eSports competitions and tournaments have exploded in popularity over the past few years. While they have existed since the dawn of gaming, they have only recently made their way into the mainstream and into the eyes of millions of adoring fans and spectators.
While it is difficult to win a gaming competition, this hasn’t stopped pros from putting their skills to the test across the globe. Here are the biggest gaming competitions in the world.
Overwatch League
The Overwatch league sees teams compete against each other in a league format. Teams battle and win to move up the ladder, reach the playoffs, and eventually be crowned the champions at the end of the season.
The tournament winnings can reach millions, with twenty teams competing from across the globe. The 2022 edition of the tournament is set to be extra special, as players will be playing an early release of the much anticipated Overwatch 2.
FIFAe World Cup
FIFA is easily the most popular and most played sports video game in the world. The FIFAe World Cup is one of the oldest gaming tournaments in the world, too, first starting in 2004. The tournament is also recognized as the biggest in the world due to its qualifying procedures.
The tournament has open qualifiers, meaning millions of FIFA players can all compete for a spot in the competition. While this does mean qualifying is much more challenging, it gives everyone a chance, and you don’t have to be part of an established team or franchise.
DreamHack
DreamHack is one of the biggest gaming and online entertainment events in the world, and it holds the record for being the largest LAN party of all time and having the fastest internet speeds ever. As mentioned, it is more like a festival than a single gaming competition.
While there are certainly gaming tournaments, there are also live concerts and performers, digital art competitions, a festival, a large expo, and then the Dreamies, an awards ceremony held during the event.
Intel Extreme Masters
The Intel Extreme Masters is a series of tournaments involving Counter-Strike and Starcraft II. Much like the Overwatch League, the tournament has a season format with teams competing to be at the top of the table at the end.
The tournament has been running since 2007 and has also included other titles in the format, including Warcraft, World of Warcraft, DOTA, League of Legends, and Quake. It is mainly the premier event of the year for Counter-Strike players.
Fortnite World Cup
Fortnite was the king of games for a couple of years at its peak. While Warzone has taken the title of the most played battle royale, the Fortnite World Cup is one of the biggest competitions in the world and has an enormous prize pot.
The Fortnite World Cup isn’t completely open to everyone, as you have to win a series of mini-tournaments throughout the year to be invited to the competition. However, these mini-tournaments are open to everyone, and no matter who you are, you can win and qualify.
Evolution Championship Series
The Evolution Championship Series is the premier tournament for fighting games. Evo is an annual event and is open to everyone, with a double-elimination format. Players travel from across the globe to take part in Evo, with most players coming from Japan.
Evo first started in 1996, with games such as Marvel vs. Capcom, Marvel vs. DC, Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros, and Tekken being the most popular titles. If you love fighting games, Evo is the place to be.
Call of Duty Pro League
The Call of Duty Pro League is a tournament composed of Call of Duty teams from North America, Canada, and Europe. While it is still relatively small, with only ten competing teams, the league has gained traction due to the team backers.
Teams compete against each other in games that comprise various modes, with the highest-scoring teams going to the playoffs and the winner being decided there. Some of the biggest names in Call of Duty take part in the competition, such as eBeZY, Simp, Envoy, and Scump.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Majors
The CS:GO Majors are similar to the Majors in tennis and golf. They are the premier events for the CS:GO season, with the biggest teams and players competing for millions of dollars in prize money and a coveted Major trophy.
Qualification is a difficult process, as the top 8 teams from one Major automatically qualify for the next, meaning each tournament is constantly stacked with the best of the best. However, these Majors are also incredibly popular with viewers, as they draw hundreds of thousands of spectators on Twitch, with tickets almost always sold out to watch the games live.
The International
The International is the main tournament in the DOTA 2 calendar. Not only is it the place to see the best players and teams the world of DOTA has to offer, but it also has one of the biggest prize money purses in eSports.
Team Spirit won the event this year, with the total prize money purse being over $40 million. The enormous purses are generated through players buying in-game items, meaning the bigger the game gets, the more money there is up for grabs.
League of Legends Championship
The League of Legends World Championship is an annual event that is the last stop during the LoL season. Teams compete for a massive trophy, as well as millions of dollars in prize money. The 2018 iteration broke records, as almost 100 million people tuned in to watch online.
Not only is the tournament now regarded as one of the best in the world, but it is also the most-watched. The competition takes place across multiple countries and locations each year, with the South Korean team, T1, being the most successful with three championships. League of Legends has established itself as the king of eSports.