The NBA 2K League is based around the NBA 2K game series. It’s unique in the playground of Esports as the only game to be partnered with a professional sports league. The 2K League works with the National Basketball Association to form franchises around the established NBA teams. The way the league’s calendar works currently is it splits into the Spring and the Summer seasons before teams play to qualify in the playoffs. Toronto’s Raptors Uprising GC is currently the only Canadian team in the league.

Release Date: 2018 - Present
Developer: 2K Games
Major Competition: NBA 2K League ($1.5 million USD prize pool)

Not only is CS:GO the most lucrative competitive game of the year, it’s the second highest grossing Esport overall. Valve released CS:GO in 2012, building on the fast-paced FPS action of previous games in the franchise such as Counter-Strike and Counter-Strike: Source. Its biggest tournament is the CS:GO Major Championships (Majors) which is sponsored by the game’s developer Valve and boasts a prize pool of $2,000,000.

Release Date: 2012
Developer: Valve
Major Competition: CS:GO Major Championships ($2 million USD prize pool)

Blizzard released its entry into the world of first-person shooters, Overwatch, in 2016. It has a highly developed competitive scene with tournaments across the world from North America to Asia. Its biggest competition is the Overwatch League which has a prize pool of over $4.2 million. It boasts being the 7th overall Esport in earnings and was one of the top games in 2020.

Release Date: 2016
Developer: Blizzard
Major Competition: Overwatch League ($4.2 million USD prize pool)

The Call of Duty franchise is one of the most well-regarded names in gaming and COD: Modern Warfare is no different. The first-person shooter from Activision was one of the highest grossing Esports games in 2020. It also joined competitors as a finalist for the Esports Game award at The Game Awards this year. Its biggest event is the Call of Duty League which is sponsored by Activision and runs across North America and Europe. It has a prize pool of $2.5 million.

Release Date: 201A9
Developer: Infinity Ward
Major Competition: Call of Duty League ($2.5 million USD prize pool)

Originally a community mod for Warcraft: III, Dota was developed by Valve in 2003. It is one of the most influential multiplayer online battle arena video games (MOBA) in the Esports arena, with its successor Dota 2 coming out in 2013. The biggest tournament for the game, The International (or Ti) has one of the biggest prize pools in the world at $40 million. It is also home to some of the biggest competition with names like Team Liquid, OG, Cloud 9 and others.

Release Date: 2013
Developer: Valve Corporation
Major Competition: The International ($40 million USD prize pool)

One of the most popular battle royale games in the world currently, Fortnite was developed by Epic Games in 2017. It combines battle royale elimination, third person shooting and quick-paced building action. If that sounds like a strange mix, that’s what makes the game so iconic for wacky gameplay. Its biggest competition is the Fortnite World Cup which has a prize pool of $100 million. It was also a finalist for the Esports Game award at The Game Awards this year.

Release Date: 2017
Developer: Epic Games
Major Competition: Fortnite World Cup ($100 million USD prize pool)

The competitive scene for Riot’s MOBA League of Legends is as well-known as the game itself. The League of Legends: World Championship is not only one of the biggest Esports tournaments in the world, but it’s also an entire spectacle. Every year Worlds boasts performances of original League songs from famous entertainers including Taiwanese pop legend Jay Chou, Korean pop band G-Idle, Keke Palmer, Jaira Burns, and many others. The performances include pyrotechnics on stage and even augmented reality performances with 3D models.

Release Date: 2009
Developer: Riot Games
Major Competition: The League of Legends World Championship ($2 million USD prize pool)

Apex Legends is a first-person shooter from developer Respawn Entertainment that combines battle royale with team fights. It came out in 2019 and quickly rose to become one of the most popular games on streaming platform Twitch. It’s set in the universe of the Titanfall game series from the same developer. Despite being a relatively new entry in the competitive gaming world, it’s quickly climbing in popularity and was one of the top 10 earning Esports games this year.

Release Date: 2019
Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Major Competition: Apex Legends Global Series Championship ($1 million USD prize pool)

Valorant is a team FPS game developed by Riot Games in 2020. While the game’s competitive scene was stalled a bit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s still climbing in popularity and is set to host its first Riot-organized Valorant Champions tournament in November. Many Esports organizations are making the switch or recruiting their own Valorant teams such as Esports organization Gen.G. The game was also nominated for Esports Game of the Year at The Game Awards this year.

Release Date: 2020
Developer: Riot Games
Major Competition: Valorant Champions (TBA)