For most people, gaming is a fun thing to do that enables them to fight off any boredom and switch off for a few hours. For others, though, becoming a professional esports player is a real possibility, perhaps after thriving in an online tournament or recording a serious amount of wins. It’s certainly a tough career to succeed in, though.
It’s no surprise that people have become interested in turning their gaming escapades into a professional career. After all, society is now gaming more than ever before. For some people, their gaming product of choice is Elden Ring on a PC, while others opt for Mario-themed games on a Nintendo console, alongside other popular sports products like FIFA, Madden, NBA 2K games, and sports-themed slot titles. It’s a multibillion-dollar industry that provides us all with the best gaming experiences, and esports is the pinnacle of that industry.
So, with an increasing amount of gamers assessing their chances of becoming professional esports players, let’s assess some of the biggest titles that every dedicated gamer should know about. Make no mistake about it, if you can fine-tune your skills and record notable success in these products, then a career in esports could be on the horizon.
Dota 2
Thanks to the likes of Johan Sundstein, Jesse Vainikka, and Anathan Pham, Dota 2 is a game that has helped elevate certain esports players to stardom. An adored multiplayer battle arena esports product, Dota 2 is particularly popular in North America and Europe and serves up a truly entertaining package for esports viewing audiences. Playing in teams of five in the main, it’s all about defending and causing destruction in this one, hence why it makes for such an entertaining esports title, especially when factoring in the strategic nature of the game. Dota 2 certainly isn’t an easy game to master, though, but it’s clearly one of the most popular.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
At the time of writing, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is ranked the third most popular esports game in terms of viewership, and it’s easy to see why. Since the game’s release in 2012, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has entertained mass audiences from around the world and helped catapult names like Andreas Højsleth and Peter Rasmussen firmly into the minds of gaming communities. A first-person shooter game with plenty of mayhem to follow and impressive kills to cheer along to, the game tends to serve up epic, all-action battles that provide viewers and players alike with plenty of entertainment. Whether you’re playing as a terrorist or a counter-terrorist, there are loads of plus points to this well-liked esports release.
League of Legends
Since its release in 2009, League of Legends has gone from strength to strength to become of the most popular competitive titles around. With world-renowned names like Sang Hyeok Lee, Ho Seong Lee, and Jun Sik Bae putting on numerous masterclasses over the years, it’s a game that serves up plenty of entertainment to the community of gamers that follow it. Developed by Riot Games, the multiplayer real-time strategy action product pulls in millions of viewers a year, the prize money on offer in most tournaments is life-changing, and it’s a truly massive product to get into, particularly in Asia. Overall, when assessing some of the very best esports games that have helped grow the overall competitive gaming scene, League of Legends is clearly up there.
Other esports titles every dedicated gamer should know about include Fortnite, Rocket League, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile, Arena of Valor, StarCraft II, Super Smash Bros, FIFA, Overwatch, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, Valorant, and Apex Legends.