The Best Esports Games for 2023

The esports industry has seen a rise in recent years, with countless people finding a new interest in competitive online gaming and others only deepening their love for the community. The worth of the competitive gaming industry has increased by 10% in the past two years and is set to increase even further in the near future, suggesting that the public’s interest in esports is not going anywhere anytime soon.

With the gaming industry seeing such a boom in the recent past, developers and publishers have released countless games on platforms including PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and various others. From Call of Duty to Fornite to Apex Legends, some games have accrued millions of fans (and made millions of dollars).

A few titles have stood out from the rest as the top 20 e-sports games of the year, garnering a huge community of fans around them. Whether you’re looking to get into gaming for the first time or you started out with the Atari, you’ll no doubt enjoy all of the games on our list of the best e-sports games of 2023.

Dota 2 is a multiplayer battle arena game, and it tops our list as the #1 esports game of 2022 and 2023. The game was released in 2013 and has been popular in esports communities since its release. In Dota 2, players join a team of 5 and compete against 5 other players in an effort to reign victorious. The game’s 2022 prize pool has amounted to a whopping $31,322,024 so far.

Amongst a long list of various PC and console titles, PUBG Mobile’s platform is notable. PUBG Mobile, available for iOS and Android, was one of the most iconic e-sports games of 2022, and it will likely maintain its popularity leading into the next year. The total prize pool in 2022 so far is $22,523,429, with players taking part in over 175 tournaments.

The PC and console editions of PUBG, PUBG: Battlegrounds, fell just below PUBG Mobile on our list. Still, it was one of the most popular esports games of 2022. Considering PUBG has largely maintained its popularity since its release in 2016, it will likely hold its spot on our list next year, too. The total prize pool for PUBG: Battlegrounds in 2022 so far is $14, 458, 853, with almost 70 tournaments completed.

Counter-Strike Global Offensive is a first-person shooter with a long-standing esports scene. The franchise has boasted tournaments since around 2012. In 2022, the game’s prize pool has already earned up to $12,522,046, with players taking part in almost 400 tournaments.

Like PUBG Mobile and PUBG: Battlegrounds, Fortnite is a battle royale game. This colourful and creative take on a battle royale is incredibly popular in the esports scene, with countless streamers making their name just by playing Fortnite. The game’s 2022 prize pool has amounted to $11,118,180 so far.

Rocket League is a unique combination of soccer and vehicles in which players engage in physics-driven competition against opponents. The game’s unusual premise has earned it an enormous following and an active esports scene, with a 2022 prize pool thus far of $7,953,685.

Area of Valor is an online battle arena game released in 2016. The game is extremely popular in Thailand and Vietnam; its unique characters and lore have earned it swathes of dedicated fans. Like PUBG Mobile and a few other titles on our list, Arena of Valor is a mobile game. Its current 2022 prize pool is $7,953,685.

If you’re a gamer, you’ve no doubt heard of League of Legends. This iconic title by Riot Games has been an icon in esports since its debut, with over a hundred champions to choose from, an active esports community, and constantly evolving mechanics. League of Legends made #8 on our list, with a 2022 prize pool thus far of $7,448, 079.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is a tactical shooter game developed by Ubisoft. This title is highly strategic, with players engaging in PvP team battles. The game is regularly updated with new maps, weapons, characters, events, and more. Its 2022 prize pool has amounted to $7,346,149 as of November 2022.

Valorant is another first-person shooter, known for its diverse characters and unique spin on 5v5 tactical gameplay. Each character boasts their own unique ability, allowing for incredible opportunities for fun matchups in esports tournaments. Valorant’s 2022 prize pool thus far is $5,823,024.

Like Fortnite, PUBG, and various other popular titles, Apex Legends is a battle royale game. Players compete against one another using a variety of weapons in an effort to be the last one standing. This type of gameplay is incredibly popular in esports, with numerous battle royale titles making our list. Apex Legends has accumulated a 2022 prize pool of $5,509,110.

Call of Duty is one of those titles everyone just “knows.” Iconic both in and out of esports circles, Call of Duty is known for its first-person shooter style play. Call of Duty games are available on all platforms and attract gamers of all genders, ages, and nationalities. Thanks to Call of Duty’s widespread popularity, its tournaments have accumulated a $5,305,000 2022 prize pool thus far.

League of Legends is one of the most iconic esports games of all time, so it makes sense that its mobile spinoff, League of Legends: Wild Rift, would also make our list as one of the top esports games of the year. League of Legends: Wild Rift was just released in 2020, but has already accrued a huge following, largely of those who love the PC game League of Legends. The game’s 2022 prize pool is already at $5,262,882 as of November.

Free Fire is a battle royale shooter game that is available on mobile. It is widely known as one of the best mobile battle royale games, with various game modes available for players to enjoy, just like popular PC alternatives like Fortnite and PUBG: Battlegrounds. The game’s competitive scene is thriving, with a cumulative 2022 prize pool of $4,668,387 thus far.

Developed by Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch is known for its team-based gameplay and diverse character roster. The game is set in the future, with unique environments for players to take in and explore as they compete against one another in this 5v5 challenge. The game has had a large competitive scene since its release, with a 2022 prize pool of $4,139,647 as of November.

Like Call of Duty, FIFA is one example of a title that is truly inseparable from the esports scene. Players have been competing against one another in FIFA tournaments since the first game was released over 20 years ago, and the franchise has now become the largest sports video game franchise on the planet. The FIFA 2022 prize pool has accumulated $2, 661, 518.

When the first Halo game was released in 2001, it changed gaming forever. This first-person shooter set the stage for more military science fiction games, delving into concepts other developers and studios had never explored before. The game quickly garnered a large competitive scene, and it is still incredibly popular today, with over 50 tournaments taking place this year with a cumulative prize pool of $2,541,000.

As its name implies, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is a mobile online battle arena game. It has developed a thriving competitive scene, with countless players gaining a huge interest in this 5v5 challenge since its 2016 release. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang boasts a prize pool of $2,514,857 for 2022 as of November.

Starcraft II is a science fiction real-time strategy game in which players control raiders in a battle against other fans. Starcraft II is one of the only strategic titles on the list, with most of the top esports games being more fast-paced, such as Fortnite, PUBG, and Apex Legends. Starcraft II’s 2022 prize pool is $1,859,962 as of November, with players participating in almost 300 tournaments already.

Hearthstone is arguably one of the most unique titles on the list. While many of the top esports games of the year are shooters or battle royale, Hearthstone is a digital collectible card game featuring lore and mechanics from the Warcraft series. Hearthstone is free-to-play and was developed by Blizzard Entertainment. Hearthstone’s 2022 prize pool has amounted to $1,804,899 - almost 2 million dollars - so far.

Conclusion

Esports is an incredibly versatile field, encouraging gamers of all types to engage in competitive play against other players. Some of the year's most popular games include battle royales, such as Fortnite and PUBG, and shooters like Call of Duty. Mobile games have also become increasingly popular in recent years, with titles like PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang making the list. Still, other titles like Hearthstone break the mould with slow, turn-based gameplay as opposed to the many fast-paced games on the list.

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