What Games Are Played In Esports?

Esports are competitive tournaments where professional gamers from around the world compete in a variety of video games. Games played in esports vary depending on the platform, but some of the most popular include League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Dota 2.

Esports Games

There are many video games that can be played competitively, but not all of them are viable esports games. The games that are played in esports tend to be first-person shooters (FPS), multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs), or fighting games. Here are some popular examples of esports games.

Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA)

Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), also known as action real-time strategy (ARTS), is a subgenre of the real-time strategy (RTS) genre, in which often two teams of players compete against each other in discrete games set within persistent, complex game worlds. In a typical MOBA game, each player controls a single character with unique abilities who works with his or her team to destroy the enemy’s main structure. The genre was pioneered by Defense of the Ancients (DotA), a Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (2002) mod created by mapmaker and developer Steven “Guinsoo” Feak and later extended by developer IceFrog.

The first commercially successful MOBA game was League of Legends (LoL) (2009), which has annual revenue in the billions of dollars. The genre has been expanded from personal computers to mobile devices with games such as Heroes of Order & Chaos (2013). MOBAs are sometimes referred to as “hero brawlers” due to the variety and prominence of playable characters with unique skills in these games. The term “arena” refers to the in-game locations where combat between players takes place.

First-person shooter (FPS)

First-person shooter games are among the most popular in esports, with some of the biggest tournaments in the world being FPSes. Common FPS esports games include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, Rainbow Six Siege and Halo 5. These games are typically played between two teams of five players and revolve around objective-based gameplay, with each team trying to outmaneuver and outshoot the other.

Battle royale

Battle royale games are a type of online game where a large number of players compete against each other in an open environment. The last player or team standing wins the match. Popular battle royale games include PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty: Warzone.

Card games

Card games have been a staple in the gaming community for years. Collectible card games (CCGs) like Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon have a long-standing competitive scene, and more recently, digital card games (TCGs) like Hearthstone and Gwent have taken the world by storm. These games pit players against each other in fast-paced battles where strategic decisions and quick reflexes are key to victory.

Popular Esports Games

The most popular types of games in the Esports industry are First-Person Shooters (FPS), Multi-Player Online Battle Arenas (MOBA), and Real-Time Strategy (RTS). These games are played in tournaments all around the world with large prize pools. Some of the most popular games in Esports are Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), Dota 2, and League of Legends (LoL).

Dota 2

Dota 2 is a free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. The game is a sequel to Defense of the Ancients (DotA), which was a community-created mod for Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion pack, The Frozen Throne. Dota 2 is played in matches between two teams that consist of five players, with both teams occupying their own separate base on the map. Each of the ten players independently controls a powerful character, known as a “hero”, who all have unique abilities and differing styles of play. During a match, players collect experience points and items for their heroes in order to successfully battle the opposing team’s heroes in player versus player combat. A team wins by being the first to destroy their opponents’ “Ancient”, a large structure located within their base.

Development of Dota 2 began in 2009, when IceFrog, lead designer of Defense of the Ancients, was hired by Valve to create a modernized remake for them in the Source game engine. It was officially released for Windows, OS X, and Linux in July 2013; following extensive beta testing which began in 2011. Since its release, Dota 2 has been one of the most played games on Steam because it is free to play while supporting microtransactions that give players access to limited customization features known as “cosmetics”. In 2015, Dota 2 became an official event at The International, one of Valve’s annual esports tournaments which had been held since 2011; the tournament features 16 teams from around the world competing for over US$10 million divided among prize pools. The popularity and success of Dota 2 has led to official merchandise being produced based on it; including apparel such as T-shirts and hoodies as well as toys such as keychains and action figures. Various themed areas—including cosplay areas—were set up at events related to it such as PAX East 2012; 3D models based on some playable heroes are also available from various third party websites so that people can print them via 3D printers.

League of Legends

League of Legends (abbreviated LoL) is a multiplayer online battle arena video game developed and published by Riot Games for Microsoft Windows and macOS. The game follows a freemium model and is supported by microtransactions. In League of Legends, players assume the role of an unseen “summoner” that controls a “champion” with unique abilities and battles against a team of other players or computer-controlled champions. The goal is usually to destroy the opposing team’s “nexus”, a structure which lies at the heart of a base protected by defensive structures. Each League of Legends match is discrete, with all champions starting off fairly weak but increasing in strength by accumulating items and experience over the course of the game.

League of Legends was generally well received at release, and has since grown in popularity, with an active and expansive fanbase around the world. By July 2012, League of Legends was the most played PC game in North America and Europe in terms of the number of hours played. As of January 2014, over 67 million people played League of Legends per month, 27 million per day, and over 7.5 million concurrently during peak hours. In September 2016 the company estimated that there are over 100 million active players each month. The game is distributed in China by Tencent Holdings Ltd., operator also of one of China’s biggest social networks (QQ).

##Heading:Defense of the Ancients 2
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Defense of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2) is a multiplayer online battle arena video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. It is a sequel to Defense of the Ancients (DotA), which was a community-created mod for Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion pack, The Frozen Throne.[4][5] DotA 2 was released as a free-to-play title on Steam on July 9, 2013,[6] following a Windows port via Valve’s content delivery platform Steam in June 2013.[7][8] DotA 2 is played in matches between two teams that consist five to ten players,[9] each occupying one corner[10]of the playing field called “sides”. A team wins by being first to either accumulate enough Experience points to reach Max Level or destroy their opponents’ Ancient; whichever comes first[11]. Each round starts with every player having their Champion chosen from pool containing 118 different Champions; after choosing their Champion they are given weak basic equipment consisting primarily daggers, health potions, mana potions ranging from level 1-25 giving them 45 seconds before spawning into creep waves attacking various lanes throughout map towards enemy Ancient located directly opposite theirs invulnerable Central structure accountable for spawning creeps throughout lane(s), once creeps spawn lane minions spawn with intent focused on destroying enemy towers defending central structure holding respective lanes accessible for Champions located across three lanes directly connected allowing movement through jungle containing varying neutral camps; Dragon/Baron Nashor neutral objectives located center across map granting Gold/EXP upon slaying heavily guarded monster(s).

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is a first-person shooter that was released in 2012 as the fourth installment in the Counter-Strike series. The game pits two teams against each other, with each team having different objectives. One team, the Terrorists, must plant a bomb at one of two sites, while the other team, the Counter-Terrorists, must prevent this from happening. If the bomb is planted and detonates, the Terrorists win; if all members of the Terrorists are killed before they can plant the bomb or if the bomb is disarmed by the Counter-Terrorists, then the latter win. There are also other modes of play in CS:GO, such as hostage rescue and demolition.

Overwatch

Overwatch is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, which released on May 24, 2016 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows. Described as a “hero shooter”, Overwatch assigns players into two teams of six, with each player selecting one of several pre-defined characters, known as “heroes”, each with a unique style of play that is divided into three general roles that fit their purpose. Players on a team work together to secure and defend control points on a map or escort a payload across the map in a limited amount of time.

Up-and-Coming Esports Games

There are a variety of games that fall under the esports umbrella. The most popular games tend to be first-person shooters (FPS), multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs), and battle royales. However, there are a number of other genres that are beginning to pick up steam in the esports world. These include fighting games, card games, and even strategy games.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, also known as PUBG, is an online multiplayer battle royale game developed and published by PUBG Corporation, a subsidiary of South Korean video game company Bluehole. The game is based on previous mods that were created by Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene for other games, inspired by the 2000 Japanese film Battle Royale, and expanded into a standalone game under Greene’s creative direction. In the game, up to one hundred players parachute onto an island and scavenge for weapons and equipment to kill others while avoiding getting killed themselves. The available safe area of the game’s map decreases in size over time, directing surviving players into tighter areas to force encounters. The last player or team standing wins the round.

Fortnite

Fortnite is a battle royale game that pits 100 players against each other in a fight to the death. The last person standing is the winner. Fortnite is one of the most popular video games in the world and has millions of players. It is also one of the most popular games to watch on Twitch, with thousands of people streaming it every day. Fortnite is a very fast-paced game and is also very tactical. Players need to build structures to protect themselves from enemy fire, as well as scavenge for weapons and items to help them survive.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends is a free-to-play, Battle Royale first-person shooter that was released in February 2019. The game is set in the Titanfall universe and features characters with unique abilities. Apex Legends has received positive reviews from critics and was nominated for several awards. The game has a growing esports scene with multiple tournaments being held throughout the year.