Competitive video gaming, also known as electronic sports, involves participating in tournaments just like traditional sports such as football, basketball, and cricket. Global competitions are held to make video gaming a spectator event. Despite common misconceptions, the industry has grown significantly and is no longer associated solely with bored and unemployed individuals.
Instead, esports has become so popular that millions of players participate in various tournaments, with prize pools running into millions of dollars. Before now, it was more or less a game of fun. Although it still is, the possibility of winning big prizes adds an extra layer of competitiveness when playing the game. Top gamers from different parts of the world compete against each other in real competitions playing games like FIFA, League of Legends, Dota 2, Overwatch, Street Fighter V, and many other games.
This article will share some of the most popular esports games and competitions to play in 2023.
FIFA Esports
FIFA ranks among our top selections because it offers a slightly different perspective from popular games like Overwatch 2 and Apex Legends. The competition has grown so big that EA Sports and FIFA organized a dedicated FIFA eWorld Cup. The stringent qualification process involves fierce regional playoffs among the best players worldwide. There are qualification rounds, followed by knockout stages before the final, similar to a standard FIFA tournament like the men’s world cup.
The inaugural competition took place in 2004 and has since continued as an annual event. The grand final is held each year at a selected location, where players face off. It is generally in two legs, and the player with the highest aggregate score is declared the winner. These competitions are listed by some of the sites you find on Australian internet pokies, especially if you love participating actively. You will find events from the FIFA world cup, League of Legends World Championship, and other esports competitions.
League of Legends (LoL)
Developed in 2009 by Riot Games, it is arguably one of the most popular esports games. It is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game where the team’s objective is simply to emerge as the last man standing at all costs. A typical team in LoL consists of five players who must work together, planning and implementing their strategy to take down an opposing team.
The game is free to play. However, sometimes, you need to pay to unlock some of the game’s features, especially if you plan to compete against other top teams. The online community has an estimated 115 million monthly active users, which is massive. Since 2012, the League of Legends World Championship prize pool has followed an increasing trend. However, the peak amount came in 2008 with an estimated 6.45 million. Unfortunately, the most recent championship held in the United States and Mexico in 2022 dropped significantly to 2.23 million.
Dota 2
Since Valve Corporation launched this sequel to Defense of the Ancients (DotA), it has continued to rank as one of the most played esports MOBA games. It features two teams of five players going head-to-head against one another. Each team must work together, communicate effectively, employ different strategies, and make precise decisions in executing their plan to destroy the enemy (the other team).
Dota 2 has more than 120 characters players can use. Each has a unique skill, ability, weakness, and strength. However, teams can unlock and purchase in-house items to enhance their characters. You earn points for every successful kill or destruction against the other team.
The game is one of the most popular, with more than 34.3 million total hours players spend on the game worldwide. While there are many tournaments like the Dota Pro Circuit Majors, ESL One, Dream League, The Summit, and Epicenter, the most prized competition is organized by Valve themselves. The International is the most prestigious competition featuring the best teams on the circuit. Furthermore, it has an estimated prize pool of $40 million.
The Fortnite
The storyline behind Fortnite makes the gameplay very interesting. Players battle for survival against a horde of zombies and infected creatures in their quest for survival. If you are a fan of the post-apocalyptic movie “The Walking Dead”, you want to start imagining yourself as “Rick Grimes” or any of your favorite characters in the film.
Although a multiplayer game, the “battle royale mode” is one of the most enjoyable aspects of Fortnite. An estimated 100 players compete against each other. The last man or team standing wins the competition. Players are free to use weapons, build structures, and gather resources. There is also a “creative mode” and “save the world mode,” offering different objectives and experiences. While the game is free, it is possible to use in-app purchases for items like pickaxes, emotes, and other things to personalize your dream character.
Globally, Fortnite features one of the biggest prize pools across different tournaments. The most popular is the Fortnite World Cup. The inaugural competition held in 2019 had a whopping $30 million for grabs. A significant highlight of the event was when 16 -year old Kyle “Bugha” Giersdor” carted $3 million from the pool. Other winners include David W (aqua) and Emil Bergquist, who won the duo finals in the competition and shared another $3 million.
Conclusion
Esports continues to evolve and gain global recognition. While many new games are released, existing ones are updated to include relatable features that provide an immersive and enjoyable gaming experience. The evolution of these games continues to attract more players and a global audience. Even more, with many games looking to launch tournaments to make the game more interactive and fun, there is no doubt that more players will get involved.
