How Have Video Games Grown in Chile and What Effects They Have Had?
22 May, 2024The popularity of video games has skyrocketed globally, making them a major draw for individuals of all ages to kill free time or devote themselves to it professionally. However, what impact has this had on Chile? Have they gotten active enough or have they just started attracting customers and spectators?
We’ll go over how video games have been created in the country, the level of competition in the eSports scene, and how this pastime, passion, and now even line of job has become academic for many.
Video Games’ Impact on Chile
Chile is catching up to the rest of the world in the growing video game industry. We’ll go over some significant turning points in the history of video game production in the nation in the following timeline.
Profesor Delta: The First Video Game Created in Chile (1980-1989)
The first arcade and video game as such in Chile was Profesor Delta and it circulated in the 1980s. It was created by Donato Torechio, a Statistics professor at the University of Chile, and was developed in the Delta branch in Paseo Ahumada, a central street in the country’s capital of Santiago.
Assault Heroes: The Most Successful Video Game (2006)
Created by Wanako Games, Assault Heroes presents a before and after in video game development. In addition, it’s the first game from Chile to be known internationally. At first, it was only available on Xbox, but when it became popular it dug its way to PlayStation 3.
The Golden Age of Video Game Creation (2009)
After the hit that was Assault Heroes, games like Zeno Clash (2009, by ACE Team), Rock of Ages (2011, by ACE Team), Banana Kong (2013, by Gamaga), Fallout Shelter (2015, by Bethesda Game Studios/Behavior Interactive), and Omen of Sorrow (2018, by AOne Games) appeared, just to name a few titles.
Rebirth Esports: The First eSports Team in the Country (2013)
Rebirth Esports is the name of the first and most successful eSports team in Chile. Founded in 2013 and active to the present, the team has a large number of titles and people who follow them. In interviews given by the team’s officials, they recognize that their interest isn’t 100% related solely to sports, but rather they seek to generate and increase the number of supporters of the team.
Esports in Chile (2014)
After talking about video game developments, competitiveness in these is also something recent but booming in the world, and when that was happening Chile already had its first eSports organization.
Since League of Legends arrived in Chile in 2014 – three years after gaining a worldwide appeal (Riot Games, the game’s developer, claimed that there were 15 million players already in 2011) – the popularity of video games and eSports (not only for playing but also for betting, now with online betting sites in Chile who offer eSports markets aiming to attract a younger audience instead of traditional sports bettors) has also grown significantly in that country. Professional teams as a whole are now focused on it.
Academic Training in Universities (2021)
Chile has a professional career called “Creación de Videojuegos” (Video Game Creation), which is located at the Bernardo O’Higgins University (UBO), Gabriela Mistral University (UGM), Sek University (USek), Talca University (UTalca) and Andrés Bello University (UNAB).
Chile’s Gaming Market Is Worth More Than $354 Million, and It’s Still Expanding
From an economic and cultural standpoint, the gaming industry is becoming one of the most lucrative in the region. It brought in 354 million USD in Chile alone in 2022. Revenue in the games market in the nation is projected to reach US$1,021.00m in 2024, provided that 5G technology adoption and both domestic and foreign investment continue to rise.
Chilean Gamer’s Profile
There are several qualities that a significant portion of the nation’s gamers concur upon.
- How much time they spend playing and preferred devices
Eighty percent of these people play games for one to four hours per day. Of that total, 49% use their smartphones for it.
- Sensations they feel when playing a game
Chileans have high levels of well-being (joy, happiness, or satisfaction) when they play. So much so that 63% would give up watching television for the same reason, and 15.4% would be willing to forgo sex in order to keep playing.
- Expenses on gaming per month
Half of gamers in Chile spend between 30,000 and 100,000 pesos a month on new games, subscriptions, or gaming equipment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Chile’s gaming market has grown to be a massive cultural and economic force. Its status as a driving force in both countries is evident, given its remarkable income and participation figures and the increasing need for skilled workers. It will continue…
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