What is esports? A beginner’s guide to competitive gaming

While you’ve likely heard the term beforeyou might not be aware of what esports means or how much of a giant the industry has become.

Multiplayer gaming is something you’ve probably already experiencedbut esports takes it to its highest possible levelwith many of the world’s biggest games hosting high-stakesinternational tournaments that offer huge prizes for prolific teams that can often compete across a wide range of games.

If you’re interested in diving into the world of esports but don’t know where to startwe’ve created this guide to provide a comprehensive esports definitionranging from the types of esportsthe biggest namesthe most popular tournamentsand more. 

Esports stands for electronic sports and is competitive multiplayer gaming held online or at local events. Players and teams can enter a variety of leagues that can feature one or several popular games.

Some tournaments and leagues are dedicated to certain games. Good examples are the ESEA and ESL Pro League for Counter-Strike 2. Tournaments in these leaguesand in otherscan provide huge prize pools for the competing teamswith many mainstream brandslike Coca-ColaRed Bulland Logitechacknowledging the popularity of esports and sponsoring these events.

What games are played in esports can usually be broken down into several game genres. This includes first-person shootersbattle royalefightingand real-time strategy.

First-person shooters have been a staple of esports for decadeswith games like DOOMCounter-Strikeand Unreal Tournament laying the foundation for what teams play today. In 2025fast-paced shooters like Counter-Strike 2Call of Dutyand Valorant dominate several esports tournaments around the worldbringing in millions of viewers every year.

The battle royale scene exploded in 2017 thanks to games like Fortnite and PUBG. The aim of these games is to be the last man standing on an ever-receding mapas players face off against 99 others to be the winner.

Fighting games have been a long staple of esportsarguably beginning in arcades back in the early 90s with titles like Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat. In 2025events like EVO host many different fighting gameswith Tekken 8Street Fighter 6and Guilty Gear Strive being popularcurrent games in the esports genre.

While it might not be the most obvious esports genreit has spawned a few sub-genres that have become incredibly popular. There are the classic RTS gamessuch as Starcraftand then MOBAs (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena). MOBAs tend to be free-to-play and are arguably the most popular esports genre. Examples include League of Legends and Dota 2two titles that are strong answers to the question “What is the most popular esports game?” Thenthere are the mobile MOBAslike Mobile Legends: Bang Bangwhich also has a massive viewer and playerbase.

Esports tournaments and leagues can vary from a single event to multipleconsisting of qualifiers set across different cities. These include The InternationalLoL WorldsOWCSand more.

Arguably one of the biggest esports tournaments in the worldThe International features 16 teams that battle it out in Dota 2a strategy game made by Valve. The prize pool is funded by the game’s battle pass called Compendiumwhereby players pay a fee to obtain cosmetic items and more. In 2025The International had a prize pool of over $2.8 millionwon by Team Falcons after its victory in the Grand Finals against Xtreme Gaming.

With League of Legends being one of the biggest esports games in the worldit’s no surprise that there’s a global tournament for teams to compete in. Established in 2011 by the game’s developerRiot Games17 teams face off against one another across multiple cities worldwide over two months. The prize is the Summoner’s Cupweighing 44 pounds and designed by American jewellery brand Tiffany & Co. This tournament is one of the cornerstone events that define esports. It was recently won by T1who completed a historic hat-trick by claiming the Summoner’s Cup three times in a row.

Regarding esports leaguesthere can be franchise-based leagueswhich the developers support. There are also Open Circuit Leagues that allow teams to enter by playing through qualifying matcheswith Regional and Semi-Pro Leagues enabling players to break into the esports scene. These include:

Following the conclusion of the Overwatch League in 2024the OWCS was established by Blizzard Entertainment in 2024. This is the main tournament for Overwatch 2a first-person shooter that’s the follow-up to the popular Overwatch. Several regions feature in the OWCSincluding North AmericaAsiaChinaand EMEA. Every match featured can be seen on streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTubeensuring players can keep track of their favourite Overwatch 2 teams.

This competitive Counter-Strike league allows players to join a team from the very beginning to see how their skills fare in a semi-professional setting. Winning these matches has the potential to promote teams into higher leagueseventually leading to professional tournaments. For manythis kind of structure forms part of the argument why esports should be considered a sport.

Esports generates income through several avenues. Sponsorship is a big onewith companies like Red Ball and Mastercard funding several events and contributing heavily to tournament prize pools every year. Sky and Twitch landing exclusive streaming deals also enable tournaments to host massive events with millions of dollars up for grabs for competing teams.

Merchandise is a significant factor — not just for the tournaments but for the prolific players and teams participating in them. Money is made by prospective logos and clothing offered worldwidewhich can also feature in the games themselvessuch as Call of Duty and Overwatch 2.

Finallyprize pools are funded in several wayssuch as the battle passes from the games featured in tournaments and leaguesfor exampleDota 2 with its International Battle Passwhichat the time of writingstands at $18,930,775 for the future winner of The International 2025 tournament.

Several players and teams have come and gone in esportsmeaning in 2026there are several that are making their mark in tournaments and leagues.

Esports is already a massive businesswith some of its biggest tournaments offering millions of dollars as prizes. Mainstream sponsorships have recognised the popularityand even some teams have earned dedicated fanbasessimilar to supporting teams of regular sports. It also benefits from being easierand often cheaperto followoften streamed on Twitch and YouTube.

Put plainlyesports is how people watch competitive multiplayer games with high stakesand if you’re interested in getting involvedyou can do so as either a player or a viewer. It’s just as accessible as it is exciting.