The world of eSports and the tournaments in which the activity can be competed across has continued to boom over the years, with an astronomical rise in popularity and demand having been experienced over recent decades.
Of course, the boom of the gaming industry, alongside the online gambling industry whereby so many different eSports betting options now exist, has only helped to enhance the appeal of the sport, although it could be argued that the accessibility to them has only also helped to make the sector as big as it currently is, as well.
Gamers, arguably, have a greater chance now than ever before to get involved within eSports and the tournaments that are created, as there are a variety of different positions available that can allow them to enter the scene. For instance, whilst being a competitive gamer will simply be the dream for most, others can get involved by becoming involved with the media side of things, or they can get involved within other sectors.
However, when taking a look at how big the sector truly has become, it is important to take a look at the biggest and most famous eSports tournaments that are currently being held within the industry to see just how much appeal they have around the world, with gamers and streamers.
The International
Founded in 2011, “The International” is perhaps the biggest and most famous eSports tournament to be completed in on an annual basis. Of course, the prize pool of approximately $35 million will have been a huge draw as it is the single-largest-prize-pool tournament of any event in the industry!
Known amongst many as the “World Championship”, it is a tournament for the video game, Dota 2 and is hosted by Valve. The competition features 18 teams, with 12 of them having had to qualify through the ‘Dota Pro Circuit’ which is a 5v5 tournament that will see the winners be rewarded with an invitation to “The International”.
With the competition being incredibly competitive, the other six teams will need to qualify by going through ‘Regional Qualifiers’ that will take place over China, Southeast Asia, North America, South America, CIS and Europe; thus further highlighting the appeal around this eSports tournament.
Millions of people continue to stream the competition via video web services such as Twitch, whilst thousands continue to pack out the stadiums and venues in which the tournament is played.
The Fortnite World Cup
Anyone who has even the slightest of ideas about eSports tournaments will instantly know that one of the biggest events on the schedule will always involve the hit video game, Fortnite.
Indeed, “The Fortnite World Cup” is an event that takes place annually and features a huge cash prize for those who are able to win the tournament that is typically held in New York. A ‘solo’ competitor can win up to $3 million, whilst the total prize pool is worth a whopping $30 million!
Only founded in 2018 by Epic Games (the developer of the hit game), the World Cup eSports event can be rather tricky as there are a number of different games that are played that each feature different rules. However, this can also breed some of the best gameplay possible to witness, as gamers will typically need to specialize in a certain discipline.
There is a number available, with players opting to master one of the following: Solo’s, Duo’s, ‘Creative’ and ‘Pro-am’ events.
The ‘Pro-am’ event is one of the most interesting concepts, though, as 50 pro gamers will play with one of 50 Twitch celebrities as they battle for the $3 million prize pool donation. Furthermore, individuals are able to head to a fan festival that features a mini theme park if they are keen to watch the games take place live.
Intel Extreme Masters
Founded in 2007, “Intel Extreme Masters” is the longest-running eSports competition in the world and one of the most famous as it will see gamers from a variety of different video games (such as Dota 2, Starcraft 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Fortnite) all gather in one place and compete.
The prize pool of $1 million might be significantly less than the other top eSports tournaments mentioned, but it is regularly attended by the best gamers, as well as thousands of fans who typically surround the stage in which the games are played on.
The competition is one that moves around annually, as it is hosted internationally at various different venues, but that has only helped to add to the appeal and make it one of the most famous on the schedule each year.