Biggest polluters 'sportswashing' by sponsoring competitive video games watched by millions

Oil company Shell has come under fire from climate activists for partnering with gamers playing Fortnite, one of the world’s most popular video games, to showcase its 'ultimate road trips' promotion.

Oil companies, petrostates, airlines and carmakers are among the big polluters bombarding the esports industry with adverts, a study has found.

Esports, short for electronic sports, are competitive video games watched by spectators, with multiplayer games such as League of Legends and Defense of the Ancients 2 attracting peak viewer figures in the millions.