The History of Esports Tournaments
If you’re a more modernised gamer, you’d likely scoff at some of the earliest gaming competitions. Today, online gaming tournaments are the norm, with the biggest events taking place in a LAN environment, which in itself as a practice stretches back more than four decades. In 1980, the Space Invaders Championship took place, with competitors lining up to play the title on the Atari 2600 console, one of the world’s first home gaming platforms.
However, there was absolutely no multiplayer present on Space Invaders, which is still an iconic and legendary title today. Instead, players queued and took turns to try and set the highest score. At the end of the tournament, the winner walked away with a Space Invaders arcade machine – the world’s first esports prize.
In the 1990s, gaming experienced an enormous boom, with home consoles beginning to dominate the market in huge numbers. The SNES, Sony PlayStation, and N64 all launched in the 1990s, and they’re considered to be some of the greatest gaming advancements in the history of the industry. It was also in the 1990s that modern esports began shaping up, particularly around the late 90s. In 1997, the world’s first major competitive gaming event was hosted, with players competing on Quake, a then-popular FPS title.
Bizarrely, the grand prize for this event was an all-new Ferrari 328 GTS Cabriolet and not a cash prize. Today, almost every one of the many esports tournaments hosted boasts a cash prize. It was at this event that some of the esports tropes we see today were founded, such as the bracket format and some of the in-event culture.
The incredible rise of the esports industry can be attributed to a few specific titles. One game, in particular, was StarCraft: Brood War, which was massively influential in the earlier days of modern esports. Today, StarCraft 2 makes up a small portion of the industry, but once upon a time, it was a world leader. In South Korea, gamers flocked to the title, and within no time at all, lucrative and popular esports tournaments were being held for StarCraft: Brood War.
In fact, StarCraft tournaments were some of the first to offer six-figure cash prizes.
StarCraft’s premise, concept, and growth proved to many gamers that esports could be both a form of entertainment and a legitimate career. Most of the top esports titles out there today boast incredible legacies, some of which can be traced back more than two decades. Before, gaming competitions were minor events, but now, they’re just as big as traditional sporting events.
The Best Esports Tournaments to Watch in 2023
For many esports organisers, LAN-based events offer an unparalleled opportunity to bring the viewer into the game. They’re some of the most exciting environments in the world, promoting immersion and a direct, in-person connection to the most beloved players and teams in the world.
For those with an eager interest in esports betting, the return to LAN ultimately means very little, as the vast majority of esports betting takes place online. It’s still an exciting thing to experience, but these days, more bettors are tuning in to esports tournaments remotely for the simple reason that they can watch the game unfold at the same time as placing those all-important wagers.
As 2023 has only just started, there are many more tournaments to be played. In fact, some of the grandest events in the esports calendar are yet to take place, and before the year has ended, many more teams will assume the title of ‘world champion’, one way or another. From Valorant to The International and from Fortnite to CSGO, many top-tier events are yet to unfold on some of the grandest, most valuable stages of them all.
These tournaments are the proving grounds for some of the most talented competitors the world has ever seen. While there are millions aspiring to compete on these main stages, only a small percentage of them will ever achieve esports greatness. As competitors come together from all corners of the planet, these tournaments boast audiences that rival modern, traditional sports. It’s an ever-changing world out there, and in the closing months of 2023, some of the esports tournaments that are shaping this evolution are yet to take place.
What follows is a breakdown of the biggest, most impactful events coming to the world of esports in the final months of 2023. This is the definitive list of esports events in 2023 yet to play out, and it contains information about some of the most valuable and most popular esports tournaments in the world.
League of Legends Worlds 2023
The League of Legends Worlds tournament stretches back several years. It’s one of the most popular and significant esports tournaments on the calendar, and every year, millions of fans tune in to the action. It’s a global event, and it boasts a prize pool of more than $6 million. It’s also one of the longest world championship events in esports, lasting more than a month. There are few esports tournaments as impactful as this event, and it’s easily the best of all the LoL tournaments that take place within any given year.
This year, the tournament looks to take place in the Fall as it always has, potentially experimenting with new formats and ideas, continuing to raise the ceiling of the esports industry.
The International 2023
For those interested in Dota 2 bets, no event is more valuable than The International. This is a monumental tournament that has boasted the largest prize pools in esports history, reaching a record $40 million a few years ago. It’s arguably the grandest tournament in the history of esports, and it draws in millions of viewers every year. Similar to League of Legends Worlds, this event is also schedule for Fall 2023.
VALORANT Champions 2023
Running as the climax of the VALORANT Champions Tour, the VALORANT Champions 2023 tournament looks to be one of the top events of the year. It’s the biggest tournament in the VALORANT space, likely boasting a $1m prize pool and featuring the talents of the best VALORANT teams on Earth. It’s a top-tier event that is guaranteed to push VALORANT to the top of the esports pile while it plays out, topping the charts on platforms like Twitch.
While VALORANT is the newest esports title in the space, it’s by no means the weakest, and it’s rapidly overtaking older, more well-established games in terms of overall popularity. If you’re interested in VALORANT betting, don’t miss the VCT 2023 circuit.
CSGO BLAST Premier: World Final 2023
As one of the top CSGO tournaments, the BLAST Premier World Final enjoys an audience of millions. It’s one of the most-watched events in the esports calendar every year, attracting players, viewers, and esports bettors from all around the globe. This year, the BLAST Premier World Final acts as the final major event of the year for CSGO, running from the 12th to the 17th of December, with an undetermined venue.
It’s a monumental event that boasts a $1,000,000 prize pool, and while only eight teams are in attendance, it’s still one of the most exciting ways to cap off an entire year of esports action.
BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023
Let’s just throw another CSGO tournament in here for good measure. It makes sense as statistically, CSGO is the most popular esports game in the world. From the 8th May to 21st May, twenty-four cracked teams will travel to Paris to compete in the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023.
There’s $1,000,000 on the line, and most importantly, the winning team will gain immediate access to further events in the circuit.
PUBG Global Championship 2023
Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds has been a remarkably popular title for years, despite having a lot of competition. It’s a fantastic game nestled amongst a niche which it popularized with its release. Throughout the year, fans are invited to celebrate that history at some of the biggest esports tournaments around – PUBG Global Series.
Leading up to the PUBG Global Championship, here, millions of prize pool will be up for grabs for the best teams in the world. Taking place in November-December 2023, this event will also be paired with an exciting PUBG Mobile Global Championship!
Other Esports Events
While we can’t discuss all of them, here’s a list of other incredible esports events taking place later this year:
- Rocket League World Championship – August 2023
- Fortnite Global Championship – Fall 2023
- CDL Championship Weekend – August 2023
- Overwatch League Playoffs – September 2023
- Halo World Championship – TBD 2023
What Comes Next for Esports
In 2023, esports tournaments will, for the most part, utilize LAN settings. Once again, this means that fans can get stuck into the action while sitting mere feet away from the competitors they all know and love. There’s a huge buzz surrounding the general esports calendar for 2023, and several hugely valuable tournaments are due to take place over the next 12 months.
Ultimately, esports is a serious topic, and with each passing day, it becomes just as popular as traditional, mainstream sports. With a huge catalogue of titles to choose from and massive financial backing behind the industry, esports will continue to grow in 2023 at a rapid rate. As time goes on, esports betting and participation will also see immeasurable growth. It’s a valuable industry, and there are millions of people trying to get involved.
We’ve also seen sharp rises in the number of content creators and streamers in recent years. This practice goes hand in hand with esports gaming, and as one, the entire landscape becomes increasingly popular and adopted by more and more non-gamers.
Whether you’re waiting for offline events to return in full or ready to jump into your first esports bet, look to Betway, Pinnacle, and GG.bet for the best betting experiences.