ABSTRACT
This book explores the various intricacies of esports and professional video game law as well as the associated business matters surrounding this new entertainment field. The main contributors in the traditional esports business system include the professional gamers and content creators, including streamers, competitive players, coaches, analysts, and shoutcasters; the professional organizations and teams; the game developers; and the event, tournament, and league organizers. Overall, professional esports organizations and teams earn income in many of the similar ways that professional gamers and streamers generate revenue; however, one chief difference between them is the ability for some organizations to receive large outside investments which is generally unavailable to most professional gamers, streamers, coaches, and shoutcasters. There has been a new trend whereby certain game developers have begun acting as a league organizer in addition to their traditional role as a game developer and have started formulating their own organized “franchise” leagues.
