine the outcome of this series, Butler’s health an obvious aside. Through Games 1 and 2, the Rockets are a plus-30 in the rebounding battle and a plus-38 in points in the paint. For all the snarl and swagger players like Draymond Green possess, it’s hard to duplicate what Houston has. On numerous occasions in Game 2, Curry, Draymond Green and Warriors coach Steve Kerr sought the officials’ attention to alert them of the Rockets’ physical play. And even though Houston had to navigate through early foul trouble — Thompson’s three fouls in the first quarter kept him glued to the bench, and Brooks and Alperen Şengün finished with four apiece — a clear message was sent to Curry and the Warriors.
The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami shared on the latest episode of the “Warriors Plus/Minus” podcast what he heard VanVleet told Green in the viral exchange. “I did hear that the VanVleet-Draymond thing was VanVleet telling Draymond, ‘You better pray Jimmy [Butler’s] back.’ There were a lot of other words in there,” Kawakami said.
The Suns’ obstacles, though, are more than financial. Word is that Myers greatly enjoys his lucrative consulting role with the NFL’s Washington Commanders (who happen to be owned by the 76ers’ Josh Harris) on top of his TV work with ESPN. Those jobs afford him much more family time than coming back to front-officing would. Plus a lot less stress.
NBA News:
It was the second-largest comeback win at any point in a playoff game since at least 1997-98, trailing only the LA Clippers’ 31-point rally against the Golden State Warriors in a 2019 first-round game, according to ESPN Research. Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 31 points, was a rookie on that Clippers team. “I completely forgot about that [game], so it didn’t cross my mind, but that is crazy,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “If they could build it, we could erase it. That’s how we see it. That’s what we did.”
In the 2024-25 regular season, Mobley ranked sixth in the NBA in blocked shots per game (1.59) and 13th in defensive rebounds per game (7.0). He contested 10.4 shots per game, the third most among players who played in at least 70% of their team’s games (58 of 82). Opponents shot 44.5% from the field when Mobley was the closest defender, 3.2% lower than their expected percentage on those shots (47.7%). That difference was the fourth largest among the 30 players who defended at least 1,000 shots for the season.
Ja Morant goes down after a hard fall.
He has left to the locker room. Hope he is okay pic.twitter.com/Q5AWZQQlAz — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 25, 2025
In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:
Jalen’s successful offensive night was as much a product of his own shotmaking as it was making the Warriors’ defense respond to the threat of his scoring — in that regard, it also created opportunities for his teammates. The Rockets were more intentional with picking at pressure points, weak spots they could single out within the Warriors’ defense. For all of the positive reps Quinten Post flashed on offense, it did not escape my notice that the Rockets singled him out once he was deployed on the floor.
A tweet to end the week:
Jimmy Butler’s agent in a text to ESPN: “Pray for the bear” pic.twitter.com/MznlPzWTsP — Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) April 24, 2025
Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
Sports or eSports? Gen Z in Canada Is Redefining What It Means to Be a Fan
The traditional image of a sports fan in Canada is shifting. 63% of Gen Z fans have been to a live game at least once. 61% of Canadian Gen Zers say they’ve watched more eSports in the past year than traditional sports. More than 78% of Zoomers in Canada who are passionate about sports admit that when they support their favorite team online, they feel like they’re in the same boat with thousands of others. The old format of fan clubs, where you had to pay dues and wear scarves? That’s it. Now everything is alive, instant, global, and in one click. That was before a bunch of hot matches, jokes about goals, and reactions to every field or witticism on the field. Now there are debates about goals and jokes about the field, and every game has become something like a tribune, only in digital form. Young people in Canada – especially Gen Z – don’t just watch sports, they live online: almost 85% of them follow at least one athlete or e-sports player.
Changing the Game: How Gen Z Chooses Their Arena
The traditional image of a sports fan in Canada is shifting. Seventy-three percent of Canadian Gen Zers report following both physical sports and eSports regularly. That’s not a battle — it’s a merger. While the NHL still draws millions, Twitch streams of Valorant tournaments can rack up over 500,000 Canadian views in a weekend. Some are even switching between watching the Raptors and a CS2 Grand Final on split screens. Want a fun challenge? Try Thimbles game online — a fast-paced classic of logic and attention, where you guess under which thimble the ball is hidden. No lag, just focus.
From Stadiums to Streams: A Shift in Fandom
Canadian arenas are still buzzing — Maple Leafs tickets sell out instantly, and 63% of Gen Z fans have been to a live game at least once. But team loyalty is no longer determined by geography. A teenager from Calgary can root for the Golden State Warriors and then spend the evening watching the South Korean StarCraft tournament, where it matters less and less. What matters is how you feel and who you associate with.
What fuels this new hybrid of fandom? Access. With apps like MelBet APK for Android 5+, everything is a couple of clicks — bets on 25 thousand events per month, from the NHL to Dota 2. Canadian users have access to over 50 payment methods, 20+ bonuses, and instant entry into the game. This is not a replacement for traditional fandom — it’s an upgrade!
Passion Meets Pixels: The eSports Experience
The eSports scene isn’t just catching up — it’s exploding. Before we dive into the numbers, consider this: 61% of Canadian Gen Zers say they’ve watched more eSports in the past year than traditional sports. And it’s not slowing down.
Here’s how the experiences stack up:
Aspect Traditional Sports eSports Hybrid Events Top Platforms Sportsnet, TSN Twitch, YouTube Gaming TikTok Live, Discord Fan Engagement Jersey wearing, stadium chants Live chats, Discord servers Reaction videos, co-streams Revenue Streams Tickets, merchandise, ads Sponsorships, skins, live tips Creator collabs, NFT drops Popular Titles/Teams Raptors, Oilers, Canucks FaZe Clan, Sentinels, Team Liquid Toronto Ultra, Vancouver Titans Peak Events Stanley Cup, NBA Playoffs The International, Worlds DreamHack Toronto, BLAST Premier
The lines aren’t just blurred — they’ve vanished. The digital arena is just as real.
Identity, Belonging, and the New Fan Culture
Being a fan is no longer about “sitting, watching, and then leaving.” It’s about participating: sharing, arguing, making memes, and feeling like you’re part of something. More than 78% of Zoomers in Canada who are passionate about sports admit that when they support their favorite team online, they feel like they’re in the same boat with thousands of others. It’s about emotions, about people, and — yes — about something very personal.
And most importantly, it’s open to everyone. Online, it doesn’t matter where you’re from, who you are, or how old you are. A 16-year-old girl from Saskatoon can administer a League of Legends Discord server while rooting for her WHL team. The old format of fan clubs, where you had to pay dues and wear the same scarves? That’s it. Now everything is alive, instant, global — and in one click.
Social Media as the New Fan Zone
Selfies on Instagram? That was before. Now there are debates about goals, jokes about hot matches, and a bunch of reactions to every witticism on the field or in the game. Young people in Canada – especially Gen Z – don’t just watch sports, they live it online: almost 85% of them follow at least one athlete or e-sports player on TikTok or Insta. Without it, it’s like without a puck in hockey.
And X (formerly Twitter) has become something like a fan tribune, only in digital form. Bedard scores — and the network immediately flashes: reposts, emotions, jokes. Or someone in CS2 pulls out a clutch — and the comments fly faster than bullets in the game. Interestingly, all this starts even before the final whistle. And it is in these chaotic, lively discussions that fans feel like “theirs” — even if only through a screen.
Unsplash
When Players Become Influencers
Being the top scorer is no longer the ultimate dream. Today’s athletes and eSports players are not just competitors; they are brands. And this is what makes them truly attractive:
Sincerity: People appreciate those who speak directly. Without a script, without gloss. Alphari from Team Vitality receives hundreds of thousands of views not because of highlights, but due to direct posts that convey emotions. Bianca Andreescu is not afraid to share what others are silent about. And it works.
Live communication: Twitch, Discord, TikTok, live broadcasts on Instagram — the fan is no longer a spectator. He is in the chat, in the frame, in the voice. Questions, memes, reactions in real time. This is not an interview — this is friendship in digital form.
Style outside the game: Shroud launches fashion capsules with gaming brands. Hockey players star in sneaker videos. The boundaries between eSports, street fashion, and lifestyle are blurring. A player is no longer just a nickname, but a visual code.
The voice of fans: Subscribers decide what will be on the team’s next T-shirt. They vote for the tournament map. They write ideas for stickers. Content is no longer created “for” — it is created “together”.
This is not viewing. This is participation. Direct. Real. And engaging.
Being a Fan Means Feeling Connected
It’s no longer just about choosing your team. The main thing is to be inside the moment. To feel how the stadium freezes before a goal in overtime. Or how the chat flies when someone makes a perfect series of frags. Generation Z in Canada is seeking drive, the opportunity to be heard, and a sense of belonging, rather than feeling like an outsider. And they find it all, both on the ice and online!
EA Sports F1 25: Redefining the Formula 1 experience
The return of Braking Point 3, the series’ narrative-driven story mode, headlines the release. Rebalanced difficulty settings, including a new Hard mode, ensure accessibility for all skill levels. Players can race as the film’s fictional APXGP team in My Team or Driver Career modes, with post-launch gameplay chapters unlocking rewards like liveries, suits, and helmets inspired by the movie. LIDAR-scanned circuits enhance authenticity, delivering sub-centimeter accuracy to select tracks’ bumps and curves, while reverse track layouts introduce fresh challenges.
Standout features that will drive F1 25 to the forefront of racing sims
The return of Braking Point 3, the series’ narrative-driven story mode, headlines the release. Set in the 2024 season, players guide the fictional Konnersport team, now under new ownership, through a dramatic event threatening their championship aspirations. Featuring characters like Aiden Jackson, Callie Mayer, and Devon Butler, the mode introduces player-driven choices, allowing you to switch perspectives between drivers, impacting objectives, narrative elements, and even the story’s ending. Enhanced by NVIDIA Audio2Face technology for lifelike facial animations and motion-captured cutscenes, Braking Point 3 offers immersive storytelling. Rebalanced difficulty settings, including a new Hard mode, ensure accessibility for all skill levels, while post-story, Konnersport can be carried into My Team or Driver Career as an 11th grid team.
My Team mode receives its most significant overhaul since its 2020 debut. Players act as team owners, managing drivers, negotiating contracts, and balancing budgets while racing as either driver. Upgrades to Team HQ and Owner Perks add strategic depth, while a new Fan Rating system ties performance to team reputation, offering a richer management sim experience.
F1 25 also integrates with the upcoming F1 movie, starring Brad Pitt. Players can race as the film’s fictional APXGP team in My Team or Driver Career modes, with post-launch gameplay chapters unlocking rewards like liveries, suits, and helmets inspired by the movie. This cross-promotion adds a unique Hollywood flair to the game.
On the track, LIDAR-scanned circuits enhance authenticity, delivering sub-centimeter accuracy to select tracks’ bumps and curves, while reverse track layouts introduce fresh challenges. With these features, F1 25 not only recreates the 2025 FIA Formula 1 season but redefines racing immersion, making it a must-play for fans and sim racers alike. Check out the best deals for F1 25 using our price comparison tool, and get ready for the race!
Source: https://newzoo.com/resources/blog/rethinking-sports-games-for-pc-players