Over time, the concept of the ‘esports degree’ has become increasingly popular, with universities and educational establishments worldwide offering esports courses with varying focuses. Some lean more into the competitive gamer angle while others take the more business-oriented route, teaching students how to effectively manage and develop an esports organisation.
However, not everyone is happy with this growing trend, and one ‘pressure group’ in the United Kingdom has gone as far as labelling these esports courses ‘money-making rackets’ and ‘exploitative’.
The Future
If you size up the esports industry as it stands today, you’ll see a vast array of professionals working in an immensely diverse number of roles, none of whom secured an esports degree to get there. As the esports industry has evolved, the landscape has found itself populated by creators, competitors, leaders, and business people who didn’t go to school to learn about esports.
In many cases, the biggest names in the business secured a higher education in something completely unrelated to esports before pivoting into the industry.
Today, a cultural change is taking place; a global paradigm shift is occurring that’s seeing more organisations and esports-focused companies ask for increasingly ‘official’ qualifications. That has naturally given rise to many universities, colleges, and even high schools offering esports-focused certifications, courses, and degrees.
Once upon a time, earning an educational qualification in esports was a laughable concept – but now, it’s helping young people carve their way into the industry that they’re so passionate about, but for some, that’s not enough.
In a recent tirade against the concept of ‘Mickey Mouse’ courses in universities, one non-profit organisation branded a ‘pressure group’ gave their two cents about esports courses.
In a statement, Campaign for Real Education’s Chris McGovern said that universities are simply cash-strapped, suggesting that they’re leaning on these borderline fraudulent courses to claw money from impressionable youngsters:
This is a money-making racket from cash-strapped universities. They are placing their own interests above the best interests of these young people and it’s the taxpayer who has to finance student loans that, in these cases, are unlikely to be paid off.
Universities have a duty of care towards young people. Instead, they are exploiting them… Mickey Mouse degrees are those invented to seduce young people into handing over large amounts of money to keep universities in business.
Big Business
One outlet ran the numbers and discovered that 22 universities in the United Kingdom offer esports courses, and like any other pursuit, students jumping in to study these subjects are offered extensive funding. It was then noted that the entry requirements for these courses are typically very low, which is where the concerns start to crop up.
In the report referenced above, it was noted that a three-year esports course validated by Nottingham Trent University required just CCD grades to gain entry.
What’s interesting is that McGovern has been preaching this rhetoric for several years. In 2018, he was recorded saying the same thing as part of a write-up about the emergence of esports degrees in the UK:
These universities are seducing students into joining their courses as a money-making racket. They make these courses like computer game studies seem really attractive to young people and then they are leaving with £50,000 worth of debt and are unemployable.
Since McGovern made his first comments, the market revenue for the worldwide esports industry has swollen from around $880 million to more than $1.8 billion. Since 2020, the global esports audience has risen from around 430 million fans to more than 640 million, and the most valuable esports organisation has an estimated net worth of around $540 million.
As the industry becomes increasingly regulated, better structured, and more competitive, young people aspiring to make a name for themselves in the business will need these qualifications if they want to succeed.
The ‘CRE’ that McGovern represents actively campaigns for higher standards of education, but perhaps instead of blocking these esports courses, they should lean into the concept and determine how they can impact them for the better. This is a rapidly growing industry that represents a pillar stone in the world of entertainment and digital media, and for many, it’s a pathway to fame, fortune, and a lifelong career.
For more Insider Gaming Esports, check out our article breaking down all the winners from the Esports World Cup
