What are the most beloved games in the esports circuit?

In 2023, video games have become a staple of the entertainment industry. It is incredibly impressive that a form of entertainment that only 20-or-so years ago was considered “childish,” has now become so ingrained in our culture. There is no person alive today who hasn’t played a video game of some kind. Whether it be complex, strategic games, fun Triple A titles, story-driven indie games, or even just a mobile game, most people are intimately familiar with the industry.

The rise in video games’ popularity has also led to the competitive side of the gaming industry. It all began in the 1990s, when local arcades would organize Street Fighter II tournaments. The competitions would often be accompanied with prizes of some kind. Pretty soon, a culture of competitiveness grew around games, and from that culture we get eSports.

What is eSports?

For the uninitiated, eSports is a term for professional, competitive gaming. To put it simply, gamers get paid to play a popular multiplayer game. The term is a portmanteau of electronic and sports, and it comes from the fact that pro gamers often train just like traditional athletes. Except, instead of training in the field, they train “electronically.”

So, now that you know what eSports is, the next question we want to answer is this: What are the most beloved games in the world of competitive gaming? In this article, we are going to go over a list of only a few of the most beloved games, not just among gamers, but also fans of eSports in general.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (2012)

There is no doubt that Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) is one of the most beloved games in the world. The fourth game in the Counter-Strike franchise, CS: GO is a multiplayer, First-Person Shooter, that pins the terrorist faction against the counter-terrorist faction. The game offers multiple modes for play, however, the main goal is to ensure your squad gets more kills than the enemy.

CS: GO’s popularity extends beyond the eSports world. Despite being more than a decade old, it still has a vibrant eSport scene. In fact, it is so popular that sports betting sites have begun to cover Counter-Strike matches. In other words, fans of betting and eSports can now bet on CS GO teams, players, and even tournaments.

Despite its popularity, the game does come with a few downsides. As great as it is, CS: GO is still over ten years old. Visually, it is already showing its age, and many younger players think it could do better mechanically. However, despite the faults, the game is still beloved by millions, and will likely remain among the most popular eSports in the years to come.

League of Legends

There was never a doubt that Riot Games’ free-to-play, multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) would make this list. League of Legends is, without doubt, the most recognizable game in the world today. Like DOTA before it, LoL incorporates aspects of RPGs, tower defense, strategy, and action.

Players can select “Champions,” playable characters with a unique design and skillset, and compete in teams, with the goal of conquering the enemy’s base. And after the recent update, many of the champions have become stronger than ever before.

But, terrific gameplay and colorful characters are not the only things that make League of Legends worth playing. Another beloved aspect of the game is the terrific, thoroughly-thought-out lore that the game comes along with.

For a MOBA, LoL has some of the best story-telling you will ever see. Which is probably one of the reasons why, in 2021, Netflix decided to create an adaptation of Vi’s and Jinx’s story, two of the League’s most beloved champions. Arcane got a ton of accolades and critical acclaim and is widely considered one of the best animated shows of all time.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

There is no denying that Nintendo is at the root of the gaming industry. Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, Castlevania, Pokemon, and other Nintendo titles built the industry that we still love today. And many of these titles remain incredibly popular. Players have debated the merit of these iconic characters. So, in the late 1990s, Kirby’s creator had the brilliant idea of making them all fight.

Thus, Super Smash Bros. was born. A fighting game franchise pinning all of Nintendo’s most iconic characters against each other. And the pinnacle of the franchise is its most recent installment, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

With a massive roster of iconic characters, incredibly-rendered graphics, and mechanics that improve on past titles, Ultimate is certainly one of the most beloved games in the eSports circuit. Upon release, the game already had a huge roster of characters to choose from. However, in the past five years, it has received several DLCs that have almost doubled the roster. Some of the most popular playable fighters in the game include the following:

• Mario
• Kirby
• Ganondorf
• Donkey Kong
• Pikachu
• Samus Eren

Apart from being an excellent game, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is also a treat for nostalgic fans. It brings all of our childhood heroes together in the ring. It is unsurprising that it has garnered the popularity it now has.

Honorable Mentions

The three games we’ve discussed are certainly worth talking about. However, they are not all that the eSports circuit has to offer. In this final section, we would like to briefly go over a few titles that deserve just as much praise as the games we already discussed.

• StarCraft II

To many, the RTS title is the origin point of eSports. Despite the ups and downs, StarCraft II remains one of the most popular and beloved games created by Blizzard Entertainment, rivaling even the likes of World of Warcraft.

• Tekken

The Tekken franchise, to many, is the encapsulation of the fighting game genre. A convoluted story that brings several of the greatest fighters around the world together to compete in the King of Iron Fist tournament.

• Mario Kart

Racing games are sort of tailor-made for competition. And Mario’s name is bound to make anything popular. Of course, Mario Kart hit the nail on the head with its formula. It is no wonder it remains incredibly popular decades later.