Valorant and 4 other video games that changed the world of eSports forever

E-sports have transcended digital borders and become a global phenomenon: Find out which ones have revolutionised the industry.

We are witnessing the increasing digitisation of all areas of society, from communication, to political and bureaucratic procedures, e-commerce and, of course, entertainment. One of the most recent developments has been the arrival and consolidation of electronic sports, also known as eSports.

The history of eSports is not that long, yet the rise in popularity has been formidable. What began as a form of entertainment for young people has become a profitable business niche with a huge and ever-growing audience.

The community of followers is growing every day at a maddening rate, while more and more brands and companies are vying to become sponsors of this flourishing business.

YOUTUBE VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCp8QCRKXQ4

In fact, the sports consultancy firm Strock Consulting included eSports in the 'Top Ten' sports with the most sponsorships by volume of contracts with sponsors, ahead of other sectors as powerful as the world of motor sports, golf or equestrian sports.

In this way, what was initially considered to be simple video games has taken a giant leap forward to become a powerful magnet for talent that has revolutionised the way we understand leisure. eSports are a clear example of the transformation in the way we understand sport, teamwork and competitiveness.

From massive events streamed online and followed by fan communities around the world to major local, national and international leagues, eSports has become one of the booming sectors of the gambling world. Fans can participate in the excitement of betting on their favourite players and teams, and while following the events in real time, they can make a huge profit.

However, in the face of huge demand, a multitude of bookmakers have emerged on the Internet, struggling to attract users through various strategies such as welcome bonuses and promotions. As these are sites where personal details are provided and money is wagered, it is important that players carry out a filtering task in order to opt for the best possible options. If you want to access a site that offers the best guarantees of transparency and legality, you can find reviews with ratings on the web, such as the Olybet Spain reviews, where you will find full descriptions of the best bookmakers today.

Reviews should provide users with accurate and up-to-date information about the different possibilities for placing bets on e-sports, the payment methods available and the reliability and legal guarantees of the bookmaker being reviewed.

Some of the games that cannot be missed on this type of page are the eSports that have revolutionised the sector and have catapulted video games to the professional category: from Valorant, through League of Legends, Dota 2 and Counter-Strike, to the famous Fortnite.

League of Legends: The origin of the legend

The year 2009 would be remembered by all fans of the genre as the birth of what would become the before and after in the world of video games. Riot Games was the author of giving birth to a game that would achieve what everyone thought impossible: a solid game support sustainable over time with an expansive narrative and with the massive participation of hundreds of thousands of players.

Since its appearance, it would be called to take the place of honour among e-sports as the most followed game in the world. Moreover, it was able to maintain and extend its hegemony even further - if possible - thanks to the creation of one of the most profitable and recognised competitions in the world of eSports: the League of Legends World Championship. In fact, the finals of these tournaments have been widely followed by fans all over the world. In particular, the 2023 final was one of the most watched finals in the history of eSports.

It is a multiplayer online battle arena video game (known as MOBA) that has established the world of eSports and elevated it to professional status, turning a game into a profitable product and a thriving niche business. League of Legends is structured around tournaments with different levels, depending on whether they are regional or national competitions. It is also deployed in various professional leagues:

• Worlds: Emerges as the most important League of Legends competition, with the best teams from all over the world: Europe, Asia, America and Oceania.
• LCK: This is the Korean LOL league. In this league, Korean teams compete for the prestige of representing their country in the world championship.
• LEC: The strongest teams in Europe compete in this league. It is a franchised league, like the NBA. From this league will come the candidates to fight in the League of Legends World Championship. One of the most popular names among European competitors is G2 Esport, which won the LEC Winter 2023 and won again in 2024.
• LCS: The LCS brings together teams from the North American region, with a large number of participants and a strong fan community.
• LPL: One of the largest in terms of fan base is the LPL, the Chinese league. As with the previous leagues, it is here that the best candidates are measured to become part of the LOL legend by travelling to the world competitions.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS): The birth of competitive FPSs

Still in the 20th century, what could be defined as the father of the FPS (first-person shooter) genre of videogames appeared on the market. In other words, it is a first-person shooter in which the player is a member of one of two teams: policemen versus terrorists. And it's all about shooting.

Since its inception in 1999, the Counter-Strike series has become the foundation on which many other games, such as the popular Valorant, were built. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS), launched in 2012, was the variant that finally underpinned the prestige of this brand, with the construction of a loyal community of followers around the world and the founding of international tournaments. In this sense, and in terms of competitive format, CS:GO is deployed in a major competition that includes the best professional teams in the world: the ESL Pro League, composed of 4 teams, 12 of which are franchised and have a fixed place in the competition.

What makes the Counter-Strike series unique from other e-sports is its ability to bring out the best in players in terms of skill and teamwork. There is no room for power-ups like in Valorant; here it's all about strategy and marksmanship.

Dota 2: The Shrine of MOBAs

"Ancestor Defence 2, better known as DOTA 2, is a video game that is part of the Online Battle Arena (ARTS or MOBA) genre. On 9 July 2013, Valve Corporation would offer the world one of the most famous eSports of all time, and one of the highest prize money - specifically, it would offer up to 34 million dollars in 2019.

Since its emergence in the first decade of the 21st century, it has become one of the most attractive, complex and exciting eSports: players must prove their worth by combining their best individual skills and teamwork to achieve success in a game that will test them from the start.

Like League of Legends, Dota 2 also has a prestigious global competition known as The International (TI) that takes place every year and offers its participants the most lucrative prizes in the eSports scene. In fact, since its inception, the rewards have only increased, offering millions of dollars to teams with the ability to overcome the game's many obstacles.

Valorant: The power of tactical shooters

While it is true that at the time of Valorant's birth, e-sports were already well known around the world, the reality is that the explosive mix of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Overwatch components won the hearts of thousands of people around the world. The 2020 arrival of Valorant from successful developer Riot Games not only put a new title at the pinnacle of eSports, helping to cement it firmly in the professional arena, but also gave a new meaning to first-person shooter (FPS) gaming.

In Valorant, shooting skill must be matched with precise gameplay tactics - largely reminiscent of Counter Strike - but with the addition of special powers that resemble titles such as Overwatch. The fusion offers a unique result that has catapulted it to the top of the world's most played and followed eSports.

The professional eSports journey has allowed Valorant to comfortably adjust to the competitive arena by offering a solid structure comprised of numerous official leagues, international tournaments and a significant stream of official sponsors.

Fortnite: The battle royale phenomenon

In terms of popularity, Fortnite emerges as one of the cornerstones of eSports. Epic Games is the company responsible for the development of this celebrated game, which they launched in 2017. With numerous awards behind it, such as the Spike Video Game Awards, Fortnite offers numerous game modes, such as its free variants, among which 'Battle Royale' stands out, or the paid ones, such as 'Save the World'. It is also possible to play the Creative mode, in which players develop and build their own islands.

While it is true that Fortnite started out as a cooperative game against zombies, its evolution has been one of the most interesting in the field of e-sports. The turning point came with the Battle Royale mode, where it became popular around the world. A robust, global community has made its way to keep this game among the most celebrated games of all time, underpinned by the work of thousands of gamers and streamers on the YouTube and Twitch platform who share their games in real time.

In addition, another of Epic Games' great achievements was making Fortnite available to users in a free version of its base game, allowing access to any user, regardless of their financial means, and resulting in the immense community of fans that keeps it in stardom. It is not surprising, therefore, that the major events organised by the game, such as the Fortnite World Cup held in 2019, was one of the most followed tournaments of all time and offered a huge prize pool amounting to $30 million, second only to the prizes offered shortly after by Valorant. Fortnite competitions attract not only professional players, but also numerous amateurs who are willing to work their butts off to enter the big leagues and rise to fame.