Growth Fueled by Increase in Players, Tournaments and Streaming

Skillz, the worldwide leader in mobile eSports, today announced that it has awarded more than $50 million in eSports prizes since it was founded in 2012. Skillz is bringing eSports to the mass market by expanding the industry’s player base and enabling eSports for mobile games. Skillz has accounted for over 30 percent of all eSports prizes in 2016, compared to 21 percent in 2015 and just 8.4 percent in 2014.

The company’s success is fueled by the growing number of players competing in Skillz tournaments – currently more than 10 million – and the millions more watching its eSports broadcasts on platforms like Twitch. In 2016, Skillz is projected to host more than 70 million tournaments, three times the number hosted last year, and will broadcast more than 40 million minutes of competitive mobile gameplay, up from 8.5 million minutes in 2015.

“More than 2.1 billion people play mobile games daily, making mobile the most popular gaming platform in history,” said Andrew Paradise, founder and CEO of Skillz. “Despite such a large market opportunity, it wasn’t possible for game developers to easily implement fun, interactive and rewarding competition before Skillz. We’re dedicated to building the multiplayer social fabric that enables mobile eSports for everyone.”

From 2012 to 2015, Skillz awarded $20 million in prizes. So far in 2016, the company has awarded over $30 million. By comparison, League of Legends tournaments have generated roughly $30.9 million in prizes to date. As an industry, eSports are projected to exceed $4 billion in annual revenue by 2018, surpassing the National Hockey League (NHL), which generates $3.7 billion in annual revenue.

Society has a celebrated history of competition, sports and play. eSports are the next frontier for anyone who wants to enjoy the thrill of competition, and Skillz is at the forefront of this evolution.

For more information on Skillz-enabled games and implementing mobile eSports competition, visit www.skillz.com.

About Skillz
Skillz is the worldwide leader in mobile eSports, having hosted more than 70 million tournaments for players in over 180 countries. Skillz allows game developers to seamlessly integrate eSports competitions into any mobile game, making eSports accessible to the world’s 2.1 billion mobile gamers. As the eSports provider for over 1,600 game studios, Skillz accounted for more than 20% of all eSports prizes awarded in 2015. Founded in 2012, Skillz has offices in San Francisco and Boston and has raised over $28 million in funding from investors including the owners of the New England Patriots, Milwaukee Bucks and New York Mets. To learn more, visit www.skillz.com.