Top 5 Most Popular Esports Games of 2024

The eSports scene has witnessed an incredible surge in prominence and viewership in the past few decades on a global level. While the technological advancements, increasing internet access and free-to-play gaming models have acted as a cornerstone of the unprecedented rise of eSports, multiple online gaming streaming platforms, including YouTube, Twitch, Facebook Gaming and Discord, have also played a major part in elevating eSports’ stature on a global scale.

Additionally, numerous developers have been actively involved in creating and launching online eSports games that provide players with an extremely immersive and high-quality gaming experience, including League of Legends, Dota 2, Call of Duty Mobile (CODM), PUBG: Battlegrounds, Fortnite and many more.

Furthermore, the young gaming sensations, including Topson, Puppey, NOtail, s1mple, Peter Dager, Miracle, Sumail, Zhang Ruida and many others, have also ignited the passion for eSports among the young gamers who are actively working on their gaming skills and aspiring to become full-time professional gamers in the future. While there are numerous eSports games in the world, a few of them have truly been reigning supreme on the radar of online gaming.

In this article, we will take a look at the top five most popular eSports games that are undoubtedly dominating the online gaming arena in 2024.

Top 5 Most Popular Esports Games of 2024

1. League of Legends 

Officially published by Riot Games in 2009, League of Legends (LoL), also popularly referred to as “League,” is often hailed as one of the most popular online eSports games in the world, played by over 150 million monthly active users. The free-to-play model of the game developed by Riot Games allows the players to download and enjoy the game without any upfront charges.

Although the game was initially launched for Microsoft Windows in 2008 and OS X in 2013, it was later made available for all low-end hardware, making it easily accessible for a much wider segment of players with low-end PCs. Over the years, numerous popular faces of the eSports gaming industry, including Lee Sang-hyeok aka Faker, Lee Ho-seeong aka Duke, Bae Jun-sik aka Bang and Lee Jae-wan aka Wolf, have entered the LoL Esports leagues and tournaments, further solidifying the game’s prominence in the online gaming community.

Currently, there are eight professional leagues for LoL around the world, including:

• League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK)
• League of Legends Pro League (LPL)
• League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC)
• League Championship Series (LCS)
• Pacific Championship Series (PCS)
• Vietnam Championship Series (VCS)
• Campeonato Brasileiro de League of Legends (CBLOL)
• Liga Latinoamérica (LLA)

2. Dota 2 

A sequel to the original Defense of the Ancients (DotA) game, Dota 2 was officially published by Valve in 2013 and, ever since the launch, it has been one of the most popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video games for both professional and amateur gamers all around the world.

Dota 2 features a highly complex gaming mechanism that features over 120 heroes. Over the years, Dota 2 has garnered enormous viewership for its official eSports leagues and tournaments, including the most prominent one, The International,” Dota 2’s annual championship.

With top-notch broadcasts and in-game spectator tools, Dota 2 has been reigning as a dominant force with a powerfully built international influence. Numerous iconic and legendary Esports players, including Topson, Jesse Vainikka, Puppey and NOtail, actively participate in the Dota 2 leagues and tournaments. Currently, Dota 2, as a major component of the eSports scene, features a wide range of official leagues and tournaments, including:

• The International (TI)
• Dota Pro Circuit (DPC)
• ESL (Electronic Sports League) One
• ONE Esports
• WePlay! Tournaments
• China Dota 2 Pro Cup

3. PUBG: Battlegrounds 

Previously known as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, “PUBG: Battlegrounds” was officially developed by PUBG Studios and published by Krafton in 2017. Ever since its launch, PUBG: Battlegrounds has been one of the most popular and successful battle royale games in the world, with millions of active players from around the world.

PUBG: Battlegrounds is considered to be an ideal game for both professional players who take part in the official international Esports leagues and tournaments as well as the newbies of the gaming industry who actively indulge themselves in ametur gaming. Inspired by the Japanese movie “Batte Royale” that was released in 2000, PUBG: Battlegrounds has undoubtedly conquered the gaming community in all ways possible, with more than 30 million daily active players.

In addition to being one of the greatest catalysts of battle royale gaming, PUBG: Battlegrounds has also been a pioneer of the eSports scene, with major eSports leagues and tournaments including:

• PUBG Continental Series (PCS)
• PUBG Global Championship (PGC)
• PUBG Global Invitational (PGI)
• PUBG Mobile Global Championship (PMGC)
• PUBG Mobile Pro League (PMPL)
• PUBG Mobile Club Open (PMCO)
• PUBG Nations Cup

4. Fortnite

Officially developed and released by Epic Games in 2017, Fortnite is available to play in six distinct in-game modes, including “Fortnite: Save the World,” “Fortnite Battle Royale,” “Lego Fortnite,” “Rocket Racing,” and “Fortnite Festival,” and is often commemorated as one of the most popular free-to-play battle royale games in the world. Although the game was launched in July 2017, it is still regarded as one of the most widely played battle royale games, with over 500 million active players on a global scale.

Over a period of time, numerous legendary Esports players with gargantuan popularity, including Veno, Queasy, Malibuca, ThOmasHD, TaySon and Merstach, have jumped into the Fortnite arena and solidified its prominence further in the Esports community. Fortnite features a wide range of highly competitive and insanely rewarding official eSports leagues and tournaments, including:

• Fortnite World Cup
• Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS)
• DreamHack Fortnite Open
• Fortnite All-Star Showdown
• Fortnite Cash Cups
• Fortnite Invitational Tournaments
• Fortnite Winter Royale
• Fortnite Grand Royale

5. Mobile Legends : Bang Bang 

Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) was officially published by Moonton in 2016. Although comparatively new, MLBB has proved to be a formidable force in the eSports arena. As mentioned earlier, MLBB is a mobile game and therefore has a significant influence on the gamers who don’t have access to high-end PCs or gaming consoles, which contributes to being a major reason for the growing popularity of the game on a global level.

Additionally, the free-to-play model and fast-paced matches have also been a highlight for gamers who prefer quick gaming sessions. MLBB has played a pivotal role in boosting the eSports ecosystem by launching numerous immensely competitive eSports leagues and tournaments with abundantly rewarding prize pools over the years. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) features a wide range of eSports leagues and tournaments, including:

• Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL)
• MLBB Southeast Asia Cup (MSC)
• M2 & M3 World Championships
• MLBB All-Star Events
• Mobile Legends : Bang Bang Invitational (MPLI)
• MLBB World Championship (M-Series)