With the way online gaming has taken off in the last few decades, it shouldn’t be surprising that there are several online gaming championships. Some of these championships can prove to be an excellent training exercise, or just end up a fun way to blow off some steam via action games. With big-name teams, and the ability to support your team through different matches and leagues, eSports championships are becoming a lot more popular, with more games creating their own.
League of Legends eSports
League of Legends (LoL) is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA). Due to its skill-based nature, it has become one of the leading eSports to date. There are various tournaments available, with the International having the largest prize pool available. League of Legends has amassed a total of just under $30 million in prize money since 2016, with 4,083 players across 1718 tournaments. These tournaments have been held in countries such as China, North America, and South Korea, with the 2021 championship being held in Reykjavík, Iceland.
LoL has become so successful, it is now approaching recognition as a ‘real’ sport, and eSports betting has also really taken off. With the World Championship, fans and gamers now have the option of betting on their favourite teams, with DWG KIA currently considered the favourites to win. There are several different LoL tournaments that you can bet on, from Prime League Winter, the Iberian Cup, and more. Many sports channels are now considering streaming these tournaments if they don’t already.
iRacing
It can be overwhelming to think of iRacing as a real sport, especially when you consider the number of different competitions that are available, such as NASCAR, sports cars, off-road and dirt racing. Developed in 2004, this is the only sim game available that allows for full team racing functionality, from allowing driver swaps during endurance races to private radio channels so teams can communicate.
Rocket League Championship Series
While Rocket League is another type of vehicle racing game, it’s a world apart from iRacing. With rocket-powered cars and four players in each team, it wasn’t surprising that after Rocket League was released in 2015, the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) soon followed in 2016. With the first tournament hosted in Los Angeles, and subsequent events held in London, Amsterdam, and Madrid, the next tournament is in North America and started on October 15th, 2021.
The tournament is held annually, and made up of 16 different teams, with qualification splits in numerous countries worldwide, from North America to Sub-Saharan Africa. The qualifying rounds are played as an online round-robin tournament, with the finals held in different cities every year. For the 2021/2022 season, viewers will see a new format, known as RLCS X, which will see teams gaining points through three regional splits, ending in three seasonal majors. With these three majors, a $6 million prize pool, and an international World Championship, Rocket League really is in a league of its own when it comes to eSports tournaments.
From professional racers taking part in iRacing championships to traditional sports teams sponsoring eSports organisations, the online gaming community is growing fast. With a range of different teams available, you’ll be sure to find one that you can support, hopefully seeing them grow into championship winners.
Image Credits: Lucie Liz, Chris Peeters
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