The successes of esports have continued to move from strength to strength over the past few years as viewer and player numbers continue to increase for Biggest Games – this past year in particular has been great for esports as a surge in numbers from newer demographics have brought esports to a much wider market than before. But what are looking to be the biggest esports titles in 2021, is it more of the same or are there new entries to the list?
Valorant – The new kid on the block is looking to make an impact on the first-person shooter market by blending the competitive side of Counter-Strike, and the lore and character power side of League of Legends. With developer Riot Games backing the production for future big events and a proven track record in building a solid esports league, the game is certainly looking to be on some strong footing. Last year following the release in June did have some difficulties as offline events weren’t possible, and so 2021 will certainly be the proving ground on whether or not Valorant can hang at the top with the big games, or whether it will follow a similar trajectory to similar games like Overwatch and unfortunately fall in numbers.
Counter-Strike – The oldest esports title on this list with the longest running competitive scene, and also the game that many widely consider brought betting to esports through sites such as esportsbetting.site – with offline events looking possible again and the high octane action and easy of viewership that Counter-Strike has always brought, it will no doubt be one of the biggest games this year too, and having Valorant perhaps compete in the space and provide opportunities for the game to improve too, it could lead to some big changes and big successes for the game.
League of Legends – The biggest esports title in the world and certainly a no brainer that it will continue to be huge – the regular season play has already got started with huge viewer numbers tuning in every weekend, and with changes in the North American region to make each seasonal split more impactful it will lead to a much more exciting series of spring games than is usually seen. The big question mark will certainly be around offline events, whilst the world championship event was able to be held in China at the end of 2020 there’s no guarantee of in-person events being held this year, which may have a small impact. But with other events organized such as the lock-in stage at the start of this years season filling some additional time, there are further opportunities to bring new viewers in.
