What is the Most Popular Esport in 2023?

Over 200 million people around the globe watch esports! There are now hundreds of different esports and tournaments occurring every day of the week. In this article, we are going to look at the most popular games and reveal what tournaments are worth checking out in 2023. You can stream and bet on every esport on our list at GGBET!

1. League of Legends

League of Legends is a 5v5 multiplayer online battle arena game and is 100% free to play. The game was released in 2009 and developed by Riot Games. The goal of the game is to use your champion who possesses unique powers to kill the enemy and destroy their base. The first team to destroy the opposing team’s base also known as the Nexus wins!

League of Legends has 150 million monthly active players which is more than the population of most countries! The game is also the second most streamed esport on Twitch with an average of 200,000 concurrent viewers. Also, the 2021 World Championships was watched by over 70 million people!

The best League of Legends tournaments include the yearly World Championships, the LPL Summer which features the best teams from China, and the LEC Spring which features the best teams from Europe. The esport scene is thriving and there are great matches throughout the year.

2. CS:GO

If multiplayer battle online arena games aren’t your thing then we recommend checking out CS:GO. CS:GO is a classic first-person shooter that was released in 2012 and developed by Valve. The game is simple, you are either on the terrorist or counter-terrorist team. The terrorists’ job is to successfully plant and detonate the bomb while the counter-terrorist team needs to prevent the terrorists from planting the bomb or defuse it.

CS:GO is extremely popular and has over 30 million monthly active players. The game is extremely popular in Europe and has reached mythical status in Eastern Europe. It has also found a home in Brazil where nearly 90% of males under 40 have played it at least once, even football star Neymar is a huge fan.

CS:GO has got one of the best tournament scenes of any esport. The pro scene is centered around tournaments called Majors. These massive events are held typically twice a year in different cities around the world, are sponsored by Valve, and have prize pools of over $1 million. The first Major of the 2023 CS:GO season is the Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2023. It kicks off on the 31st of January and wraps up on the 12th of February.

3. Dota 2

Dota 2 is a 5v5 multiplayer online battle arena that is similar to League of Legends. Dota 2 was released in 2013 and developed by Valve. The goal of the game is to use your hero to defeat the enemy and destroy their base known as The Ancient.

Dota 2 has close to 10 million monthly active players and the game is popular across the world, particularly in North America, Europe, and East Asia. Dota 2 is famous for hosting massive esports tournaments with mouth-watering prize pools. The International 2021 is officially the biggest esports tournament of all time. It featured a $40 million prize pool and the winning team, Team Spirit won $18 million. Make sure you tune into The International 2023 to see the best Dota 2 teams in the world compete!

4. Fortnite

Fortnite is a free-to-play battle royale survival game. Up to 100 players are dropped into a match and then you have to battle until you are the only player left. In Fortnite, you can use a variety of weapons and alter the map by building different structures.

Fortnite has over 20 million daily users and instantly became one of the top esports when it was released in 2017. Fortnite also hosted one of the biggest tournaments in esports history. The Fortnite World Cup took place in 2019 and featured a $30 million prize pool. A 16-year-old won the tournament and collected $3 million!

5. FIFA

FIFA is the number one football esport on the planet! The most popular game mode in FIFA is known as Ultimate Team. In this game mode, you earn rewards and build your dream squad. You can choose from thousands of different players. Then you put your dream team into action and battle other players online.

FIFA is known for its stunning graphics and super realistic gameplay. It is amazing just how realistic it feels when you are dribbling with the ball, making the perfect cross, and then launching the ball into the net. FIFA has over 10 million monthly players and the franchise has been popular since 1993!

FIFA’s tournament scene mimics traditional football tournament scenes. There is a yearly World Cup, Champions League, and even an esport version of the English Premier League. FIFA is one of the most exciting esports to watch you can really feel the tension and it is an amazing feeling watching your favorite player score a late game-winning goal.

Wrapping Up

League of Legends is the most popular esport in 2023 with 150 million monthly active players. Over 50 million people tune into the World Championships and the game has a cult-like status in China. Other highly popular esports include CS:GO, a super addictive first person shooter, and Dota 2 another MOBA like League of Legends. If you are looking for esports tournaments to watch in 2023 then we recommend the League of Legends World Championships, CS:GO Majors, and The International Dota 2 tournament. Comment below what your favorite esport is!