A thriving competition that takes video games to the next level, esports tournament news often leads to high-stakes events that can attract millions of spectators and competitors. These high-profile contests can be played across a wide range of popular game genres, with prizes typically worth more than a million dollars and frequently backed by big-name brands like Coca-Cola or Logitech.
But esports are not without their share of controversy, as the use of performance-enhancing drugs and allegations of bribery have threatened to derail the industry. Despite these hurdles, esports is poised to break the 1 billion viewers and gamers mark in 2024, and some universities are already positioning themselves for a future in the space by offering an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in Esports degree.
Esports tournaments have revolutionized the way fans follow, watch, and interact with video games. Led by some of the most famous video game companies and watched by millions, these global competitions pit professional players against each other in world-class arenas and online to compete for prize money and brand sponsorships. As such, they have helped to redefine the perception of video games as a legitimate sport. Some of the most successful esports players include Astralis, known for dominating CSGO tournaments with hundreds of thousands in prize money; Daigo Umehara, the iconic fighting game player best known for “Daigo’s Parry” at EVO 2004; Puppey, who has attended every edition of The International; and Faker, the legendary League of Legends mid-laner for Team T1. Founded in 2004, the United Kingdom-based Fnatic has won numerous championships in CS and LOOM.