On May 24, at BEYOND Expo 2025 in Macao, NIP Group CEO Mario Ho took the stage to share his perspectives on the evolution of the esports industry. At the Sports Tech Forum, he addressed the sector’s recent challenges, the path to sustainable growth, and how organizations like NIP are adapting to change.
As the global esports industry recovers from a period of downturn, Ho said he sees the so-called “esports winter” not as a crisis, but as a necessary phase of transformation. NIP, a Nasdaq-listed international esports group, is leveraging this moment to diversify its ecosystem and accelerate its global strategy, he added.
A reset, not a collapse
“I believe this ‘winter’ is more of a transformation period than a downfall,” said Ho during the forum. He explained that while esports initially boomed by attracting massive traffic and hype, the industry was overly reliant on traditional monetization models and failed to develop a sustainable commercial logic. Now, according to Ho, is the time for stakeholders to reassess and rebuild from pure traffic plays to real monetization strategies.
Going public amid industry headwinds
Asked why NIP chose to go public during a downward cycle for the industry at large, Ho described it as part of a broader globalization plan and called it “the dream of every entrepreneur.” The IPO was not just about fundraising, but also about gaining credibility, regulatory discipline, and stronger communication with global investors, he said.
“Since going public, we’ve quickly built strategic partnerships in the Middle East. The IPO helped increase trust and visibility in international markets,” he added.
Betting on the Middle East: esports’ new frontier
NIP is aggressively expanding into the Middle East, a region Ho says is rich in capital and government support. Countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are heavily investing in esports despite global economic headwinds. He pointed to the success of Saudi team Falcons, which won the Esports World Cup last year, as proof of the region’s potential.
Regional differences
Acknowledging the differences in gaming preferences across regions, such as fantasy and team-based titles being prevalent in China versus FPS (First-Person Shooter) games in the US and Europe, Ho said that NIP is customizing content to local tastes. By building a global IP portfolio, the group enables worldwide brands like BYD and Red Bull to run unified but locally relevant marketing campaigns, he said.
Building world-class teams: a faster clock
Asked how long it would take to build a top-tier esports team in the Middle East, Ho was confident: “Esports moves much faster than traditional sports. Five years is enough to develop a world-class team.” He also noted that costs in the Middle East are becoming comparable to China, where top-tier player salaries are among the highest globally.
“Think of time as a form of capital. Pro players train up to 12 hours a day, six days a week. That’s the brutal, but beautiful, nature of esports,” he said.
Investor interest returns
Ho said investor sentiment toward esports is recovering, especially at the top end of the industry. Sponsorship money is still strong, but now it concentrates on elite teams, leading IP, and platforms that can truly drive viewership. “In the past, sponsorships were spread across the board. Now, it’s about precision and ROI [Return on Investment],” he explained.
