e-sports-Biggest Events

The Rise of E-sports

The age of internet gaming has allowed people all over the world to come together and do what they love. e-Sports is a booming industry with tournaments, teams, events, and more. For example, in January of 2017, the Intel Extreme Masters held its annual tournament with a prize pool of $600,000. When you combine the prize pool and the live audience together, you have a result that rivals any other sport in recent history.

According to statistics from NewZoo, revenues for the e-sports industry are expected to grow to $1.5 billion by 2020 as more streaming services enter into the market. The potential for this industry is huge, which means that every year there will be more opportunities for gamers from all over the world to take part in this thriving culture. This past year saw some major developments in e-sports and we can only expect it continue to grow next year!

The Biggest Events of the Year

There are countless e-sports events that take place throughout the year, but these were some of the most noteworthy.

In January, "Dota 2" fans in India saw their very first major tournament with ESL One Mumbai coming to the country for the first time. The event was hosted at MMRDA Ground, and had a prize pool of over US$300,000 which attracted teams from all over the world.

In July, League of Legends held their 2018 World Championship in Beijing's Bird Nest stadium. The event lasted for almost a month and had millions of viewers across the globe tuning in to watch teams fight for their share of a US$4 million prize pool.

In October, Riot Games hosted their LCS Playoffs for League of Legends in Los Angeles. This was the final leg before Worlds and featured some tough competition including TSM vs CLG and G2 vs 100Thieves.

Then finally, Blizzard Entertainment hosted yet another successful Blizzcon this year which included an Overwatch World Cup where teams from 26 countries competed against one another on November 2nd and 3rd in Anaheim’s Blizzard Arena with a US$1 million prize pool up for grabs!

International

Dota 2 Championships

The International Dota 2 Championships took place in Seattle. It’s an annual championship for the popular video game Dota 2, and it is one of the biggest e-sports events of the year. This year’s event had a prize pool of over 20 million dollars and was broadcasted by ESPN. It’s actually one of the most watched tournaments in the world when it comes to e-sports.

This event attracted some of the best players in the world, with 16 teams competing for their share of the prize pool. They were all vying for that top prize, which amounts to over $10 million. As expected, there were loads of big name sponsors involved in this event as well like LGD Gaming, Red Bull, Twitch TV and Monster Energy Drinks. The International Dota 2 Championship may be one of the biggest events in e-sports history, but there are plenty more on this list!

The League of Legends World Championship

The League of Legends World Championship was the most watched event in the history of e-sports. Held at Beijing National Stadium, there were over 60 million people who tuned in for the final. With a prize pool of $1 million per team, it is clear that this event was one to watch.

The International

Another e-sports event with a huge following was The International. Held in Seattle, Washington, this tournament had a prize pool of over $24 million and was streamed to over 100 million people across the world. You could even find The International on ESPN! It’s clear that this event is not just for gamers, but for those who are invested in sports as well.

International E-Sports Federation (IeSF)

The IeSF is an international sports federation that is focused on electronic sports. They have been awarded official recognition by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), which recognizes their dedication to e-sports and how they are working hard to promote them around the world. They have hosted events across many countries such as France, Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico.

Conclusion

The world of e-sports is evolving each year, with more and more people tuning in to watch the events. The League of Legends World Championship is one of the biggest events of the year and it gets bigger with each iteration. In 2018, the event had a prize pool of $3.25 million and the final match had over 43 million views on Twitch. This event is the epitome of e-sports, but there are many other national and international events that offer prizes and a great opportunity to compete.