Esports is a huge global industry. Within competitive gaming, some releases have risen above the rest and become staples with a massive viewership and plenty of skilled players. The most popular esports games have typically risen to prominence because of their well-balanced gameplay, strong aesthetic appeal and talented pool of players. Here are 5 of the most popular esports games played today.
Super Smash Bros
The Super Smash Bros games have been a staple of esport competition for years. The Nintendo classic is a bizarre mixture of traditional fighting game, platformer and tactical combat game. The key to its success lies in the perfect balancing of the playable characters. Each playable character is lifted from a popular Nintendo or Capcom game and has unique strengths and weaknesses. Players cleverly exploit these strengths and weaknesses during fights. It takes great foresight and lots (and lots) of practice to become a good Super Smash Bros player.
StarCraft
StarCraft was one of the first competitive games to see huge commercial success. It became a cultural touchstone in the Republic of Korea, where stadiums hosted lucrative and nail- biting professional tournaments. Millions of people watched a 1998 StarCraft tournament – the kind of number that would have been unthinkable just a few years earlier. The game’s appeal for competitive players comes from its incredibly steep learning curve and its rewarding of tactical prowess.
Dota 2
The biggest prize pots in esports are reserved for Dota 2 – a multiplayer battle arena game developed by Valve. Prize pots of around 30 million dollars have been raised for the premier yearly tournament hosted by valve – known as The International. The appeal of Dota 2 lies in its reward of team play and the fact that it is inherently enjoyable to watch as a spectator. The gameplay allows the character of each player to really shine through, and plenty of distinct playing styles have been developed and mastered. If you are an aspiring Dota 2 player, you are going to need a good gaming computer. Check out the Lenovo website for deals on Legion gaming laptops.
Counterstrike: Global Offensive
Counterstrike: Global Offensive is well established as the premier First Person Shooter in esports. Originally developed as a mod for the Valve game Half Life, Counterstrike is well known for being very skill dependent. It is also an extremely collaborative game. Teams need to communicate seamlessly if they want to overcome their enemies. This makes for a compelling watch. Counterstrike faces competition from more modern games such as Call of Duty, but people keep coming back to the older game because of how perfectly balanced it is. Counterstrike: Global Offensive is particularly popular in Russia.
Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds
PUBG is a battle royale game developed from mods created by Brendan ‘Playerunknown’ Greene. Inspired by the Japanese film ‘Battle Royale’, the game pits players against each other on an island. It rewards quick thinking and ruthless Machiavellian gameplay. It is highly competitive and very fun to watch, which makes it a perfect candidate for esports.
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