E-sports are booming – the industry is estimated to be worth over $612 million – and as the stigma surrounding video games subsides, West Ham United is getting in on the action. The football club has become the first in the UK to sign an e-sports player to represent it at FIFA tournaments.

College sport is big business in America, with 2.6 million people regularly watching NCAA college matches on TV. Looking to tap into that market, FanAngel is crowdfunded platform which allows users to incentivise their favourite players and teams.

Not long ago, it was inconceivable that video games would be anything more than a niche pastime, let alone a path to a lucrative career. Yet e-sports now attract millions of fans and major brand sponsorships. How did they come to rival to traditional sports? And can they achieve mainstream success?

Football game franchise Fifa is launching a role-playing mode that’ll allow control over a player’s off-field activities. Although it remains to be seen whether the expansion will attract fresh interest in the series, the move highlights how games are adapting to changes in the entertainment landscape.