Mayor wants London to be world's esports capital

Mayor wants London to be world's esports capital reports that London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan is pushing to make the city the global hub of competitive video gaming, or esports. He announced the ambition on Thursday during a trade mission to Tokyo, where he visited the Red Bull Gaming Sphere with London-based esports organization Fnatic and its partner Sony. The goal is accompanied by a commissioned report from City Hall titled London’s Esports Opportunity, released as part of the wider strategy. It says London has a strong foundation but must move toward “strategic coordination, sustained growth, and long-term sustainability.” The report also flags concerns about the “high cost of operating and hosting esports activity in London.” Deputy Mayor for Culture Justine Simons called esports “a huge opportunity,” citing an audience of 640 million worldwide and a projected value of $10bn by 2033. The piece references the mayor’s remarks about risks from social media to young people, including disinformation and misogyny-related content.