Top 10 biggest esports games you need to play in 2025

The biggest esports games are thriving in 2025. Right now, you can tune in to Twitch or YouTube and watch the biggest esports teams play off against one another in games like Call of Duty or League of Legends. Celebrities and brands have noticed the growing trend of competitive gaming, which is why you may be starting to spot some of these games being featured in products you use every day.

Indeed, competitive gaming is nothing new, but esports has transformed it into a multi-billion-dollar industry, with huge tournaments featuring sizeable prize pools up for grabs. But not every game makes the cut. It’s dependent on a multitude of factors: popularity, viewership, and gameplay. These all determine which titles stand above the rest.

With so many games being streamed across multiple platforms and devices, we’ve listed the 10 biggest esports games in 2025 and why they’re so favored.

Quick fact: In 2023, League of Legends generated approximately $1.8 billion in revenue.

Developed by Riot Games and released in 2009 for PC and Mac, League of Legends is a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) that pits two teams of five players across a huge map they need to conquer. Power-ups and abilities can be used, with some players able to play as ‘champions,’ who can turn the tide of a match with unique items and attacks. League of Legends has consistently dominated esports for several years now, with over 100 million viewers watching several tournaments, such as its World Cup, held every year, as well as influencers and celebrities regularly playing the game.

One of the biggest reasons League of Legends is still number one after all these years is its ease of use and being one of the first free-to-play games. Back in 2009, this model was almost unheard of, with games being offered as a demo or as a fully paid product. Combine that with fun gameplay and a huge roster of characters to choose from, and you’ve got a game that’s sure to be a popular esports game for many more years to come.

Quick fact: From 2020-23, Valorant had over 20 million monthly players and surpassed $1 billion in revenue since its launch.

Since its launch in June 2020 for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, Valorant has become one of the most popular esports titles in recent years. Also developed by Riot Games, this free-to-play first-person shooter lets five players in each team choose from a variety of four Agents, each with their own set of abilities. These include Controllers, Duelists, Initiators, and Sentinels. Much inspiration is taken from Valve’s CounterStrike series, with communication, planning, and tactical aiming all crucial to winning matches.

A big part of why Valorant is one of the biggest esports in the world is due to the Valorant Champions Tour. Established in 2020 by Riot Games soon after the game’s release, this competitive tournament hosts a wide variety of players around the world, with the most recent, the 2025 season, having begun in January, with the finals scheduled for Paris in September. With a mix of this tournament and Valorant’s constant updates, such as maps and balance improvements, this has kept the game fresh for its millions of players and viewers.

Quick fact: CS2 features an overhauled Sub-Tick system, making movement and shooting more responsive compared to CS:GO.

Developed by Valve, known for Half-Life, the Steam storefront, and more, the Counter-Strike series has been part of esports for decades. Counter-Strike 2, released in 2023, builds upon the success of the previous games, featuring improved graphics and refined gameplay. The free-to-play first-person shooter has already amassed millions of players worldwide, thanks to its workshop features that offer maps, skins, team-branded icons from esports teams, and more.

A bunch of the largest esports tournaments already feature Counter-Strike 2, such as FRAG and PGL Astana. The game attracts millions of viewers at these events, as well as offering a prize pool of almost $4 million to professional players. Counter-Strike 2 ultimately builds upon what made the first game so great in the late 90s while showcasing a vibrant, competitive scene in the esports industry.

Quick fact: The game was banned in China because it was considered too similar to Tencent’s Honor of Kings.

Created by Moonton and released in 2016 for iOS and Android devices, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has reshaped perceptions of mobile esports, proving that a mobile MOBA can work. Attracting over 100 million players and viewers alike to become one of the biggest mobile esports, this fast-paced 5v5 game challenges players to battle across three lanes, where the aim is to destroy an opponent’s tower while defending their own to win the match.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang already has several dedicated esports leagues and tournaments, such as the MPL and the MLBB Mid-Season Cup, with a recent viewership of almost two million in 2024. The game’s accessibility on mobile devices means new and existing players can easily access the game from their pocket, without going to a PC or console. Combined with the regular patches Moonton brings out, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is likely to grow its viewership in the coming years.

Quick fact: The largest prize pool in esports history was from The International 2021, reaching over $40 million.

Dota 2 is still one of the best esports games to play in 2025, and it’s easy to see why. Developed by Valve and released in 2013, the MOBA strategy game offers a 5v5 competitive format that pits players against one another in a sprawling map that requires teamwork, quick thinking, and communication to win the battle.

The game is known for its huge prize pools, with one at its most significant esports event, The International, offering a prize pool in 2024 that exceeded almost $40 million for teams taking part. This rightfully attracts a lot of top esports companies, as well as a viewership of two million to boot. With Valve’s constant support of updates and refinements, as well as the ability for players to create their own modes and maps, Dota 2 remains one of the freshest and fun games in esports.

Quick fact: Fortnite was initially designed as a PvE survival game before the battle royale mode skyrocketed in popularity.

Developed by Epic Games and released in 2017 for PC and consoles, Fortnite is arguably the biggest and most popular battle royale game ever made, which continues to make an impression in 2025. For those unaware, players are dropped into an ever-changing map alongside 99 other gamers to be the last one standing. Daily and weekly tasks can also be achieved to level up characters, which can result in new skins and character models available to use and purchase.

Fortnite continues to be a big presence at esports events, with over 2.5 million viewers watching the results of the Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) Finals in 2024. There are plenty of events that can be viewed every week too. With the number of monthly updates that Epic Games rolls out to the game, Fortnite still leads in the battle royale genre.  

Quick fact: PUBG: Battlegrounds inspired the battle royale genre boom, with Fortnite and Apex Legends following in its footsteps.

Developed by PUBG Studios and released in 2017 for consoles, PC, and mobile devices a year later, PUBG: Battlegrounds is the game that originally popularized the battle royale genre. Much like Fortnite, players have to fight against one another, or in teams, as the map shrinks, before the last one standing is declared the winner.

PUBG: Battlegrounds has been a tentpole at several esports events, starting in 2017 with one of its first tournaments, held at the trade fair Gamescom in 2017, with a prize pool of $350,000. In 2025, almost 1.8 million viewers are keeping track of the game at various events, such as the PUBG Global Championship, which usually offers prize pools that hover around $2 million. Much like Fortnite, PUBG: Battlegrounds is kept relevant by constant updates to its maps and gameplay, remaining a powerful force in the esports scene.

Quick fact: The series has so far surpassed $30 billion in revenue, making it one of the highest-grossing video game series ever.

The Call of Duty series has long been a staple in esports tournaments and continues to dominate in 2025. Known for its first-person shooting, fast-paced action, campaign modes, and multiplayer modes, Call of Duty is well-known by millions of players worldwide. When it comes to esports, the series’ traditional multiplayer modes have always been a big hit, but its battle royale mode, Warzone, has also become a staple in several tournaments.

The Call of Duty League (CDL), established in 2020, is the primary event for teams to compete in tournaments based in several cities worldwide. The CDL consistently brings in large audiences, with well over 500,000 viewers watching the matches in 2024. With constant updates and regular releases of new entries in the series, Call of Duty is still relevant, attracting new players and competitors year after year.

Quick fact: This version switched from a 6v6 format to 5v5 for faster-paced gameplay.

Overwatch 2, developed by Blizzard, has already surpassed its popular predecessor by staying true to what worked before while introducing new mechanics to draw in competitive players from all over the world. The sequel to the popular Overwatch, released in 2021, features new characters, maps, and more, along with the move to 5v5 matches, amping up the tension and fun in every match. 

The Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) was also created by Blizzard to allow many players to compete around the world. It’s divided into four regions: North America, Asia, China, and EMEA. With a potential prize pool of $200,000, the OWCS has already attracted viewers in the range of 1.2 million on Twitch, already proving the sequel’s huge popularity. With regular updates focused on game balancing, new maps, and more, Overwatch 2 has the potential to draw in as many players as Valorant in the coming years.

Quick fact: The game was secretly developed for two years before its surprise launch in 2019.

Developed by Respawn Entertainment and released in 2019, Apex Legends is a free-to-play first-person shooter that offers something different in the battle royale genre. Players are placed into a squad of two or three, whereby up to 30 squads land on an island, and the last man standing wins. Loot, found scattered across the map, can consist of armor, weapons, gear, and more. Players can send pings via their controller to teammates to figure out strategies and more to try and win the match.

Since its release six years ago, Apex Legends is still one of the biggest games in esports, thanks to its unique take as a battle royale game. The Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) is the main tournament, with over 1.5 million watching it in 2024. With new updates focusing on class improvements, new items, and more, Apex Legends shows no signs of slowing down all these years later.

The most established games don’t always populate esports lists; it depends on how well they suit the category. Granted, many of the games featured at esports tournaments, such as Tekken, Call of Duty, and Counter-Strike, are from established series that have been around for over two decades. Players love familiarity, and if these games translate well into the competitive scene, it’s a win for the players and the games, as it opens them up to a new audience.

However, new games have broken through into esports too, such as League of Legends, Valorant, and battle royale games like Fortnite and Apex Legends. As it stands in 2025, the best games in esports do change, but not significantly. If we were to compile a list in 2021, CounterStrike GO would likely feature, instead of its sequel, alongside Overwatch 1 instead of Overwatch 2. Sequels do make an impact, but it only takes one game to change the playing field, as Fortnite proved in 2017.

No matter how much esports will evolve in 2025, some genres will continue to dominate tournaments worldwide. The biggest is arguably first-person shooters, with Valorant, Counter-Strike, and Call of Duty all being prime examples. Due to these games being free to play, almost any player can install one of these titles and see how they fare in a multiplayer match in a short amount of time.

Other genres like MOBA and battle royale feature heavily, too, with League of Legends and Fortnite in many esports events worldwide. MOBA has a strategic element, giving suspense to viewers watching a 5v5 match. Battle royale games like Fortnite bring tension as the battle map reduces in size, leaving only a handful of players to win the match. Although FPS and MOBA games still dominate esports events, others have the potential to break into the category.

Although we’ve listed 10 of the biggest esports games, as well as the biggest genres in esports, nothing is definitive. A new breakout title could arrive at any moment — it could be via a virtual reality platform or through mobile devices. It’s why esports is an evolving industry and thrives on innovation.

The biggest esports games have to be fun for the player and viewer in several ways. They have to offer something new yet also something familiar, so it keeps everyone coming back to them, whether as a fan or as part of a competitive team. It’s why franchises like League of Legends and Counter-Strike 2 are part of the biggest esports events in the world. They’re constantly improving and bringing something fresh, but the fun remains, which is why they bring in strong viewership and new players all these years later.

Nevertheless, these 10 games define the esports business today, drawing in millions of players and viewers worldwide. Though the industry will keep changing, these titles remain at the top of competitive gaming.