5 Best Esports Games in 2023

In case you’ve yet to knuckle in on the world of Esports and its ever-evolving cash cow of high-paying tournaments, perhaps now’s the time to register an interest. It’d make sense, what with the competitive nature of the sport boasting prize pools of hundreds of thousands, and often millions of dollars, give or take. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, and if there’s one thing we’ve come to learn in 2023, it’s that the Esports scene is only just beginning to find its footing — and that there’s plenty more to come before the year’s out.

Like a lot of forms of entertainment, the world of Esports has its carousel of best-selling titles that raise the benchmark for others to live up to. For the sake of keeping it compressed and to the point, though, we’ve gone ahead and drafted the five that have made the biggest impact on the gaming front in the past six months or so. Curious to know more? Here are the Esports stakeholders that you should know about in 2023.

5. Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0

Call of Duty has every right to be hailed as one of the best first-person shooter franchises on the planet, more so in 2023, what with the battle royale Warzone 2.0 entry being a free-to-play game and all. Conceptually, it’s no different from its predecessor, though it does bring a new mode to the table — a loot-and-extract gig known as DMZ. Outside of that, the 2022 iteration brings all the action-packed components you’d come to expect from a traditional Call of Duty instalment — right down to the notorious Gulag.

As it stands, Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 has four seasons under its belt, each of which have brought a variety of new maps, modes, weapons, and in-game features to the nexus. As far as its presence in the Esports community goes, the World Series of Warzone is where it’s at—an annual tournament that boasts millions in cash prizes. Is this likely to double in 2024? Absolutely. Is it the best Esports game on the current monopoly? Not by a long shot, although it does aim high.

4. Dota 2

Arguably one of the most competitive MOBA titles of its kind, Dota 2 fortifies its position as the all-seeing eye of Esports. It’s a little dated, sure, but the fact that it’s still able to host a huge network of tournaments on a year-round basis speaks volumes alone. Add the fact that the likes of the Majors boast prize pools in excess of $30 million, and you’ve got yourself one monster of an Esports division.

ln 2023, Dota 2 is more accessible than ever before, with hundreds of heroes to play from and a stepping stone progression system that’s “easy to learn, hard to master.” So, if you’ve the time to spare, then it’s definitely a kingdom worth checking into, if not for the first-hand experience, then for the staggeringly high prize pools that each tournament dishes out.

3. Overwatch 2

It was only natural that Blizzard went on to develop a follow-up chapter to its universally acclaimed MOBA shooter. Built with all-new modes, maps, and weapons in mind, Overwatch 2 went down a real treat with those who longed to scratch that competitive itch. Also, the fact that it launched as a free-to-play game only made it that much more appealing to a wider audience. Just what Blizzard had intended, no doubt.

While Overwatch 2 continues to evolve and onboard new patches every two or three months, its Esports division, The Overwatch League, also moves to make itself known across the entire platform. And judging by how easy it is to pick up and play, we wouldn’t be that surprised to see the MOBA sport double in size before year’s end. As for what’s in store for the second chapter remains a mystery, though one thing is clear: Overwatch is here to stay, and fans couldn’t be more excited to see what’s on the horizon for its Esports counterpart in 2023.

2. Fortnite

Say what you want about Fortnite — Epic Games sure know how to draw in a crowd. And if it isn’t at one of its seasonal events, then it’s at one of the many, many Esports leagues that the creators host every year. Makes sense, what with some of its prize pools being anywhere in excess of a hundred thousand or more. Knowing this, and how the ever-evolving battle royale sensation attracts millions of players daily, it isn’t all that difficult to see why seasoned pros use it as a stepping stone to elevate their gaming careers.

Fortnite is the gift that keeps on giving, with new patches, events, weapons, and objectives being introduced to its world every week or so. There’s a lot to unpack with it, is what we’re saying, and if anyone is able to knuckle in on the plethora of content it has to offer, then there’s plenty of perks to be found, if not in a global tournament, then in a local match.

1. PUBG

PUBG is hands down the best and most influential Esports game in the world, with over 350 million users fleshing out its global roster and a whole catalog of high-paying tournaments under its belt. The fact that it’s available on consoles, PC, and mobile also makes it one of the easiest games to access, too. This is why so many high calibre teams flock to the arena to try their luck — if only to take a stab at the PUBG Global Championship, which assembles only the best of the best for a series of massive tournaments.

Before it was banned in India, PUBG held the record for being one of the most sought-after video games on the planet. Not a whole lot has changed since then, to be fair, with newcomers still looking to gain a foothold on the leaderboards for a shot at taking home prize pools that go as far as a couple of million. So, while PUBG being the best in the business is debatable, the general consensus is that it is a household choice for serious gamers, and definitely for those looking to cash out on some seriously hefty payouts.

So, what’s your take? Will you be tuning in to catch any of the above Esports tournaments in 2023? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.