At a glance
ESPO charges 0.55% a year, below the 0.58% average of the 7 funds most like it (the 3rd cheapest of 8). It has $238.8M in assets, the largest of that group; it paid 1.31% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, annual. Over the past year it returned −14.1% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 3rd of those 8 funds; over three years it returned +27.0% a year. At its worst it fell 21.8% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 40.4% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 1 month and 19 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 60.7% of the fund, out of 25 in all.
The short version
VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO) is an index fund that tracks the MVIS Global Video Gaming & eSports Index. That index holds about 25 game publishers, platforms and hardware companies worldwide, led by NetEase, Tencent and Roblox. With $238.8 million in net assets as of June 30, 2026, it is the largest of its gaming-fund peers. Its 0.55% expense ratio sits slightly below the 0.58% peer average. It is concentrated and volatile.
Price history
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ESPO -14.1% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPO official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +26.11% | — | +9.71% | — | +19.50% |
| MVIS Global Video Gaming and e Sports Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) index, same period | — | +26.35% | — | +10.46% | — | +20.37% |
| MSCI ACWI Net TR Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes, except withholding taxes) index, same period | — | +22.34% | — | +11.19% | — | +12.13% |
| ESPO price data to Oct 27, 2026 | -4.9% | -14.1% | +27.0% | +8.9% | — | +16.7% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, ESPO returned -14.1%, 3rd of 8 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +8.9%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 21.8% and regained its old high 1 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-34.7%); its best was 2020 (+83.9%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 51% (Feb 12, 2021 to Oct 14, 2022), recovered by Oct 7, 2024.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | -4.9% | — |
| 2025 | +25.8% | +26.11% |
| 2024 | +47.6% | +47.13% |
| 2023 | +33.6% | +33.40% |
| 2022 | -34.7% | -34.43% |
| 2021 | -2.1% | -2.09% |
| 2020 | +83.9% | +84.24% |
| 2019 | +42.3% | +41.59% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 18.7% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 21.8%, back to its old high 1 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 40.4% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 40.4%, back to its old high 19.1 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.2900 | +248.6% |
| 2024 | $0.3700 | -31.5% |
| 2023 | $0.5400 | +38.5% |
| 2022 | $0.3900 | -82.5% |
| 2021 | $2.2300 | +2687.5% |
| 2020 | $0.0800 | 0.0% |
| 2019 | $0.0800 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 25 securities; the ten largest made up 60.68% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| NetEase Inc | 7.95% | |
| Tencent Holdings Ltd | 7.09% | |
| ROBLOX Corp | 7.01% | |
| Take-Two Interactive Software Inc | 6.94% | |
| Electronic Arts Inc | 6.38% | |
| Nintendo Co Ltd | 6.38% | |
| Aristocrat Leisure Ltd | 5.46% | |
| Unity Software Inc | 4.69% | |
| Capcom Co Ltd | 4.40% | |
| Bandai Namco Holdings Inc | 4.37% | |
| International Games System Co Ltd | 4.34% | |
| GameStop Corp | 4.31% | |
| Konami Group Corp | 3.97% | |
| CD Projekt SA | 3.96% | |
| Krafton Inc | 3.91% |
By country
United States 29.34%Japan 22.67%Cayman Islands 19.21%Taiwan 7.9%South Korea 6.69%By asset type
Stocks 99.89%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors withdrew a net $22.4M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +1.87%, -2.78%, +0.83%.
How it works
ESPO tracks the MVIS Global Video Gaming & eSports Index. eSports means organized, competitive video gaming. To join the index, a company generally must earn at least 50% of its revenue from video gaming or eSports. That can include game publishers and makers of chips, graphics cards, consoles, controllers and headsets. It can also include streaming services and eSports league operators, teams and platforms. As of December 31, 2025, the index held 25 companies worth between about $1.46 billion and $697.21 billion.
VanEck runs the fund passively. It buys a portfolio that generally mirrors the index and does not try to beat it or retreat into cash in rough markets. It must normally keep at least 80% of its assets in index securities. The prospectus lists portfolio turnover of 53%. Turnover measures how much of the portfolio is bought and sold in a year.
The fund is "non-diversified," which means the law lets it put more money into a single company than a diversified fund could. As of June 30, 2026, the 10 largest holdings made up about 61% of assets. NetEase (7.9%), Tencent (7.1%), Roblox (7.0%) and Take-Two Interactive (6.9%) led the list. About 29% was in US companies, 23% in Japan and 19% in Cayman Islands-registered firms. The fund may also hold depositary receipts and shares priced in foreign currencies.
What it really costs
- ESPO charges 0.55% a year, versus an average of 0.58% for the similar funds below (3rd of 8, cheapest first).
- Of that, 0.5% is the management fee; the rest covers other fund expenses.
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $56 in the first year and $689 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPO | $56 | $176 | $307 | $689 |
In a retirement portfolio
ESPO is a concentrated, non-diversified bet on about 25 gaming stocks with deep past drawdowns, so it fits as a small add-on rather than a foundation.
ESPO could add focused exposure to global game makers, but it swings hard. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 21.8% and recovered in about a month. In the 2022 bear market it dropped 40.4% and took about 19 months to recover from its low. Its worst calendar year was 2022, at −34.43%. Its deepest drop, 51% from February 2021 to October 2022, took nearly two years to recover. Anyone forced to sell in a slump like that would lock in steep losses. The fund launched in 2017, so it has no 2008 record. Its trailing yield was 1.31% as of October 27, 2026, paid once a year, so it is not an income fund. It costs 0.55% a year, or $56 on $10,000 in the first year under the SEC's standard example. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want a small, targeted stake in game companies such as NetEase, Tencent, Roblox, Take-Two and Nintendo alongside broader stock funds.
- Those comfortable with global exposure: as of June 30, 2026, Japan made up about 23% and Cayman Islands-registered firms about 19%.
- People who prefer the largest fund among its gaming peers, with $238.8 million in net assets as of June 30, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Retirees who may need to sell in a downturn: the fund fell 51% from February 2021 to October 2022 and took nearly two years to recover.
- Income seekers: the trailing yield was 1.31% as of October 27, 2026, and the fund pays just once a year.
- Investors wanting broad diversification: it holds about 25 stocks, and the top 10 made up about 61% of assets as of June 30, 2026.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPO this fund | — | 0.55% | $238.8M | -14.1% | +27.0% |
| NERD Roundhill Video Games ETF | 68% | 0.5% | $14.1M | -15.9% | +20.7% |
| HERO Global X Video Games & Esports ETF | 62% | 0.5% | $64.2M | -15.4% | +16.8% |
| ODDS Pacer BlueStar Digital Entertainment ETF | 52% | 0.62% | $4.0M | -25.8% | +12.7% |
| BNGE First Trust S-Network Streaming and Gaming … | 41% | 0.7% | $4.6M | -20.8% | +17.2% |
| GAMR Amplify Video Game Leaders ETF | 37% | 0.59% | $39.0M | -4.8% | +24.8% |
| OND ProShares On-Demand ETF | 28% | 0.58% | $2.6M | -28.8% | +17.4% |
| METV Roundhill Ball Metaverse ETF | 22% | 0.59% | $210.6M | -1.0% | +31.8% |
Questions investors ask
Is ESPO good for retirement?
ESPO can play a small, higher-risk role, but it isn't built to be a core retirement holding. It owns about 25 gaming stocks and is classified as non-diversified. It lost 34.43% in 2022. Its deepest drop, 51% from February 2021 to October 2022, took nearly two years to recover. Its yield was 1.31% as of October 27, 2026, paid once a year. That history matters for anyone who may need to sell shares in a bad year.
What's the difference between ESPO and NERD?
Both funds focus on video game stocks, and the latest N-PORT reports show about 68% of their holdings overlap. Roundhill's NERD charges 0.50% a year, compared with 0.55% for ESPO. ESPO is far larger: $238.8 million in net assets versus $14.1 million for NERD, both as of June 30, 2026. Over the three years to October 27, 2026, ESPO returned 27% a year and NERD returned 20.7%. Over one year, ESPO lost 14.1% and NERD lost 15.9%.
Does ESPO pay dividends?
Yes, but only once a year, and the payouts are small. The trailing 12-month yield was 1.31% as of October 27, 2026, which works out to about $1.29 per share. The fund's 0.55% expense ratio takes a share of what its holdings earn. ESPO behaves more like a growth holding than a source of steady income.
What stocks are in ESPO?
As of June 30, 2026, ESPO held 25 companies, and the 10 largest made up about 61% of assets. The biggest were NetEase (7.9%), Tencent (7.1%), Roblox (7.0%), Take-Two Interactive (6.9%), Electronic Arts (6.4%) and Nintendo (6.4%). Aristocrat Leisure, Unity Software, Capcom and Bandai Namco came next. By country of registration, about 29% was in the US, 23% in Japan and 19% in the Cayman Islands.
How has ESPO performed?
ESPO has done well over long stretches, but with big swings. Its prospectus shows that, as of December 31, 2025, it returned 26.11% over one year and 9.71% a year over five years. The MSCI ACWI global stock index returned 22.34% and 11.19% over the same periods. Calendar-year results ranged from a gain of 84.24% in 2020 to a loss of 34.43% in 2022. Based on price, the fund lost 14.1% in the year to October 27, 2026.