The eSports industry has absolutely exploded in recent years. The prize money has become larger, global interest is much higher, and for the main focus of this article – the standard of the games has gone through the roof! We will be looking at the very best eSports games played around the world in 2023, as well as providing an explanation for how these games work if you haven’t played them before.
Some of these games are absolute classics, and they can be played on multiple devices. Without further ado, let’s take a deeper look into the top esports games and see what makes them so enticing for thousands of people.
1. League of Legends
League of Legends is one of the most-watched games in Canada, as you can see on truenorthcasinos.ca, about every eSports gamer knows about League of Legends. This game has been entertaining eSports gamers for more than 10 years already, and it is the top game played on PC’s right now. The game itself is played using a MOBA format, and it’s quite unique as your character will gain strength as the game progresses, based on your performance of course.
To understand the popularity of this game, you don’t need to look much beyond the viewing figures. For the most prestigious tournament, which is the League of Legends Worlds, held back in 2019, there were almost 4 million viewers who tuned in to watch. That’s rather impressive, and it makes League of Legends the most significant eSports game in 2023.
2. Dota 2
Back in 2013, the software development company Valve created this game that would shape the entire eSports world as we knew it. Dota 2 first hit our gaming consoles 7 years ago, and it has grown to become one of the most played games in 2023. This is reflected in the professional eSports league known as the ‘Dota Pro Circuit’. Should teams perform well in this league, they will qualify for an event known as ‘The International’, which is the main tournament for Dota 2 that everyone wants to win.
The actual prize money for The International reached $34 million in 2019, which is the largest in terms of monetary value for any other eSports tournament. While this is all impressive, obviously, the game wouldn’t have achieved such success without miraculous gameplay. There are two teams of 5 who compete in this game, with each individual character having a unique ability that can be used to try and win. You basically need to work together to destroy the opposition’s base, which is referred to as ‘The Ancient’.
3. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
While our previous listing, Dota 2, is relatively new, Counter-Strike is one of the oldest eSports games that is still played today. This game has been around now for 20 years, and just like Dota 2, the game consists of two teams of 5 players. It’s one of the best first-person shooting games around, and during a major Counter-Strike tournament, there can be more than one million viewers live streaming at any one time.
In this game, accuracy and intelligent play are rewarded more than anything else. You need to be incredibly quick on the trigger, yet there is a great deal of strategy involved to try and outfox the other team. The game is a bit more realistic and modern compared to Dota 2, as there is a team of terrorists and a team of counter-terrorists that always face off in this one. It really is a fascinating game, and it has grown to become one of the most played games on PC in 2023.
4. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Another one of the top FPS eSports games is Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. From its conception in late 2013, the game was made to be an eSports sensation. The developers from Ubisoft were assisted by the ESL company to help balance the game and ensure that it was competitive.
Released in 2015, it quickly became one of the leading FPS eSports games, drawing tactical gamers who aren’t afraid of a challenge. And this game is indeed challenging with a steep learning curve, so if you’re planning on getting into this game, prepare to die and feel frustrated for quite a while.
Let’s move on to the gameplay. The main mode is a 5vs5 game (just like in CS: GO), where one team is fortifying a building and has to defend it from the other team who is trying to breach in and plant a bomb, rescue hostages or secure key locations. If you want to feel at all capable of doing anything in this game, you will need sharp ears, eyes, and reflexes as this game gets chaotic quickly. You will need to tear down walls and floors and peek through the scope of your weapon hoping to find an unsuspecting enemy for a quick headshot, and on top of that being a good team player is a must! without teamwork, your team will lose very fast.
5. NBA 2K21
If you’ve never played an NBA game before, you are in for a treat when you get going with this one. Unlike all of the other games on this list, NBA 2K21 is based on real-life NBA teams and players. So, of course, the rules of the game follow standard NBA basketball rules, and it’s one of the most successful sporting games on the planet. The NBA league has a bit of a shorter life-span than some of the others, as all of the games are played over the course of 15 weeks.
There are 3 major tournaments involved in the NBA 2K21 league. If a team is able to be crowned champions for the post-season event, they will take home a rather cool $420,000 jackpot. The total prize pool is actually $900,000, so obviously NBA 2K21 is nowhere near as popular or prestigious as some of the other games mentioned here.
However, it is still super popular due to the fact that basketball itself is so popular around the globe.
