From the very first moment and the very first game on our screens, it was crystally clear that gaming will play a huge part in our lives! But, who would have thought that casual gaming can shift to a professional eSports scene, watched by millions across the world?
Today, we will be talking about eSports in the USA. We will discuss the eSports history, organizations, companies, teams, players, and what made eSports a billion-dollar industry.
A Billion-Dollar Business
If you’re here, you probably know what eSports means, and if you don’t, let us enlighten you. The name stands for Electronic Sports. Just like physical sports, electronic sports are a competition where teams or individuals play against each other. They play either in tournaments or events, and the winner takes home a prize.
A few years ago, generating a steady income while playing video games was just a dream for many players. Even if it did come true, the money made was just not enough to consider gaming a career. Fast forward to 2021, and you have tens of thousands of people with professional gaming careers making six-figure incomes.
But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, as such things don’t happen by accident!
Even though most people would call eSports a modern phenomenon, in reality, the very first competitive event was organized back in 1972, when students from Stanford University competed against each other in Spacewar. The first serious eSports competitions were organized in 1980 when the Space Invaders Championship gathered 10,000 competitors. A couple of years forward, the prominent Starcraft II tournament managed to gather a whopping 50 million viewers! At this time, it was already apparent that gaming companies meant business.
The next game-changing moment happened in 2002 when the profound Major League Gaming (MLG) organization was created. Up until this day, MLG still remains one of the top tournament hosting companies in the eSports industry.
But, what would eSports be today without the presence of MOBA’s? MOBA stands for Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. The two most prominent names are Dota 2 and League of Legends. Before these games took the eSports world by storm, people were competing on the old map mod from Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos. This mod resulted in the birth of a completely new gaming genre, which today remains the most popular and most watched across the world!
| Cloud 9 | $310 Million Estimated Value |
|---|---|
| TSM | $250 Million Estimated Value |
| Team Liquid | $200 Million Estimated Value |
| Echo Fox | $150 Million Estimated Value |
| OpTic Gaming | $130 Million Estimated Value |
| Fnatic | $120 Million Estimated Value |
| G Gaming | $110 Million Estimated Value |
| G2 eSports | $105 Million Estimated Value |
| Immortals | $100 Million Estimated Value |
| Envy Gaming | $95 Million Estimated Value |
eSports Development: Media Coverage & Sponsors
Another factor that greatly assisted in the global growth of eSports was the vast media coverage. Namely, people aged 18-25 spend a considerably bigger amount of time watching eSports on the internet rather than watching traditional sports on their TVs. Today, every competitive game is streamed live on Twitch or YouTube, which makes it easily accessible. In 2018, there were 25.7 million estimated active eSports viewers in the USA alone.
In 2019, the worldwide number of viewers was397.8 million, surging to 474 million by 2021. It’s estimated that by the end of 2024, this number will witness a spike of over 577 million eSports viewers worldwide.
This faithful audience assisted greatly in the global eSports rise, but it’s still not the predominant factor. The massive eSports revenue is the result of multi-million contracts with sponsors. For example, in 2018, Disney signed a multi-million dollar contract with Blizzard to stream their respective Overwatch live on ESPN.
Today’s billion-dollar revenue comes mostly from contracts with sponsors including Mountain Dew, ASUS, Red Bull, T-Mobile, Nintendo, Audi, and many more. Other than the NFL, the eSports industry in the USA is projected to surpass every sport in the near future.
Competitive Video Games
Such a gigantic community couldn’t be established without the presence of competitive video games. Sure, we all fancy a good game with a solid storyline like Skyrim or Assassin’s Creed, but the true bread and butter in the gaming industry are competitive online games.
These games are loved by millions of people, in hundreds of different countries worldwide! Every player has an equal chance of participating in a professional tournament, as long as his gaming skills are top-notch.
There are several different competitive categories including MOBA games, first-person shooters, sports games, and more. Below, we will talk about each of them specifically.
MOBAs
The largest competition is still within the MOBA category. The two most popular names here are Dota 2 and League of Legends. LoL was the first one on the scene, being established in 2009. Dota 2 came in second, in 2013. The fierce competition between the two companies, Valve and RIOT Games, gave birth to massive prize pools in events and tournaments. To date, the biggest prize pool ever featured in a tournament remains Dota 2’s International tournament with a massive $34.3 million up for grabs!
These two games alone are the biggest factor for the sudden spike in eSports popularity. The players’ competition is intense, and there are countless sponsors involved. Moreover, every new season features new mechanics and characters. This helps League of Legends and Dota 2 remain at the top in the eSports scene, as they are constantly attracting new players and giving birth to new eSports teams.
First Person Shooters
The second-largest category is the first-person shooters. The most popular games here are Counter-Strike Global Offensive, Overwatch, Valorant, Call of Duty, Escape from Tarkov, and many more. Obviously, the most significant title on the eSports scene is CS:GO, with hundreds of tournaments, events, and playoffs taking place every day.
CSGO was created by Valve and became an instant eSports success the moment it was introduced on Steam in 2012. This game boasts a massive worldwide community, with millions of players competing on the professional eSports scene. If you ever want to start betting on eSports, this is the game featured by almost every betting website.
Another first-person shooter with a massive fan base in the USA is Overwatch.
Sport Games
What we once played with friends and family on our beloved gaming consoles has now grown into a professional eSports competition. The most popular titles in this category are FIFA and NBA 2K. They are not as huge as League of Legends, but still take up a decent share in the eSports industry.
Out of the two, EA Sports’ FIFA leads the way in terms of popularity and prize money worldwide. In 2019, their best performer, FIFA19, gathered a solid $2.3 million in prize money. Notably, NBA 2K is enjoyed by millions of players in the USA.
There is no evidence to suggest that sports games on the professional eSports scene will ever surpass Dota 2 and LoL’s success.
Professional Gaming
When you think about it, becoming a pro eSports player is similar to becoming a pro athlete. Whether you want to compete in the NBA as a basketball player, or in the LCS as a LoL player, you need to invest countless hours. A great number of people underestimate the process players must go through to become professional gamers. They usually play video games for 10+ hours a day before participating in a pro eSports competition.
Notably, the careers of professional gamers usually end before they even reach their 30s. Most pro gamers begin their careers in their teenage years and reach their peak in their 20s. Statistics show that the average age of pro eSports gamers in the U.S. ranges from 24-27 years.
With thousands of competitive video games on the internet emerge millions of players who want to participate in the professional eSports scene. This scenario suggests that eSports can only move forward, not backward.
eSports Teams Popular In The USA
With the massive spike in popularity, countless eSports teams have emerged on the scene. Those who compete regularly in daily fantasy eSports contests will be well aware of the teams. Below, you will see a breakdown of the most eminent teams in North America.
Team Solo Mid – TSM
Team Solo Mid was initially created as a League of Legends community website, providing services and guides for LoL players. Shortly after, they put together an eSports team that would win their first championship – IEM Katowice.
But, League of Legends isn’t TSM’s only expertise, as they managed to build teams in numerous different eSports games including CSGO and Smash Bros.
Since TSM was introduced, they managed to win 4 summer splits, and 3 spring splits in their respective LCS championship.
To date, TMS managed to a mass around $4 million in winnings with the help of their most prominent player – Bjergsen.
Team Liquid
Founded in 2010 in the Netherlands, Team Liquid is a multi-game organization specializing in StarCraft BloodWar. In 2012 they gathered their first Dota 2 eSports team, and later in 2015, they connected with Team Curse to officially introduce their pro teams for League of Legends, Super Smash Bros, and Street Fighter.
Their biggest success to date is being crowned champions for winning Dota 2’s International. They brought home a whopping $11 million in prize money. Still thinking that gaming can’t become a career?
Team Liquid is the highest-earning eSports team to date with a massive $36.35 million in prize money. Their most proficient team is in Dota 2, and they have been crowned as the eSports organization of the year 2019.
Their old eSports team was dismantled in 2019, and the current one is led by miCKe, qojqva, SumaiL, Taiga, and iNSaNiA.
Team Liquid is currently sponsored by Monster Energy, Honda, SAP, Alienware, Twitch, and more.
Cloud9
According to Forbes magazine, Cloud9 tops the charts in terms of company value. Their value is a staggering $310 million, just above TSM with $250 million. Cloud9 was founded in 2013 as a professional eSports organization in Santa Monica. The Cloud9 organization was originally founded as a professional League of Legends team but later decided to widen its operation to countless eSports games. Currently, Cloud9 counts pro teams in:
- League of Legends
- Counter-Strike Global Offensive
- PUBG
- Valorant
- Chess
- Fortnite
- Rainbow Six Siege
- Super Smash Bros Melee
- Teamfight Tactics
- WoW
- Halo
- Hearthstone
- Overwatch
In 2018, they’ve won the eSports organization of the year award.
It’s worth mentioning that Cloud9 still holds the official LCS competition record from Season 3, making the longest unbeaten run of 13 games. Later on in the eSports event, they’ve beaten TSM for a cash reward of $50,000. They lost at the International stage, though.
Team Dignitas
Team Dignitas is an international eSports organization established in the UK in 2003 and was purchased by NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers in 2016. They specialize in less popular eSports titles including CS:GO, Rocket League, StarCraft II, Quake Live, and FIFA.
The eSports team Dignitas was nominated for eSports team of the year in 2007, following their Quake Wars victory. In 2008, their CSGO team was named the best overall CSGO team.
Their current top players are Snitch, JayPL, MSL, Violent Panda, k0nfig, Bakery, and many more. All of them have $200,000+ in earnings.
The United States eSports Association
As eSports is no longer a fish but a shark in the ocean, it caught the attention of several schools, universities, and countries. The USEA stands for promoting eSports development across the USA, delivering safe gaming competitions among gamers.
Imagine this: high schoolers currently have the chance of obtaining a scholarship for playing their beloved video game. This is the result of pro teams always keeping an eye on young talents. They scout for top players in competitive video games and offer them contacts that sometimes reach into the millions.
Notably, the USEA is a non-profit association. To keep gamers engaged in the future, they have created numerous recreational leagues and tournaments for some of the most competitive games.
Below you will find some of the most notable leagues and competitions.
Popular eSports Tournaments & Events
| League of Legends | 21 Tournaments |
|---|---|
| Counter-Strike Global Offensive | 145 Tournaments |
| Dota 2 | 25 Tournaments |
| Fortnite | 10 Tournaments |
| Rocket League | 73 Tournaments |
| Call of Duty Warzone | 43 Tournaments |
| Hearthstone | 13 Tournaments |
| Valorant | 35 Tournaments |
| Age of Empires II | 153 Tournaments |
| StarCraft II | 5 Tournaments |
The eSports scene in 2021 counts an endless array of competitions across the world. Notable game publishers like RIOT Games, Valve, and Blizzard are constantly organizing international tournaments and events for their respective games, usually with million-dollar prize pools. Besides them, other major eSports organizations like the Major League Gaming (MLG) and the Electronic Sports League (ESL) association run events showcasing the best of the best teams in the world. There are also dedicated country leagues and minor tournaments organized by small eSports groups, where even amateur gamers can join and play. Combine all of these, and you will start to realize just how big the eSports industry has gotten.
Before Covid-19, almost all pro eSports events were played live. Gamers had to travel to one location (a football stadium for example) and compete against the opposing team. These events are always streamed live and usually attract millions of viewers. Of course, online eSports tournaments were held as well, but they were not so significant.
The big-time players on the eSports scene are currently a small number of 3rd party companies that create official leagues and events. The most notable association is the ESL, responsible for countless pro leagues and events on the domestic and international stage.
ESL is largely supported by game publishers such as Valve and RIOT, which allows them to offer six-figure prizes regularly. Major League Gaming is just another eSports business corporation organizing competitions and playoffs mostly across the USA.
Notably, it’s not 2012, and we can’t keep track of all eSports competitions across the world as there are too many. But, we will do our best to guide you through the most popular competitions currently running for some of the most popular eSports games.
Dota 2
One of the most popular regional tournaments in the world is hosted by Valve. With the help of ESL, they create major and minor eSports tournaments which act as a pre-qualification program for the International. Teams from North America, China, Europe, Korea, South America, and Southeast Asia compete in these events, and only the best teams advance further. The Majors feature a prize pool of a minimum of $1 million, while the Minors are packed with $125.000 each. The most popular eSports Major tournament is the IEM Katowice.
Once this pre-qualification program is done, the best teams advance and compete against each other in the International. Dota’s International is by far the biggest eSports event in terms of prizes. The Valve organization went far and beyond to set an eSports prize-pool record in 2019 with breath-taking $34.3 million for the winner.
18 teams participate in this prominent eSports event, and one team takes home the grand prize, with generous rewards for the runner up and
League of Legends
Present online for over a decade, League of Legends sure had enough time to establish rock-solid eSports competitive leagues.
The most notable leagues where top players compete for the world championship are the EU and NA LCS. These tournaments act as a pre-qualification process for European and North American players. Each season top teams compete in summer and spring splits to reach the playoffs and earn their spot in the most prestigious international World Championship played across October. These tournaments are also held in China, Korea, and Australia.
The most prestigious LoL eSports event is held at the end of each season, and the best 24 teams from across the world are invited to join. The team who manages to win gets pain in millions. When it comes to popularity, this eSports event takes the first place, but can’t compete with Valve’s Dota 2 wins money-wise.
Below, you will find all winners.
- 2011 – Fnatic
- 2012 – Taipei Assassins
- 2013 – SK Telecom T1
- 2014 – Samsung White
- 2015 – SK Telecom T1
- 2016 – SK Telecom T1
- 2017 – Samsung Galaxy
- 2018 – Invictus Gaming
- 2019 – FunPlus Phoenix
- 2020 – Damwon Gaming
The 2021 eSprorts final is yet to be played.
Overwatch
Another popular eSports title in the USA is Overwatch. There aren’t too many tournaments to talk about, but the most notable one is the Overwatch Contenders. This tournament in 2021 is played across North America, China, Korea, Australia, and Europe. The prize pool for U.S players is $250.000.
Counter-Strike Global Offensive
CSGO is the most notable game from the first-person shooter category and features 2 main eSports events across Europe and the U.S – CS:GO Pro League and the ELEAGUE.
The Pro League takes place in Europe and the USA. It’s organized by Valve, the ESP, and the eSports Entertainment organization, featuring 12 teams that participate in each region. The tournament ends with the best teams facing off in the Grand Final, usually held in the U.S, England, or Germany.
The ELEAGUE is broadcasted on the North American TV channel – TBS. Counter-Strike is the primary eSports game, featuring 16 teams from all over the world that compete in 2 seasons that last for 10 weeks each.
Where Can You Watch eSports Live?
In 2021, watching eSports events can’t get any easier. Any eSports match you can think of, no matter the country it’s played in, will be streamed either on Twitch or YouTube. You can watch certain eSports events with live commentary on your TV as well. The best part? You don’t have to spend a dime! Live streaming organizations offer their services for free, and you only need an account to watch your favorite eSports team.
But, to truly feel the atmosphere of competitive eSports events, the best course of action you can take is to attend one in person. Unfortunately, that’s currently not possible, but we hope it will be soon.
The Craze Behind Mobile Gaming
For the past few years, mobile gaming has witnessed tremendous global growth. It’s a new eSports trend, we have to agree, and many players have switched from their PC and consoles to mobile gaming. They still have a long way to go if they want to catch up with their older brother, but still, millions of players are professionally competing and getting paid whopping cash prizes.
Even though new on the scene, mobile eSports are recognizable even on an international scale! The most profound games here are PUBG, Call of Duty, Wild Rift, Clash Royale, Garena Free Fire, and many more.
PUBG
When we’re talking about eSports, we have to mention PUBG Mobile, as its popularity surpasses a great number of PC eSports. If you want to play PUBG, it’s available across all platforms – PC, Playstation, and Xbox. However, the owners made it obvious that their focus is set on the mobile version. This year’s eSports tournament was held in January, and it became one of the top five most-watched eSports events ever.
The PUBG pro eSports league is held all over the world, on almost all continents! The prize pool set for 2021 is over $14 million, which makes PUBG easily top the mobile eSports charts, and even surpass most PC and console games.
With the quality of mobile games, mobile eSports might even overtake PC gaming in the future. Plenty of profound game developers are creating dedicated mobile versions of their respective games. The most recent example is League of Legends, which is now available for Android and iOS under the name of Wild Rift.
FAQs
Here you can find answers to some of the most common questions regarding eSports.
Do I Have To Be a Professional Before Participating In an eSports Event?
No, which is the best thing about eSports overall. All players can easily participate in eSports events, as there are many amateur tournaments taking place. To take part in the pro eSports scene, however, you will need to dedicate a great deal of your time to gaming.
How Much Time Are Pro Gamers Practising Daily?
Pro's usually play a minimum of 6 hours daily. With so much time invested in eSports, it's not strange that their gaming careers don't last for long, like every other part of their life is suffering, and they have no time for building another career.
Who Is The Most Famous Gamer In The World?
That would be PewDiePie. He is a Swedish youtuber, with staggering 110 million subscribers. VanossGaming falls second with over 25 million subscribers.
What Types Of Games Are Available On The eSports Scene?
Generally, every video game where players compete against each other can be regarded as an eSports game. The most popular categories are Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA), First-Person Shooters, Real-Time Strategy, Fighting Games, and Sports Games. You will also find games like Hearthstone and World of Tanks, which are not part of any particular category.
Can I Bet On eSports?
Yes, as long as you are 18 or older you can. Almost all popular bookmakers who offer to bet on traditional sports, offer eSports as well. They usually have a solid eSports market available, and you can bet on your favorite team with ease.