From a niche hobby for a small group of enthusiasts in the 2010s, Ukrainian esports has gradually evolved into a full-fledged industry with its own ecosystem, professional teams, investments, and a stable audience. In a comment for Forbes Ukraine, for the BrandVoice project, businessman and NAVI owner Maksym Krippa, who has also headed the Ukrainian Esports Federation (UESF) since February 2025, shared his thoughts on the current state and prospects for the development of this field.
According to Krippa, over the past few years, the Ukrainian esports scene has grown significantly, both financially and in terms of popularity among viewers. Back in 2022, the domestic market was estimated at tens of millions of dollars, and, as the entrepreneur notes, this figure continues to grow. More and more people are watching competitions, and professional teams are receiving support from both sponsors and the media.
In his role as president of the UESF, Maksym Krippa has already outlined strategic priorities. This involves not only regulating the industry, but also building a unified platform that would facilitate cooperation between players, the state, business, and educational institutions. He believes that the federation should become an environment for constructive dialogue and growth, rather than just a formal body.
Esports in 2025: what the industry is all about today
Maksym Krippa sees modern esports as a complex ecosystem consisting of many interconnected elements. At its center, he says, are video game developers — they own the intellectual property rights to their products and effectively set the rules of the game for the entire industry.
The approach to tournament management varies significantly between companies. For example, Riot Games controls all processes independently, from planning to competition, creating a closed model with centralized management. Valve, on the other hand, opts for a more flexible and open format: it delegates the right to organize tournaments to external operators such as ESL, PGL, or BLAST. This approach stimulates competition, opens the market to new players, and creates space for business development within the esports industry.
Krippa assigns a special role in this ecosystem to broadcasters. For example, Maincast has exclusive rights to Ukrainian-language broadcasts of a number of leading championships. At the same time, game publishers may sometimes allow individual streamers to show matches even without a full license package — it all depends on the company’s internal policy and agreements with rights holders.
Speaking about the further development of Ukrainian esports, Maksym Krippa outlines specific priorities on which he plans to focus the work of the Ukrainian Esports Federation. One of the main challenges is to raise the overall professional level of the domestic scene.
In his comments, he emphasizes the importance of what has already been achieved, mentioning teams such as NAVI, B8, Monte, and other players who not only represent Ukraine on the international stage but also shape its authority in global esports. Thanks to these teams, Ukraine is no longer perceived as an outsider — our players are confidently competing with recognized industry leaders.
However, as Krippa emphasizes, relying solely on existing successes is not enough. To maintain its pace of development, the country needs its own esports ecosystem that does not depend on external support or isolated initiatives. This means creating a system that consistently supports young talent and helps beginners grow into professionals.
In his opinion, the key to this is the construction of a modern infrastructure — one that is comprehensive and effective, while also ensuring flexibility in responding to change and serving as a reliable foundation for long-term development. Such a platform, he believes, will become a launching pad for future stars and a guarantee of stable progress for the industry as a whole.
