Media rights surge driven by rising viewership, mobile-first audiences, and broadcast investments.

Media rights will achieve a 23.63% CAGR from 2025 to 2032, surpassing all other esports revenue streams in Malaysia due to surging viewership and broadcaster competition.

Market Overview and Revenue Growth

The Malaysia esports market was valued at USD 1.8 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 6.7 billion by 2031, a CAGR of 24.1% during that period, according to Mobility Foresights. This growth trajectory positions Malaysia as one of Southeast Asia's fastest-developing esports markets, driven by increasing internet penetration, proliferation of smartphones, and rising acceptance of gaming as mainstream entertainment. By comparison, the broader Malaysia gaming market—which includes casual, mobile, and console gaming—is projected to grow at a more moderate CAGR of 7.4% from 2026 to 2032, per 6Wresearch. The gap between these figures underscores how esports is expanding at roughly three times the pace of the wider gaming sector.

Within the esports ecosystem, all revenue streams are growing, but media rights is the fastest-growing segment. Industry estimates place the media rights CAGR at 23.63% over the 2025–2032 forecast period, outpacing sponsorship, advertising, merchandise, and ticketed event revenues. Statista identifies media rights as the largest market segment within Malaysia’s esports industry by revenue volume, further confirming its outsized role in the market's expansion.

Media Rights: The Fastest Growing Revenue Stream

Statista identifies media rights as the largest market segment within Malaysia’s esports industry, with the highest revenue volume. The media rights CAGR of 23.63% outpaces sponsorship, advertising, and merchandise growth, according to AI-summarized public market research. This sustained growth reflects a structural shift: media platforms are investing heavily in broadcasting rights to expand content reach, a trend reinforced by cross-industry collaborations with music, fashion, and traditional sports (Mobility Foresights). These partnerships are elevating esports from niche gaming events into mainstream cultural spectacles, increasing the value of broadcast rights in the process.

Media rights monetization in Malaysia benefits from the same professionalization trends that have made esports a viable long-term investment. Sponsorship remains the largest revenue stream by absolute value, as brands across gaming hardware, fashion, FMCG, and financial services recognize esports as a channel to reach young, digitally active consumers. However, media rights revenue is growing at a faster clip as streaming platforms and traditional broadcasters compete for exclusive tournament coverage.

CAGR (%) (%)Source: Orionmano Industries

Key Drivers: Mobile Viewership and Infrastructure

Two interrelated factors underpin the accelerated growth of media rights: the dominance of mobile-first viewership and sustained investment in digital infrastructure.

Rising smartphone penetration and increased internet connectivity have expanded the esports viewership base significantly (Mobility Foresights, 6Wresearch). Malaysia has one of the highest smartphone adoption rates in Southeast Asia, and mobile-first viewers now dominate esports engagement in the country. This demographic shift has direct implications for media rights: mobile audiences consume live-streamed tournament content at high volumes, creating demand that broadcasters and OTT platforms are racing to meet. Stellar Market Research notes that the dominance of mobile-first viewers suggests ongoing growth in the Malaysian esports market, offering substantial potential for increasing and nurturing the local esports community.

Government recognition of esports as a legitimate sport has attracted investment in training facilities and high-speed internet infrastructure, according to Stellar Market Research. This institutional support has been critical. The Malaysian government's explicit endorsement and infrastructure spending—including high-speed internet expansion—have improved gaming accessibility and experience, enabling the live-streaming ecosystem to scale. Stellar Market Research reports that the rise of mobile esports in Malaysia is prompting further investment in infrastructure, such as dedicated facilities and training programs, which in turn supports higher-quality broadcast production.

The combination of mobile-first audiences, improving connectivity, and government backing creates a reinforcing cycle: better infrastructure enables higher-quality streams, which attracts more viewers, which raises the value of media rights, which funds better production. Media platforms are also investing in broadcasting rights to expand content reach, reflecting the evolution of esports from niche gaming events into mainstream cultural spectacles (Mobility Foresights).

As media rights continue to outpace other segments, Malaysia is poised to attract further broadcast and OTT investments, solidifying esports as a mainstream entertainment asset through 2032.