The interplays between gaming, traditional sports and esports (competitive gaming) fans were a hot topic, with sessions particularly signposting how the dovetailing worlds of European football and gaming can represent a sportstainment supercharge and brand blueprints. Key directions include content creator football clubs, esports stars in real-life football leagues and Fifa’s successful cut-through in Roblox.

Multiple speakers homed in on the insight that interactive entertainment doesn’t mean simply playing games: it increasingly means players creating content that evolves the game experience, from user-generated content (UGC) to livestreams and modding. Game streaming giant Twitch and modders’ guild Overwolf laid out the brand imperative to empower the world of these gamer-creators and get active in their native spaces.

With an estimated 318 million global fans, the esports market is projected to grow by 19% annually to reach $6bn by 2030 (GlobalData, 2025). Several speakers noted the multiple under-tapped opportunities still waiting to be seized within the skyrocketing scene, from delivering real-life touchpoints fans are hungry for to increasing women’s stake in esports and live commerce integrations.

As audience attitudes towards AI continue to calibrate, finding the right balance for integrating AI features within gaming was top of mind in the room. With global data revealing gamers getting specific about their AI likes (think personalisation and better non-player characters (NPCs)) and dislikes (lack of transparency and ‘slop’), a roadmap for success is starting to emerge.

The hottest tip of the day was for brands of all sectors to shift from thinking of gaming as just another media channel, and instead start building their own games that turn brand equity into gaming-worthy interactivity. Best-in-class case studies include simple-but-effective branded games tied to radio, TV and IYKYK (if you know, you know) fan humour.