Esports has been growing for years and is becoming more and more professional. But not all titles have the same chance of being successful. Shooters like Fortnite are struggling as MOBAs keep getting bigger. What Makes League of Legends and Dota Such Popular Esports Games? And which one has the edge?
League of Legends and Dota 2 are always making new achievements in the esports space. As LoL continues to grow in viewership, Valve continues to hand out bigger prize pools than ever before at The International. All thanks to us fans!
There are also more and more tournaments and advertising deals. Sales are growing, and so is the player base. But the approaches of the various esports titles are sometimes extremely different from each other, and that doesn’t mean the gameplay.
League of Legends: Big events, lower prize money, lots of players
League of Legends is incredibly popular and attracts massive viewers. More than 1 billion hours of live viewing was watched during Worlds 2020 ! The first LEC weekend in January brought 231,000 people to the screens – a new record for the European league.
Above all, LoL tournaments are damn huge events and offer stage shows that can almost hold a candle to the Super Bowl. Even Corona couldn’t stop Riot from providing an entertaining show via live streams. So it’s no wonder that Riot’s World Championship consistently wins Best Esports Event at The Game Awards.
League of Legends not only has a lot of fans, but also a lot of professional players (more than 7,000). There are many chances to compete in different leagues and get to the World Cup. With well-known teams such as Rogue, G2 Esports and Schalke 04 , the mainstream audience is primarily addressed.
But LoL has less prize money than its direct competitor Dota 2. Last year there was only 2.5 million dollars , but this can be compensated for by deals with major sponsors. Still, Riot could grow a bit more…
Dota 2: The International, high prize money, fewer players
Dota 2 has a reputation for being less accessible but more rewarding than LoL. You can also see that in Valve’s approach to esports. Every year, The International takes place, for which players must qualify in regional leagues and majors.
The event is also quite nice, but compared to LoL it looks more like a huge Lan party. That attracts significantly fewer viewers, also because LoL is simply played more. It’s a shame, there’s more to come!
Dota 2 has about half as many professional players as League of Legends. There are still cool teams like Alliance, OG or Team Liquid , and they also have the chance of significantly more cash. Because every year the prize money is crasser than the year before. In 2019, it was nearly $35 million , partially funded by the community. This year it will be even more.
However, The International was canceled in 2020 and will be repeated this year. Still, money isn’t everything, and Valve needs to prove they can make Dota 2 interesting for a wider audience.
Shooter: CS:GO and Fortnite in comparison
As far as shooters go, CS:GO is by far the biggest title. With more than 13,000 pro players, the game is more popular than LoL and Dota 2 combined. But in terms of viewership and prize money, it can’t hold a candle to the two. Then, when Fortnite hit the market in 2017, it looked like there might be real competition. But the esports scene is just completely broken.
Fortnite’s tournament system is simply non-organic and from the start was more of an end in itself to popularize the game. There is no classic league system like LoL, which is why every idiot can qualify for the World Cup. This is how extremely young and inexperienced players get to the top without having a plan or being part of an organization.
While Fortnite remains popular with viewers, the prize pools are getting smaller every year. Many players believe that if they stick with Fortnite, they will no longer be able to make a living from esports. There is also a lack of income from sponsorship deals, which is totally normal for other games. Eventually, the esports scene in Fortnite will die out, making way for other titles like PUBG and Overwatch.
Conclusion: League of Legends dominates the scene
Overall, League of Legends is clearly the top dog among e-sports titles. Riot Games may not be giving away the big prize money that Valve does, but there’s a lot more at stake than just the money. With LoL, the fans get great events and for professional players it is worth playing LoL instead of another game. Everything looks absolutely professional and well thought out, which puts Riot one step ahead of the competition.
OVERWATCH 2 – A VISUAL EVOLUTION
Overwatch 2 takes the world and gameplay to a new level: the environments are more dynamic, the battles are more comprehensive, improved effects and shadows enrich the atmosphere in the game. You will be immersed in the story of Overwatch in gripping events. All heroes will get a completely new, even more detailed and authentic look in Overwatch 2.
The five best Overwatch skins
As really cool – so you could title the new Overwatch skins. Because Blizzard Entertainment has really put a lot of effort this time and gifted the community with new cosmetics.
The OverwatchEcent Archives is in full swing. And once again, it takes us back to the original Overwatch team that used to fight in the streets of King’s Row against the rebellion started by the Null Sector. We also remember eight years ago when we took control of Blackwatch, a terrorist organization bent on destruction. But besides all the nostalgia, there’s something else that makes this event: the Archives skins. Here comes the top 5 of the best Cosmetics.
5th Place: Zarya’s “Workout.”
Giving us a bit of workout reality is Zarya’s “Workout” skin at #5. At a young age, Zarya identified a lot with athletics and here she shows that she’s a tough woman. But we honestly expected something more from the professional weightlifter. Still, the skin turned out quite nice.
4th Place: Roadhog’s “Militia” Look
Blizzard has done a good job of mixing the scout and military outfits, so Roadhog’s “Militia” skin lands in 4th place. We especially love the patches attached to the dungarees, but this skin isn’t as colorful and fancy as, say, other skins in the ranking. For that, it gets a solid 4th place.
3rd place: Junkrats “King Jamison
Majestic and bold in 3rd place is Junkat’s “King Jamison” skin. After being banished from Junkertown by the queen, he’s back and presents himself as a real eye-catcher that the queen would be jealous of. We were taken with the golden leg, but so much potential was lost with the rather plain shirt. That’s why Junkrat only makes it to number 3.
2nd place: Pharah’s “Aviator” style
Lieutenant Fareeha “Pharah” comes flying in at number two, in a stunning look that should wow anyone. The aviator sunglasses plus jetpack give her a thematically badass appearance that still makes her look cool and beautiful.
1st Place: Ana’s “Sniper” Skin.
Ana breathes new life into us with her “Sniper” skin and is unrivaled our No. 1 spot. During the Omnic crisis in her earlier years, Ana slayed the Omnics in this color stunning outfit. Her red scarf, headset and many other smaller accessories add the finishing touches to the skin that have us excited.
We’re excited to see when and with which skins Blizzard will wow us again. For more info on Overwatch and everything else about the world of Esports and gaming, check out Early Game.
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