The Biggest Esports Games Every Gamer Should Know in 2024

Did you know that the worldwide audience for esports games is forecasted to reach 640 million people?

The growth of esports has been phenomenal, with new games being launched every year. Some games, however, dominate the industry and are more popular than others.

When we talk about the biggest esports games, it can mean different things to different people. Some games are more popular globally while others are regional successes. Some have a lot more players while others organize bigger tournaments with large cash prizes.

In this post, we have sorted the biggest esports games by the amount of reward money that they have awarded for tournaments. So, let’s get started with the list of the biggest esports games.

1. Dota 2

Release Year: 2013

Total Prize Money Awarded: $355.1 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: The International

Top Players: Johan Sundstein, Jesse Vainikka, Anathan Pham

Dota 2 is a popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) esports game developed by Valve Corporation. It is a sequel to Defense of the Ancients: All-Stars. It is most popular in Europe and Asia, but there's no shortage of North and South American players.

The same is played in teams of five, with each one defending their area on a map. One team wins by destroying a structure called “Ancient” within the other team’s base.

2. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Release Year: 2012

Total Prize Money Awarded: $162 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: PGL Major Stockholm

Top Players: Andreas Højsleth, Peter Rasmussen, Nicolai Reedtz

This is another popular esports game developed by Valve Corporation, in collaboration with Hidden Path Entertainment. It is a first-person shooter game and is the fourth one in the Counter-Strike series.

This game is basically played between two teams—terrorists and counter-terrorists. The terrorists take hostages and plant a bomb. The counter-terrorists have to save the hostages and defuse the bomb. 

3. Fortnite

Release Year: 2017

Total Prize Money Awarded: $185.2 million

Noteworthy Tournaments:  Fortnite World Cup Finals, Fortnite Fall Skirmish Series

Top Players: Kyle Giersdorf, David Wang, Harrison Chang

Fortnite is a popular multiplayer online game developed by Epic Games. It has three different game modes but still counts as one game. Here are the details of each game mode:

• Save the World - It involves up to 4 players fighting zombie-like creatures to defend themselves and other survivors.
• Battle Royale - This is a player-versus-player type of game where up to 100 players fight to be the last person standing. It can also be played in teams.
• Creative - This is the sandbox mode where players have creative control over the game world.

4. League of Legends

Release Year: 2009

Total Prize Money Awarded: $111.5 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: LoL World Championship

Top Players: Sang Hyeok Lee, Ho Seong Lee, Jun Sik Bae

This is a multiplayer real-time strategy action game developed by Riot Games. It is quite popular in Asia.

It is played by two teams of 5 players each and is a bit similar to Dota 2 in gameplay. Similar to Dota 2, here a team wins by destroying a structure called “Nexus” within the other team’s base.

5. StarCraft II

Release Year: 2010

Total Prize Money Awarded: $41.1 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: WCS Global Finals

Top Players: Joona Sotala, Sung Choo Cho, Byung Ryul Lee

It is a real-time strategy game that was developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It is a sequel to the original Starcraft game.

The game is set in a science-fiction scenario where three species—Terrans, Zerg, and Protoss. It is divided into 3 parts with the base game Wings of Liberty and two expansion packs. The first part focusses on Terrans (humans), while the other two revolve around the Zerg and Protoss.

6. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG)

Release Year: 2017

Total Prize Money Awarded: $62.4 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: PUBG Global Championship, PUBG Nations Cup

Top Players: Jung Young Park, Seung Hoon Cha, Jeong-wan Go

This is a battle royale type game developed by UBG Corporation. In this game, up to 100 players compete against each other to be the last one standing. It can be played in teams as well.

7. Overwatch

Release Year: 2016

Total Prize Money Awarded: $35.3 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: Overwatch League

Top Players: Myeong Hwan Yoo, Grant Espe, Hyo Bin Choi

This is a first-person shooter game developed by Blizzard Entertainment and is played in teams of six. The goal is either to secure control points on a map or to take a payload from one point to another, within a specified time. The game is very popular in Asia but is played around the world.

8. Hearthstone

Release Year: 2014

Total Prize Money Awarded: $29.5 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: Hearthstone World Championship, GrandMasters, Masters Tour

Top Players: Thijs Molendijk, Raphael Peltzer, Wei Lin Chen

It is a free digital card game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It is played one-on-one between two players and is a turn-based game. Each player gets a deck of 30 cards and can select a hero with a unique ability. There are many game modes available.

9. Heroes of the Storm

Release Year: 2015

Total Prize Money Awarded: $18.4 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: HGC Global Finals

Top Players: Won Ho Jeong, Jung Hyeog Lee, Jae Won Lee

It is a multiplayer game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The game features different players and battlegrounds form Blizzard’s other popular games like Warcraft and Overwatch. Due to a broader playstyle, it is called a “hero brawler” game, rather than a "multiplayer online battle arena" game or an "action real-time strategy" game.

10. Arena of Valor

Release Year: 2015

Total Prize Money Awarded: $77.9 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: Honor of Kings World Champion Cup, King Pro League

Top Players: Siyuan Luo, Yunfei Peng, Tianlong Wang

It is a multiplayer online battle arena game developed by TiMi Studios, but was published by more popular gaming and media conglomerate Tencent Games. The game is played in teams of five and has multiple modes.

11. Counter-Strike

Release Year: 2000

Total Prize Money Awarded: $13.5 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: No recent tournaments

Top Players: Patrik Lindberg, Patrik Sättermon, Harley Örwall

Popularly known as Counter-Strike 1.6 or Half-Life: Counter-Strike, this was the predecessor to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive game. It was developed by Valve Corporation.

Most CS 1.6 players have now moved to the latest series CS: GO. However, it is still one of the biggest esports games in terms of the prize money awarded for tournaments and popularity. The game was especially popular in Europe. 

12. Rainbow Six Siege

Release Year: 2015

Total Prize Money Awarded: $46.6 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: Six Invitational

Top Players: Stephane Lebleu, Bryan Tebessi​, Olivier Vandroux

It is a tactical shooter game developed by Ubisoft. It has different modes that involve tasks like defusing a bomb or rescuing a hostage. Each player can either be an attacker or defender in any of these scenarios or modes.

13. Rocket League

Release Year: 2016

Total Prize Money Awarded: $39.4 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: World Championship

Top Players: Evan Rogez, Jacob Knapman, Garrett Gordon

This is a unique arcade-style soccer game that was developed by Psyonix. It literally has cars playing soccer or as it is popularly-termed “soccer, but with cars.”

This game is played in teams of up to eight players. The aim of this game is to score a goal and win points just like in soccer.

14. SMITE

Release Year: 2014

Total Prize Money Awarded: $12.6 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: Smite World Championship

Top Players: John Salter, Rosario Villardi, Andrew Woodward

It is a free multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that was developed by Hi-Rez Studios. The game has mythological characters like Gods and Goddesses from different mythologies. You can select a character to participate in a team-based combat-style game. It has multiple game modes and a lot of characters to choose from.

15. StarCraft: Brood War

Release Year: 1998

Total Prize Money Awarded: $7.5 million

Noteworthy Tournaments: No recent tournaments

Top Players: Young Ho Lee, Jae Dong Lee, Jae Yoon Ma

This is an expansion pack for the original StarCraft game that preceded the StarCraft II. It was developed by Saffire Corporation and Blizzard Entertainment. This game is played worldwide but is especially popular in South Korea.

Just like StarCraft II, it also revolves around the three species—Terrans, Protoss, and Zerg. The goal is to form a base, build a military, and conquer the opponents.

What Makes a Great eSports Game?

In the competitive world of esports, not all games are created equal. While many titles may enjoy brief moments of popularity, only a select few rise to the status of great esports games. These games not only capture the attention of millions of players but also sustain long-term engagement from both players and spectators. Here, we explore the key factors that differentiate a great esports game from the rest.

Competitive Balance

One of the fundamental aspects of a great esports game is competitive balance. Ensuring a level playing field where success is determined by skill rather than luck is essential. This fairness keeps competitions exciting and attracts both top-tier talent and a dedicated audience. For instance, League of Legends is renowned for its regular updates and balancing, ensuring no single champion or strategy dominates the meta for too long. This is also prevalent with similar titles, like Dota 2.

Spectator-Friendly Design

Spectator-friendly design is another critical component. A game needs to be easily understandable to viewers, even if they are not familiar with its intricacies. Clear visuals and straightforward mechanics help spectators follow the action. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive excels in this regard, with its clean, easy-to-follow gameplay and strategic depth.

Additionally, advanced spectator tools such as multiple camera angles, instant replays, and detailed statistics enhance the viewing experience, making it more engaging and professional. Riot Games, the developer of LoL, has invested heavily in the viewing experience, incorporating professional broadcasts and in-depth analysis to keep viewers engaged.

Strong Community Support

Strong community support is essential for a game's longevity and success in the esports arena. A large and active player base ensures a steady influx of new talent and maintains a vibrant community that supports competitive play.

Fortnite, for example, benefits from an enormous and active community. They actively engage with their community through social media, forums, and in-game events, fostering a loyal and passionate fanbase. This community engagement is critical for sustaining interest and enthusiasm over time.

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Developer Commitment

Developer commitment to building and supporting a robust eSports infrastructure is another hallmark of a great eSports game. This includes organizing tournaments, partnering with esports organizations, and providing resources for players and teams. Valve Corporation, the developers of CS and Dota 2, has demonstrated this commitment by making their games the gold standard in their respective eSports genres.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is by far the most popular First-Person-Shooter game, with a thriving eSports scene. Dota 2, on the other hand, hosts the biggest eSports tournament in existence every year, The International, with prize pools exceeding $20 million each year.

Strategic Depth and Skill Ceiling

Strategic depth and a high skill ceiling are crucial for keeping a game interesting for both players and spectators over time. A great esports game offers layers of strategic depth that require players to continually learn and adapt.

Dota 2 is a prime example of this, with its complex gameplay mechanics and extensive roster of heroes. The game rewards high levels of skill and precision, attracting competitive players who strive to master it. This complexity and depth lead to more exciting and high-stakes competitions, captivating audiences and encouraging long-term engagement. The complexity of Dota 2 is exactly why League of Legends is the more popular title.

Conclusion

These are some of the biggest esports games that you can play. If you are an esports enthusiast and not a player, you can follow esports influencers and players and watch their gameplays.

About the Author

Influencer Marketing Hub

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The Influencer Marketing Hub Team brings together a diverse group of experts with a passion for influencer marketing, digital trends, and social media strategies. Each piece of content crafted by this team is researched and written to provide valuable insights, tips, and updates for our readers. Our authors are dedicated to delivering high-quality, informative, and engaging articles that help businesses and influencers thrive in this rapidly changing digital world.