Activision announces dedicated esports division

Activision has set up a company division dedicated to esports that will be headed up by former ESPN boss Steve Bornstein and MLG president Mike Sepso.

It’s unclear what Activision has specifically in mind at this stage, but the company seems confident that now is the right time to invest heavily in esports. Bornstein highlighted some of the key revenue streams that could emerge in the future.

“I believe eSports will rival the biggest traditional sports leagues in terms of future opportunities, and between advertising, ticket sales, licensing, sponsorships and merchandising, there are tremendous growth areas for this nascent industry,” he explained.

Activision Blizzard isn’t short on titles to push either. Games like Hearthstone, Starcraft, and Heroes of the Storm are being enjoyed by audiences, while Activision has said that Call of Duty is the "top console eSports franchise in the world".

Activsion boss Bobby Kotick said, "Celebrating our players and their unique skill, dedication and commitment is the essence of our eSports initiatives."

It will be interesting to see what this division has in store.