The emergence of esports from underground LAN parties to packed stadiums and multi-million dollar prize pools has been nothing short of spectacular. Esports in 2025 is a worldwide phenomenon with viewship matching that of traditional sports and an industry that is booming to reach over $2 billion in revenue this year.
Whether you’re a loyal fan or a budding pro, here’s the lowdown on the most legendary esports tournaments out there—each the epitome of competition, community, and pure hype.
1. THE INTERNATIONAL (DOTA 2)
- Organizer: Valve
- First Held: 2011
- Prize Pool (2023): ~$3.3 million (was up to $40M in 2021)
- Location: Varies (Seattle, Shanghai, Bucharest, etc.)
The International (TI) is Dota 2’s flagship international tournament, famous for its massive community-funded prize pools and epic matches. Although the pool has decreased slightly in recent times, it is still among the most lucrative tournaments in esports. Fans are always waiting with bated breath for the event annually for its movie-like production, player narratives, and top-notch gameplay.
Fun Fact: The TI prize pool was previously crowdfunded through in-game purchases referred to as “Battle Passes,” making it a fan-fundraised tournament.
2. LEAGUE OF LEGENDS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (WORLDS)
- Organizer: Riot Games
- First Held: 2011
- Prize Pool (2024): ~$2.2 million
- Viewership (2023): 6.4 million peak viewers (Finals)
- Location: Rotates globally
Worlds is the Super Bowl of League of Legends, with regional champions from North America, Europe, Korea, China, and other areas getting together. With cinematic opening ceremonies, K-pop crossovers, and global fanbases, it’s the world’s most-watched esports event.
Highlight: The 2023 final between T1 and Weibo Gaming saw Faker achieve his fourth World Championship title, further securing his GOAT status.
3. VALORANT CHAMPIONS
- Organizer: Riot Games
- First Held: 2021
- Prize Pool (2023): ~$2.25 million
- Location: International circuit, climaxing in Champions event
Riot’s tactical shooter VALORANT has rapidly attained global renown. Its season-ending tournament, VALORANT Champions, decides the world’s best team and boasts highlight-worthy production, music drops, and narratives that recall the golden age of early CS:GO majors.
Update (2025): Riot unveiled VCT China as a complete league, bringing even more fierceness to the global competition and expanding VALORANT’s Asian market share.
4. CS2 MAJORS (COUNTER-STRIKE 2)
- Organizer: Valve (different third-party hosts such as ESL, PGL)
- First Held: 2013 (as CS:GO), 2023 (as CS2)
- Prize Pool: ~$1.25 million per Major
- Frequency: Twice a year
Counter-Strike has always been the godfather of competitive FPS games. With the shift from CS:GO to CS2 in 2023, the franchise got a new shot in the arm. The CS2 Majors, particularly by ESL or PGL, are still a must-watch for pure gunplay, strategy, and crowd presence.
Moment to Remember: The PGL Copenhagen Major 2024 featured the first ever 16-0 perfect grand final in CS Major history.
5. FORTNITE CHAMPION SERIES (FNCS) GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP
- Organizer: Epic Games
- First Held: 2019 (World Cup), 2020 (FNCS)
- Prize Pool (2023): $4 million
- Location: Global
Although Epic Games shifted from massive annual World Cups to seasonal FNCS tournaments, Fortnite remains a juggernaut. Its accessible format, creative builds, and young player base keep the viewership strong and fan engagement high.
Highlight: Fortnite Creative and Zero Build formats were recently added to FNCS, offering new competitive angles.
6. CALL OF DUTY LEAGUE (CDL) CHAMPIONSHIP
- Organizer: Activision Blizzard
- First Conducted: 2020
- Total Prize Money (2023): $2.3 million
- Format: Franchised teams
CDL has city-based franchises and a league structure like sports. The season-building culmination event is the Championship Weekend, where classic teams such as Atlanta FaZe, OpTic Texas, and LA Thieves clash for supremacy.
Trivia: CDL employs LAN events for playoffs, and trash talk among teams is as fierce as the shootouts.
7. PUBG GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP (PGC)
- Organizer: Krafton
- First Held: 2019
- Prize Pool (2023): $2 million+
- Game Format: Squad-based battle royale
PUBG may not rule Western front pages anymore, but in Asia—Korea, China, and Southeast Asia—it’s still a giant. The PGC pits top regional-qualifying squads against each other in a battle royale of epic proportions.
Esports Angle: PUBG’s zone mechanics ensure that each match is unique and keeps fans on their toes.
8. MOBILE LEGENDS: BANG BANG (MLBB) M-SERIES
- Organizer: Moonton
- First Event: 2019
- Prize Pool (2024): $900,000+
- Viewership: Massive in Southeast Asia, Middle East, Brazil
Mobile esports is on fire, and MLBB is at the forefront. The M-Series (M5 conducted in 2024) gathers tens of millions of viewers, predominantly from Indonesia and the Philippines.
Fact: M5 World Championship reached a high of 5 million viewers, surpassing several PC games.
9. ROCKET LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (RLCS)
- Organizer: Psyonix (Epic Games)
- First Held: 2016
- Prize Pool (2024): $2.1 million
- Game Format: Car-soccer hybrid
Rocket League may appear easy, but the skill ceiling is sky-high. With global popularity and instantaneous gameplay, the RLCS has made its mark in the esports world. The 2025 season has added cross-region LANs and new team formats.
What Sets It Apart: RLCS is among the only family-friendly esports games that anyone can watch and appreciate.
10. EVO CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (FIGHTERS)
- Organizer: EVO (Sony Interactive and RTS)
- First Hosted: 1996
- Prize Money: Varies per game
- Games: Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Mortal Kombat, Guilty Gear, etc.
EVO is the holy grail for competitive fighting game players. It’s not only a competition—it’s a community fest. The world’s best fighters compete across a variety of games in a double-elimination bracket with intense comebacks and last-minute combos.
Big Moment: At EVO 2024, Street Fighter 6 reigned supreme on the roster, commanding more than 10,000 worldwide entrants.
CONCLUSION
Esports tournaments in 2025 are more global, diverse, and professionally orga nized than ever. No matter what kind of games you enjoy, be they MOBAs, shooters, battle royales, or fighting games, there’s a big tournament with breathtaking gameplay and unrememberable moments. With mobile games like MLBB and PUBG Mobile on the rise in the East and shooters like CS2 and VALORANT ruling the West, the future of esports is diverse and cross-platform.
Tip for Gamers: Follow these tournaments on Twitch, YouTube, or their official websites, and you’ll stay in the loop with the meta, rosters, and jaw-dropping plays that define each esport.
