Web craze worth £50bn

VIDEO game tournaments known as ‘eSports’ began as a craze in South Korea, and the industry is now worth more than £ 0billion worldwide.

The best players – known as ‘eGamers’ – can play professionally, earning more than £10,000 a month from prize money.

They make their salaries from tournaments which are watched live online and by spectators at organised events.

The biggest ever tournament prize pool is thought to have been for a multiplayer battle game called Dota 2, which topped £1 million in rewards last year.

The tournaments have become so popular that some countries have put video games on a par with traditional sports. The Korean eSports Association is an arm of their government’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

There is already a national body for competitive gaming in the UK called the British Esports Association, which is working to bring competitive video gaming to schools and universities.