For years, E-sports have been a welcomed extension of the video gaming industry. Teams enjoy high-octane competition while making money and enthusiasts are given another venue to share hype over their beloved titles. The games fueling the competition driving the E-sports economy boast solid gameplay which grants victory to players whose strategies and reflexes best fit their in-game predicaments.
Do yourself a favor, blaze ahead and encounter the top 10 games fueling the PC E-sports economy and the numbers backing up the hype. Thank you to Esports Earnings for providing the internet with this data.
1. Dota 2
Fat men plus magic; there is something special about the combination.
If you play PC games, then chances are high you have heard all about Dota 2. You most likely play it. Then it should be no surprise that Dota 2 is the flagship game in E-sports with a firm grip on the title as the game with the biggest impact on E-sports growth.
Plenty of aesthetic options for everyone.
Just how much of an impact, you ask? According to Esports Earnings, Dota 2 tournaments have generated $36,451,051.07 in 2016 alone. Negative, moba-man, your eyes do not deceive you. That number, thirty-six and a half million dollars is not a typo.
2. CS:GO
CS:GO GO GO!
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is the latest release in the Counter-Strike lineup. Counter-Strike is known for meticulous controls and pinpoint hitboxes; a combination that rewards accuracy and reflexes.
I think I made a wrong turn…
This blend is also perfect for E-sports, making it second in command on the E-sports stage. According to Esports Earnings, Global Offensive tournaments have generated $17,190,802.43 in 2016 alone.
3. League of Legends
Check out the cinematic trailer for League of Legends.
League of Legends, another popular MOBA, stormed onto the scene in 2007 and has not shown signs of slowing down. According to Esports Earnings, League of Legends generated just over $10 million ($10,223,067.30) in prize money in 2016.
League of Legend’s art styles set it apart from the crowd.
If you are new to the competitive world of E-sports, you will begin to see what features make a game a viable proving ground. A semi-open world and items that level the playing field are two examples of features sought after in a potential E-sports title. League of Legends executes both of these requirements flawlessly.
4. Heroes of the Storm
This welcome clip had me hyped, what about you?
Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard’s recent MOBA is number 4 on the list of PC games with the biggest impact on E-sports growth. It is impressive for such a new game to jettison to the top with such haste. Then again, are we that surprised? It’s Blizzard after all.
Ahhh, Blizzard's distinct look and feel.
Focusing less on the traditional MOBA experience, Heroes of the Storm incorporates mini-objectives into the traditional moba-mix which infuse it with an authentic player-versus-player-versus-environment feel all its own. According to Esports Earnings, Heroes of the Storm tournaments have generated a whopping $4,610,149.10 in 2016.
5. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
A game that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Among the pile of competitive card games out there, none of them does battle like Hearthstone. With intense player-versus-player action and a rich set of offline features, Hearthstone has much to offer.
Hearthstone’s animations serve to retain the excitement of battle.
It is no surprise that such explosive entertainment awakens the spirit of competition in players across the world. According to Esports Earnings, players have competed for a prize pool totaling $3,300,740.20 in 2016.
6. Starcraft II
A must see trailer if you haven't already.
Like Counter-Strike, Starcraft is a name that is not going anywhere unless we are talking of going places in the sense of making a major impact on the E-sports stage. Starcraft II is the go-to RTS (real-time-strategy) game for competitive gamers.
Shields and auras; pure, raw, battle.
Stats found on Esports Earnings indicate that just over 3 million dollars ($3,138,006.70) has been divided among competitors in 2016.
7. Overwatch
Tough to Overwatch such a lovely trailer (I know, not funny).
What’s this? Yes, another Blizzard title soaking up the limelight on the E-sports stage. Overwatch is part FPS and part RPG, unforgiving and intense. With outcomes reliant on teamplay and map awareness, Overwatch has easily earned a spot in the top 10 PC games with the biggest impact on E-sports growth.
This is the beauty born when Blizzard delivers on the RPG meets FPS concept.
Yet again Esports Earnings has our back to inform us that Overwatch is the perfect medium for E-sports entertainment. Players have done battle in Overwatch over earnings totaling $1,906,256.49 in 2016.
8. Smite
Smite's gameplay is revolutionary within the MOBA genre.
Smite is an oddball on the stage of E-sports because its gameplay is vastly different from that of the rest. Storming onto the scene in 2014, it skyrocketed in popularity by taking a risk in delivering a 3rd person MOBA. This concept was new and well received by the community.
Boom, baby!
The risk paid off; SMITE tournaments have paid out $1,592,692.04 in 2016, according to Esports Earnings.
9. CrossFire
Corny? Yes. Graphics? Dated. Top 10? Check.
A recent entry into the top 10 games with the biggest impact on e-sports growth, CrossFire is a popular F2P FPS that can easily slip under the radar. At first glance you might mistake it for Counter-Strike, but a closer look reveals many differences. Dated graphics reminiscent of CS 1.6 are one blatant distinction, as are the warring factions known as Black List and Global Risk. Over 10 modes of gameplay only serve to widen the gap between CS and CrossFire.
Bookstores are for shootouts.
Still, gameplay born of unforgiving precision and tense atmospheres is fully alive in CrossFire. The gameplay is so intense it had players battling over a $493,348.49 prize pool so far this year, according to Esports Earnings.
10. World of Warcraft
A timeless trailer for your enjoyment.
World of Warcraft is last and certainly not least in our lineup of 10 PC games with the biggest impact on E-sports growth. If you are only looking for numbers, please skip the following paragraph. If you want your nostalgia triggered, then read on.
If you were like me, you rolled your first character on a PvP (player-versus-player) server thinking life on Azeroth would be great. Elwynn Forest, remember your first time adventuring there? How relaxing, like a virtual therapist with its tranquil music and docile NPC’s dancing through the trees. It had to have been there that the developers had us hooked because Redridge Mountains was a sheer nightmare. It was a camp-fest where us newcomers would spend more time corpse-running than actually playing the game. It was in those blood-soaked mountains where I realized World of Warcraft was a viable game for PvP and ultimately E-sports.
Preparation is the key to success in battle.
And while it might not seem like a lot compared to the big boys, Esports Earnings informs us that $453,000.00 is still a lot of money to be battled for in the world of E-sports.
There we have it E-sports fanatics, the top 10 games with the biggest impact on E-sports growth. Keep in mind that this list is fluid and only reflects the events of this year. Which games will comprise this list in 5 years’ time? Who knows. One thing is for sure; contenders will have to force these giants to give up their well-earned seats.
