What Games Do Esports Players Actually Play?

Esports is a form of competition that is facilitated by electronic systems, particularly video games; the term is used to describe the activities of professional gamers.

Introduction

Video gaming as a spectator sport has come a long way in recent years, with professional leagues and tournaments cropping up all over the world. But which games are most popular in the esports world?

There are a few games that dominate the competitive landscape, and while some are more niche, they all have their own dedicated followings. Here are some of the most popular esports games played today.

-League of Legends: One of the most popular games in the world, League of Legends is a five-versus-five match where players attempt to destroy their opponents’ base. It’s been an esport for years, with professional teams playing in front of huge crowds at arenas around the world.

-Counter-Strike: Global Offensive: A first-person shooter that pits terrorists against counter-terrorists, Counter-Strike is one of the longest-running esports. It’s particularly popular in Europe and North America, with extensive coverage and prize pools worth millions of dollars.

-Overwatch: Another first-person shooter, Overwatch pits teams of six against each other as they attempt to complete objectives like capturing control points or escorting a payload. It’s relatively new to the competitive scene but has already amassed a large following, with professional leagues in Asia, Europe, and North America.

-Dota 2: A sequel to Defense of the Ancients (a Warcraft III mod), Dota 2 is a five-versus-five match where players try to destroy their opponents’ ancient structures. It has one of the largest prize pools in all of esports, with The International (its annual championship) offering over $30 million in 2017.

The Games

With so many games to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to playing esports. However, there are a few games that stand out as being particularly popular among esports players. These games are typically enjoyed by spectators as well as participants, and they offer something for everyone.

Dota 2

Dota 2 is a five-versus-five, multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game based on the Warcraft III mod Defense of the Ancients. Developed by Valve Corporation, Dota 2 was released in July 2013 as a sequel to Defense of the Ancients. The game is played professionally by teams around the world and is broadcast online through live streaming services.

Dota 2 pits two teams against each other, with each team occupying and defending their own base on the map. Each of the ten players independently controls a powerful character, known as a “hero”, who all have unique abilities and different styles of play. During a match, players collect experience points and items for their heroes to successfully battle the opposing team’s heroes in player versus player combat. A team wins by being the first to destroy a large structure located in the enemy base, called the “Ancient”.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is a multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment. It is the fourth game in the main Counter-Strike franchise.

CS:GO was released on August 21, 2012, as a free-to-play game accessible to anyone with a Steam account. The game pits two teams against each other: the Terrorists and the Counter-Terrorists. Both sides are tasked with planting or defusing a bomb, while rescuing or guarding hostages.

The game has seen many competitive tournaments over the years, with large prize pools and international teams. The largest tournament to date is the ELEAGUE Major 2017, which had a prize pool of $1 million.

League of Legends

League of Legends is a five-player online battle arena video game based on the Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne mod Defense of the Ancients. Designed by developer Riot Games, LoL was unofficially released in October 2009. The game is a free-to-play title supported by microtransactions. LoL is one of the most popular Internet games. According to Riot Games, it is played by 650 million people.

In LoL, players assume the role of an unseen “summoner” that controls a “champion” with unique abilities and battle against a team of other champions controlled by other summoners. 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, although other distinct game modes exist as well. 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.

The Players

The esports industry is still in its infancy, which means that there are many games that are popular among esports players. Some of the most popular games include League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Dota 2. These games are popular because they are easy to learn and they have a lot of strategic depth.

Faker

Faker is a name every League of Legends fan knows. He is a South Korean player who is currently the mid laner for SK Telecom T1. Faker started playing professionally in 2013 and has since then become one of the most successful players in the history of esports. He is often considered to be the best League of Legends player of all time.

N0tail

Johan Sundstein, better known by his pseudonym N0tail, is a Danish professional Dota 2 player who is best known for his time on team OG, where he was the team captain and helped the team win several prestigious tournaments, including The International 2018. He is currently the highest earning esports player of all time, with total prize winnings of over $6.8 million.

s1mple

s1mple is a professional CS:GO player from Ukraine. He is currently on Team Liquid, and is considered one of the best players in the world. s1mple first started playing Counter-Strike when he was just a young kid, and quickly began to develop his skills. He played in various online tournaments before finally turning pro in 2016. Since then, he has won numerous tournaments and has been considered one of the best players in the world.

Conclusion

There are a variety of different games that are popular among esports players, ranging from first-person shooters to fighting games and everything in between. While some games are more popular than others, it really depends on the player’s personal preference as to which game they choose to play. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what game an esports player chooses to play as long as they are having fun and enjoying themselves.