The World Of eSports: Top 5 Gaming Genres To Explore

Explore the world of esports as you learn more about its five most popularly played gaming genres on this page.

The phrase ‘esports’ is abbreviated from the lengthier and more technical term 'electronic sports.' It is the online gaming industry's professional competitive division, where players and teams compete for prize pools, awards, and prestige in organized multiplayer video game tournaments. 

Despite its lack of recognition, the esports sector appears to be doing pretty well in terms of both numbers and status. According to statistics, the show's overall viewership hit 454 million in 2019 and is expected to reach 646 million by 2023. 

So, the more important question is now, what do these onlookers pay attention to and follow? Below are some of the most popular esports disciplines or genres.

1. Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA)

Although MOBA games are a type of real-time strategy game, they have one of the largest audiences, player bases (e.g. esports Canada), and competitions. In a predetermined arena, two teams battle against each other. 

There are so many intricate gaming aspects used to win these challenges, ranging from damaging opponents' locations to spawning friends and improving skins. In other words, they potentially demand more strategy than normal real-time strategy games.

For more than a decade, Riot Games' League of Legends (LoL) and Valve's Dota 2 have been the two most popular MOBAs. Furthermore, their game developers host the world’s largest, richest-funded, and most renowned yearly tournaments, namely, League of Legends World Championship (Worlds) and The International (TI), respectively.

2. First-person shooter (FPS)

The first-person shooter (FPS) is a subgenre of shooter games. Akin to MOBAs, these games are well-known for having a variety of recognisable components. Action games, online multiplayer gaming, and sophisticated 3D visuals are all elements they share.

 The game experience from a first-person perspective is, nevertheless, their one major goal. Players control their characters in a three-dimensional area while engaging in gun and other weapon-based combat.

One of the most popular FPS games today is Valve’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). Continuously offering features that gamers want and where other video games don’t have, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it is also among the most much-awaited tournament called the Majors.   

3. Turn-based strategy

Probably the next best thing after MOBAs, turn-based strategy (TBS) video games have recently been gaining traction in the esports industry. They're a test of video game sophistication, as well as strategic and logistical problems that are prevalent in wargames. A notable example is the award-winning strategy game Hearthstone by Blizzard Entertainment, where its highest esports tournament is the Hearthstone World Championship. 

4. Sports and fighting

Despite what some may believe, world-renowned sports groups are also teaming up with esports. Examples range from simple video games like basketball, American football, association soccer, and even fantasy sports (e.g.) FIFA eWorld Cup, NBA 2K League, and Rocket League).

5. Battle royale

Based on the critically acclaimed 2000 Japanese action-thriller film, Battle Royale, this is a fast-rising online multiplayer genre with already million-dollar esports tournaments. Whether you play or watch esports Canada or South Korea, you certainly have heard about PUBG Corporation’s PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Epic Games’ Fortnite, and Respawn Entertainment’s Apex Legends.