The eSports sector has undergone quite a boom in recent years. Now on track to be a $5.48 billion industry by 2029, eSports has played a significant role in transforming gaming from being a niche hobby to a mainstream – and lucrative – occupation. It’s even given rise to emerging markets in other sectors, such as the betting industry. Consumers worldwide can now take advantage of free bet offers from leading digital bookmakers to support their favourite teams and players.
Why are eSports Tournaments so Popular?
Who knew that watching people play video games would become the spectator sport that it has? eSports events pull in audiences of up to hundreds of thousands – and not all of them are tuning in online; many fans attend eSports tourneys in person.
Video gaming competitions actually date back to the late 20th century, but back then were mostly contested at a local or national level. Thanks to the internet and the significant advances that have been made in technology, the popularity of competitive gaming exploded.
There are several reasons why eSports competitions are so popular both with players and fans alike:
Accessibility: eSports events are now so widespread that anyone, anywhere, can enter a competition. Online tournaments cater to any player with a stable internet or data connection, while grassroots competitions allow amateur gamers to compete and progress.
Game Popularity: Games that are played in eSports events, such as League of Legends, Fortnite, and Dota 2, have a massive player base and are enjoyed by millions of people.
Challenge and Competition: Modern players love being challenged; that’s why games with increasing difficulty levels are adored by millions. Participating in eSports events takes the competition and challenge of multiplayer gaming to the next level.
Huge Spectator Appeal: Much like traditional sporting events, pro eSports competitions can fill arenas with spectators and fans. Add in the live streaming element via platforms like Twitch, and a global audience is within reach.
Prize Money: Increasing investments from sponsors, advertising partnerships and even crowd-funding mean that prize pools for some eSports tournaments have become incredibly lucrative. This, in turn, attracts top-tier players and teams, further increasing the appeal for spectators and fans.
The Events Calendar for 2023
If all this reading has got you excited about watching or maybe even participating in an eSports tournament, here’s the round-up of the key events happening throughout 2023.
Six Invitational (Rainbow Six Siege)
7th to 19th Feb. Montreal, Canada
The first big Rainbow Six Seige event of the year is actually the season-ending championship for the 2022-23 season. For the first time since 2020, the tournament makes its way back to Montreal with a full twenty teams of competitors involved. 2021-22 victors TSM will be returning, but the North American team faces stiff competition from European competitors this time around. KOI (formerly known as Rogue) and Team BDS will both be entering finals with a string of Majors wins under their belts.
VALORANT LOCK//IN (VALORANT)
13th Feb to 4th March. Sao Paulo, Brazil
VALORANT’s ambitious 2023 eSports tournament is its most significant event to date, featuring all 30 VCT-partnered teams. Fans will finally get the opportunity to see a number of teams in action with their new player line-ups. Roster turnovers have resulted in no clear front runners, but several possibilities have emerged following the recent round of offseason events. 100 Thevies tool the win at Red Bull Home Ground, while Team Liquid, NRG, DRX, Cloud9, Paper Rex and Natus Vincere are all strong contenders.
Capcom Cup IX (Street Fighter V)
14th to 19th February. LA, United States
The first Capcom Cup since 2019 will kick off in LA on Valentine’s Day this year. The season-ending tournament for Capcom’s 2022 Pro Tour will also be the last to feature Street Fighter V (Street Fighter VI is scheduled for release during the summer). Reigning Capcom Cup champ Derek iDom Ruffin will be attempting to defend his title, while 2022 Evo finalist Kawano will be in attendance. We can also expect the likes of Li-Wei the “Oil King” Lin and KDavid Edwards to compete.
League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational (LoL)
2nd to 21st May. London, England
The midseason international event on Riot Games’ League of Legends tournament calendar is back in Europe again in 2023. This universally-adored midseason-er hasn’t been seen on European shores for five years and makes its way to London this year for the first time. The tournament itself has also had a refresh, with more teams in attendance and a number of additions like the bracket stage and the double-elimination play-in. Thirteen teams have qualified for the Mid-Season Invitations, including defending champions Royal Never Give Up (China) and all nine regional LoL spring champions. Second-place teams from Europe, North America, China and Korea are also confirmed, although we’re still waiting on T1 (Korea) to qualify.
VALORANT Masters 2023 (VALORANT)
June TBC. Tokyo, Japan
The sole VALORANT Masters tournament in 2023 will take place in Tokyo this June – the exact dates are to be confirmed. This event marks Japan’s debut in hosting an international VCT tournament. The Masters is the culmination of a series of global competitive seasons across VCT America and the EMEA and Pacific regions. The top three ranking teams from across each Valorant league will qualify, along with the winners of the LOCK//IN tournament in February.
League of Legends World Championship (LoL)
Winter 2023 TBC. South Korea
Known simply as “The Worlds”, this final event in the League of Legends tournament calendar is one of the most popular – and largest – eSports events in the world. In 2022, a new record was set for peak viewership on Twitch at the tournament, so there are big expectations for this to be surpassed in 2023. Riot has unveiled a new format for this year’s tournament. Featuring 22 teams, the event will involve a double-elimination play-in stage. Meanwhile, the main stage will follow a Swiss-style format with a fixed number of rounds.