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Esports games have been on the rise in recent years, with strong entries like Valorant and classics such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive taking center stage in this immensely competitive genre. Players duke it out in rounds to determine the best, in a wide range of genres ranging from first-person shooters to arcade beat 'em ups, all set amidst a diverse playerbase.
The esports market is very lucrative, with insane prize pools and a host of social interactivity making it a quite the adventure to step into as of now. However, no two games are created equal, and there are some that hold up better than others in more than one aspect.
Therefore, with us heading halfway into 2023, let’s take a look at the most popular esports titles of today, in a definite list based on personal recommendations.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer’s opinions.
Top 10 most popular esports games: Super Smash Bros., Overwatch 2, and more
10) Super Smash Bros.
Nintendo and Masahiro Sakurai’s Super Smash Bros. is a crossover fighting game featuring characters from both Nintendo and outside the corporation. The series first began on the Nintendo 64 in 1999, although it achieved its mainstream popularity with the release of Super Smash Bros. Melee in 2001 for the iconic Gamecube.
Smash can be best described as a platform fighter, with unique mechanics that make it a blast to play, especially with friends. Additionally, the unique abilities and cameos of each character keep the game fresh and alive - as seen by its very competitive community, supported by Nintendo.
9) Rocket League
The free-to-play Rocket League is a unique spin on the soccer formula of video games. It involves players taking control of vehicles to steer and strike the ball in a very fun and engaging gameplay loop. The game has grown massively in popularity in recent years, partly due to its recent shift to a free-to-play model and its numerous ports, including the Nintendo Switch.
In fact, the Rocket League Championship Series offers a $1 million prize pool to participants, making it one of the most entertaining esports games in recent years.
8) Apex Legends
The free-to-play battle royale from Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts incorporates a lot of its DNA from the two critically acclaimed Titanfall games, making it a runaway success. It is set in the same universe but has players controlling mercenaries with unique power-ups to defeat opponents in a full team-based play session.
The game is alive and well thanks to its frequent tournaments and is incredibly popular among gamers worldwide, partly thanks to its high skill ceiling and cast of likeable heroes.
7) Overwatch 2
Released in 2022, Overwatch 2 is a hero first-person shooter from Blizzard Entertainment. It is the sequel to the well-received title of the same name. Two teams battle it out in a PvP environment brimming with fun, fast-paced action with a myriad of quirky heroes to choose from.
The game has a fun, cel-shaded animated aesthetic with unique quirks for each hero that make it an engaging FPS to play through amidst the many military shooters that have saturated the market.
Despite its initial rocky start, Overwatch 2 has grown to be a decent game in its own right, being regularly supported by Blizzard in the form of live service updates and tournaments with sizable prize pools.
6) Fortnite
Developed by Epic Games and released in 2017, Fortnite has grown tremendously in recent years and is the poster boy for the company. Players take control of their favorite character and are pit against 99 other players as they fight for survival.
Fortnite has evolved over time to incorporate various game modes and has microtransactions to keep it afloat. It is incredibly popular thanks to its various collaborations with brands and companies that keep the live-service model fresh and fun to play to this day, with iconic additions such as Doctor Who coming soon.
Fortnite also has several tournaments sponsored by Epic Games, with humongous prize pools and an incredibly competitive scene.
5) Call of Duty
More specifically, Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 is the free-to-play battle royale first person shooter from Activision, offering an authentic experience in the very competitive genre. Warzone 2.0 is the updated sequel to Call of Duty: Warzone and offers multiple improvements over the original.
Players fight each other in various modes in spectacular first-person shooter gameplay, with fast paced action that has become synonymous with the franchise. Additionally, the title recieves regular content updates that keep the gameplay loop fresh and entertaining.
The game has a wide playerbase and is a regular part of tournaments, featuring cross-platform support over a wide range of consoles and PCs. A separate mobile version of the game is set to be released soon.
4) Valorant
Valorant is yet another first-person hero shooter in this list, with a twist on the classic CS:GO formula. Developed and published by Riot Games for PC, players are divided into two opposing teams. They use either traditional firearms or unique hero perks that grant them supernatural abilities, including the presence of an ultimate.
Valorant has gained recent success in the field of esports, with the presence of multiple championships such as the Valorant Champions that offer a great degree of competitiveness, skill, and a huge prize pool.
3) Counter Strike: Global Offensive
Counter Strike: Global Offensive or CS:GO is a first-person shooter game from Valve. It was created as a drop-in replacement and successor to the prior Counter Strike titles, which in turn started as a mod for Half-Life.
Despite being released in 2012, the game has never unwavered in its popularity even. This comes amidst strong competition from the likes of Valorant, partly due to its simple but engaging gameplay loop and years of support from Valve. The title has numerous regional and international tournaments with huge prize pools on offer.
A successor, Counter Strike 2 is in beta testing and is scheduled to be released sometime in 2023.
2) Dota 2
The MOBA from Valve, Dota 2 started as a sequel to the Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft 3. Players are divided into two teams of five each as they control their unique hero with the objective to decimate the opponent team’s Ancient in order to secure a victory.
This free-to-play title has a wide range of skills and heroes, and is simple enough to pick up and learn for most players while offering hours of enjoyable content.
Dota 2 is also a perennial esports game of the ages and is very popular to this day. It is supported by tremendous competition and a cash pool of over $30 million in tournaments.
1) League of Legends
League of Legends (LoL) is a MOBA game from Riot Games and was first released in 2009. The title was developed in response to Dota as a standalone offering. It incorporates RPG, tower defense, and RTS mechanics into one package, which makes it a standout title from the dozens of MOBAs out there.
League of Legends is immensely popular to this day and receives live-service updates regularly from Riot Games. It is widely considered to be the most popular esports title right now, and is supported by various official tournaments and an insanely large prize pool.
