Future eSports disciplines: which sports will rise?
Yuriy SheremetIn the last few years, eSport has gone from being a niche sport to being a mass phenomenon. The exciting fights fill entire arenas and hundreds of thousands of viewers follow the games in front of the screens. Most competitions revolve around a handful of games that have emerged as the main disciplines. Anyone who wants to get involved here has to be incredibly good, because the competition never sleeps. But more and more gamers are calling for the introduction of new games and matches in order to stir up eSport. So z. B. get more console games a real chance and strategic games like online poker are held in competitions. We have tried to find out what the future of eSports will really look like!
The big winners - what are the main esports disciplines?
Over twenty different games are played in different tournaments around the world. However, there are clear favorites that are not only reflected in the size of the competitions, but also in the amount of the prize money. One of the clear favorites is the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game Dota 2. In this game, two groups of five players each have to compete against each other. Both have their own bases that they must defend while attacking the other team. The aim of the game is to destroy the enemy base - whoever does it first wins the game.
League of Legends also falls into the same game category and is Dota 2's biggest competitor. The gameplay is not dissimilar, because here too the aim is to destroy the base of the opponents. Before starting the game, players can choose one of numerous heroes who have special strengths and weaknesses. On the field, all teams also encounter other monsters that are in the sections of the route between the bases. Whoever defeats the monsters can use it to collect additional experience points and become stronger.
The world-famous tactical shooter Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) has also made it among the major disciplines. Two groups of players form teams and compete against each other on a limited map. The two classic game modes are hostage rescue and bomb disposal. As players try to accomplish their goal, they must also arm themselves from enemy shots. It is far from easy. Other games also belong to the larger disciplines, but do not have the same success as the games already mentioned. B. Call of Duty, Overwatch, Starcraft II, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Hearthstone.
Players on consoles such as the PS4 and Xbox One also want more attention in eSports.
Console gamers want a piece of the pie too
Almost all major tournaments are still played on the PC. This is partly because games like MOBA and tactical shooters can be controlled better with the mouse and keyboard. Many gamers basically argue that video games are only really well implemented on the PC. However, console gamers see it differently. In fact, there are some game genres that can be controlled much better with an analog stick. These include, above all, sports and racing games, in which lightly or strongly hitting the stick can change direction or speed. It is precisely for this reason that the first FIFA 20 competitions will be held on the PS4 or Xbox One. There are already eSports events for racing games such as Gran Turismo, but so far they have been significantly smaller and less significant than the league of Legends or Dota 2 competitions. However, some eSports enthusiasts want to change that. FIFA20 is particularly strongly promoted in Germany, which may be due to the great preference for sport. Many real football clubs now have their own eSports team and there is even an eBundesliga in which only the real clubs play. The competitive game Pro Evolution Soccer is also well on the way to becoming an esports giant - and that on the console.
What else the future of eSports can bring
In addition to the increased use of games for the console, there are also other forecasts that could shake up the eSports scene a little. The speech is z. For example, online poker, because the game has many exciting elements that can already be seen in live events. If green felt games are attracting such attention, why can't the behind-the-screen games be just as successful? The Chinese market is already showing it. There is the Global Poker League, which has been held for two years. Most of the league's games only take place online, the final rounds are played live in front of the audience - but also virtually on a screen. The games will also be broadcast on Twitch.
The classic poker variant for competitions is Texas Hold'em. In online poker, some players prefer a modified version called Ultimate Texas Hold'em, which is played against the dealer. You don't have to wait for other players to join and you can play against an AI or a live croupier at any time. In the field of eSports, however, classic Texas Hold'em would be more suitable, as the players can compete against each other. No Limit Texas Hold'em is also used in the Global Poker League.
Another game genre that some experts want to see intensified is Battle Royale. This genre comes from a Japanese film in which a group of people are abandoned on an island and have to fight to the death. Only one person is allowed to leave the island alive. The game Fortnite follows a similar strategy. The game was seen by many as a copy of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, but it stands out with its great design and numerous new features and updates. Although there is already a Fortnite World Cup, many eSports enthusiasts still see significant potential for growth. Particularly exciting: everyone plays against everyone here. Last year, a separate Tetris 99 was even released for the Nintendo Switch in the style of the Battle Royale genre. Even such small games could stir up the eSports scene. After all, the Classic Tetris World Championship already exists.
Also exciting: Since 2019 there has been a separate league for the Farming Simulator. With prize money of 250,000 euros, this competition should not be underestimated. The 15-minute matches are about who can harvest faster. Sounds boring? When the last few seconds pass and the players have to form their last bales of hay, many viewers will certainly see it differently.
The future of eSports will certainly continue to revolve around Dota2, League of Legends, CS: GO and Co. However, that does not mean that other games and platforms are not allowed to get involved. We look forward to more console fun, exciting poker tournaments and the slowest competition in the world with Farming Simulator. Which games do you want to see on the big stage?
Yuriy Sheremet – Expert in mobile gaming and esports among shooters and MOBA games.
At EGamersWorld, Yuriy, as in 2020 when he joined the portal, works with content, albeit with adjustments to his area of responsibility.