5 of the most popular games in esports
Maksym YushytsynAlthough e-sports is not yet officially recognized as a sport in Germany, its popularity is steadily increasing. Due to the Corona crisis, among other things, the number of spectators has risen sharply and in view of the numerous games that are played on a professional level, this is hardly surprising. In fact, games from almost all genres are now represented and it is possible that at some point even games such as Mobilebet will become more relevant in e-sports. Until then, however, we should take a look at 5 of the currently most popular games in esports. There is sure to be a game or two that interests you.
League of Legends
The Game League of Legends (LOL) should be known to many of us and it is undisputedly the most popular MOBA in the world. No other esports game is as popular as this. In 2019 the game had almost 500 million viewer hours and there are fans all over the world. The soccer club FC Schalke even has its own team for League of Legends and we don't even need to talk about the players from Korea, because they are revered like soccer stars in their country. In addition, League of Legends has four professional leagues with LCS, LCK, LEC and LPL.
Dota 2
Another MOBA that is very popular and unbeaten in terms of prize money. In the larger tournaments in particular, there are considerable sums of money to be paid for. In 2019, a total of ten championships (Minors and Majors) were held. Dota 2 did not come close to the audience numbers of League of Legends, but at least almost two million people watched the final of the International.
Arena of Valor
Arena of Valor (AOV) is also a MOBA, but unlike the previous two titles, Arena of Valor is a mobile game. The game is particularly popular in Asia. There are two championships that deserve special mention: one has classic esports teams, the other even has national teams.
FIFA 20
In terms of popularity, FIFA cannot compete with most other esports titles, but the game is definitely suitable for the masses. Especially since it has experienced a real boom in the wake of the pandemic and the associated pause in the football leagues. Many football fans opted for the digital alternative to pass the time.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
The game Counter-Strike was a big hit at LAN parties for many years, so it was predestined somewhere that the game would be a coveted title with the advent of esports. While the older games no longer play a role, at least at the professional level, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO), which appeared in 2012, has been able to assert itself to this day. In terms of audience numbers, the game is actually the most popular title of all, which is also due to the fact that there are a large number of tournaments. The most important is the ESL Pro League, which is held annually and is rightly one of the most important events in the field of e-sports.