Top 10 of the World’s Biggest ESports Games
Did you know that 250 million people are expected to watch esports games globally?
Every year, new games are introduced, which has helped esports experience a dramatic ascent. There are certain games that are more popular and predominate than others.
Depending on who uses the word, the largest esports games might mean different things to different people. While certain games are more well-liked on a worldwide scale, others are more popular locally. Some have a lot more participants, while others host larger tournaments with significant cash payouts.
In this article, we’ve arranged the top esports games according to the sum of prizes they’ve given out during competitions. The Esports Earnings website is where we got all of our information for this. The list of the top esports games will now be presented.
- Dota 2
Total Prize Money Awarded – $224.7 million
The popular online multiplayer battle arena game Dota 2 was created by Valve Corporation. Defense of the Ancients: All-Stars has a sequel. In Europe and North America, it is most well-liked. It was released in the year 2013 and gained popularity all across the globe. The tournament called “The International“ was held annually with the exception of 2020 due to the pandemic.
Teams of five people often play the same game while each defending a certain region on a map. A structure inside the base of the opposing team dubbed “Ancient” must be destroyed for one team to win.
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Total Prize Money Awarded – $96.5 million
Another well-known esports game was created by Valve Corporation and Hidden Path Entertainment. Counter Strike: Global Offensive was released in 2012. It is the fourth installment in the Counter-Strike series and a first-person shooter. Terrorists and counter-terrorists are the basic players in this game. The terrorists plant a bomb and kidnap people. Both the captives and the explosives need to be freed by the anti-terrorists. Top players can also compete in the annual event of the World Electronic Sports Game (WESG) and ELEAGUE.
- Fortnite
Total Prize Money Awarded – $89.1 million
Epic Games created the well-known multiplayer online game Fortnite and released in 2017. Despite having three distinct game modes, it only qualifies as one game. The specifics of each game mode are as follows:
Save the World: Up to four players defend other survivors and themselves by battling zombie-like creatures.
Battle Royale: Up to 100 people compete in this player-versus-player game to be the last guy standing. Teams can play it as well.
Creative: Players have full creative power over the game world in this sandbox mode.
Professional players often participate in Fortnite World Cup, Fortnite Fall Skirmish Series, and Fortnite Summer Skirmish Series.
- League of Legends
Total Prize Money Awarded – $75.5 million
Riot Games created this multiplayer real-time strategic action game which became a sensation in Asia in 2009. Its gameplay is somewhat reminiscent of Dota 2 and is played by two teams of three or five players each. Similar to Dota 2, a team here wins by destroying a building named “Nexus” inside the base of the other team. If you’re a League of Legends fanatic, you may look into attending the League of Legends World Championship.
- StarCraft II
Total Prize Money Awarded – $33.0 million
Blizzard Entertainment created the real-time strategy game. It is a follow-up to the first Starcraft video game which was released in the year 2010.
Three species—Terrans, Zerg, and Protoss—are present in the science-fiction setting where the game is set. The base game Wings of Liberty and two expansion packs make up its three parts. While the Zerg and Protoss are the emphasis of the other two, Terrans (humans) are the subject of the first section. Starcraft II is also part of WCS Global Finals and World Electronic Sports Games (WESG).
- PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)
Total Prize Money Awarded – $22.2 million
UBG Corporation created this game, which is a variation on battle royale. It was released in 2017. The game provides up to 100 players to compete against one another to see who can survive the longest. It can also be played in groups. Top players of PUBG often look forward to the PUBG Global Championship and PUBG Nations Cup.
- Overwatch
Total Prize Money Awarded – $21.7 million
Teams of six players compete in this first-person shooter game created by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released in 2016 and welcomed by many. Either securing control points on a map or transporting a payload from one location to another within a predetermined amount of time are the objectives. Although played all across the world, Asia is where the game is most popular. A worldwide esports league featuring the top Overwatch players in the world, the Overwatch League consists of 20 city-based teams.
- Hearthstone
Total Prize Money Awarded – $21.1 million
Blizzard Entertainment created a free online card game and released it in 2014. It is a turn-based game that is played one-on-one between two players. Each player receives a deck of 30 cards, from which they can choose a hero with a special power. There are numerous available game modes. The tournaments that feature Hearthstone are Hearthstone World Championship, GrandMasters, and Masters Tour.
- Heroes of the Storm
Total Prize Money Awarded – $18.1 million
It was created as a multiplayer game by Blizzard Entertainment and was released in 2015. Different players and battlegrounds from Blizzard’s other well-known games, such Warcraft and Overwatch, are featured in the game. It is referred to as a “hero brawler” game rather than an “action real-time strategy” game or a “multiplayer online battle arena” game because of a wider playstyle. Thousands of fans used to gather together for the Heroes of the Storm Global Championship but it was discontinued in July 2022.
- Arena of Valor
Total Prize Money Awarded – $14.5 million
The well-known gaming and media company Tencent Games published the multiplayer online battle arena game created by TiMi Studios. The game was released in 2015, has several modes, and is played in teams of five players. Look up the Honor of Kings World Champion Cup and King Pro League if you would like to participate in their gaming event.
Conclusion
These are some of the most well-liked esports titles on the market. If you’re an esports fan but not a participant, you can follow players and influencers and watch their gameplay.