Annually thousands of gaming fans all over the world advance towards the supreme stadiums to check out live eSports tournaments. It is not hard to comprehend why there is such fascination towards these events: the atmosphere is charged up, the professional gamers are advanced ahead than anyone else and they are on the cusp of greatness. Though eSports is comparatively young its popularity has increased immensely.
Even if one cannot come up to the arena to watch these eSports tournaments, several of the matches are being streamed live via Twitch, a literal game-changer for the eSports industry. It has made feasible the beautiful cohesion of fans craving to see these games played live and having the means to do it.
Of course, certain games are more prominent when it comes to a worldwide following. So according to Newzoo’s list of hours spent watching Twitch from December 2017, there will be discussion on the top 5 most popular eSports games.
CALL OF DUTY: WWII
Call of Duty has been an incredibly popular FPS franchise for several years, but many fans were beginning to tire of the direction the games were heading in, primarily due to the fact that it was going very sci-fi with Infinite Warfare and Advanced Warfare, in particular. However, with WWII, the franchise has gone back to its roots, so to speak, and they are back to fighting Nazi Germany in World War II. The guns might be a bit heavier and slower than they are used to in modern times, but they still pack a punch and it’s nice to move away from jetpacks and wall runs to real-life combat.
HEARTHSTONE
Although one might raise ones eyebrows at the sheer popularity received by Hearthstone due to the fact it is basically an online card game, if one know the rules and find it interesting, then who’s to say otherwise? Hearthstone is a great example of a game not needing huge set pieces and cutting-edge graphics to be enjoyable. The game has a well-documented steep learning curve and is merciless to new players, but if one endure, then one will find themselves a hardened player in no time. Using characters from World of Warcraft, Hearthstone is a surprise hit and is actually more fun to watch than one might think.
LEAGUE OF LEGENDS
League of Legends is a veteran in the eSports scene and it is actually quite surprising that it came in at number three. The gameplay is frantic and intense from start to finish (common with MOBA games), but if one can work out what’s happening, then one will see that there is a lot of strategy and incredible execution going on amongst the battles. Many of the world’s most famous eSports gamers are LoL players, including several from South Korea, where the game is incredibly prevalent. The characters are hugely entertaining and each one has a unique set of skills, meaning that anyway one plays League of Legends; one is playing it in a way that suits him/her.
COUNTER-STRIKE: GLOBAL OFFENSIVE
Facebook is now rivalling Twitch in terms of broadcasting live eSports matches, and one of the major games it will show is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. This should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with eSports, as the game is simply thrilling to watch. The gameplay is very different from that of other FPS games like Call of Duty or even Halo, but it still involves working together as a team and using a vast array of weapons to take down your opponents. It is very frustrating some of the time, but always enjoyable as a spectator or player.
DOTA 2
Whilst many argue over which MOBA game is more popular when comparing League of Legends and Dota 2, it is clear as day that the latter absolutely takes the crown. The gameplay is fairly similar to Lol, but the prize money for matches is a lot higher, the amount of tournaments across the world is bigger, and “The International” – the gaming version of the UEFA Champions League – is simply epic in scope and regularly pulls in a staggering viewership every year. If one can become an elite player for Dota 2, then one could easily have a career in eSports.
By Niji Narayan
Niji Narayan has been in the writing industry for well over a decade or so. He prides himself as one of the few survivors left in the world who have actually mastered the impossible art of copy editing. Niji graduated in Physics and obtained his Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism. He has always interested in sports writing and travel writing. He has written for numerous websites and his in-depth analytical articles top sports magazines like Cricket Today and Sports Today. He reports gaming industry headlines from all around the globe.