10 Best Esports Games (2025)

One of the most lucrative ways of making a living in gaming is becoming a professional gamer. Since the late 2000s, the esports industry has been brimming with competitive games of different genres. Whether it’s tactical shooters or strategic RPGs, esports games are wide-ranging. Some of the titles with the highest cash prizes have stood the test of time. However, there are new entries garnering a solid following for professional video gamers and spectators alike. Here are the best esports games to keep an eye out for this year.

10. Dragon Ball FighterZ

Fighting game and anime fans want to hop on the Dragon Ball FighterZ bandwagon as soon as they can. It’s one of the hottest esports games out there, and it has several titles in the Dragon Ball series. Characters, too, are sprawling with varying abilities and races, from humans to aliens and androids.

By picking your favorite fighter, you can begin smacking foes in spectacle battle arenas. For FighterZ, it switches the stages to a 3v3 2D plane. You can tag-team mid-combat and enjoy a thrilling battle system fine-tuned over the years.

9. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

Another one of the best esports games this year is Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. While restricted to Android and iOS mobile platforms, the title has garnered plenty of praise and following. With over four million spectators, the championship tournaments for the game see teams facing off against one another.

As a 5v5 MOBA game, every battle leads to a dramatic showdown of skill and prowess. By choosing your favorite heroes and perfecting your play style, you stand the chance to win cool cash prizes against real players worldwide. 

8. Valorant

Valorant has been in the esports gaming industry for a while now. It’s a 5v5 tactical FPS game where your gunplay precision and strategy skills need to be on point. While it may draw inspiration from the Counter-Strike series, Valorant has risen up to amass quite a significant following.

It stands on its own two feet, nicely balancing its elegant mix of varying agent abilities and strategic play. With a prize money of roughly $2 million and nearly 16 teams competing from all around the world, the upcoming Valorant Champions in Paris, France, shapes up to be one of the most staggering esports events worldwide.

7. Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 has not only been a hotbed for cutthroat competitive multiplayer gaming sessions but also esports gaming. With the original Warzone, nearly every feature, from the gunplay to team strategy, plays smoothly.

The shooting mechanics remain one of the punchiest and most exhilarating means to enjoy intense action. Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 only added to the wholesome content with a new map and game mode. While you can opt for the first version, the second update offers the most refined gameplay. 

6. Apex Legends

For Apex Legends fans, you want to look out for the Apex Legends Global Series 2025 tournament. It’s another battle royale competitive sport that has racked up the best players from all around the world. Get ready to head back to Titanfall, where mercenaries strive to make a name for themselves.

Despite the stiff competition, the environments and characters remain visual delights. What’s more? Heroes are vastly unique, with exciting skills and abilities. By balancing each character’s strengths and weaknesses and communicating with one another, Apex Legends offers the most daring teams a chance to scoop from lucrative prize pools.

5. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

Next up on the best esports games this year is Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. It tosses you into lethal melee combat to pull from your best strategy and tactical play for bragging rights. Going in guns blazing won’t cut it.

Rather, plan beforehand and follow through with the most slick execution. Make sure to be wary of the environment around you while also coordinating with your team for the ultimate victory. 

4. Street Fighter 6

Another fighting game you can consider is Street Fighter 6. It’s an easier entry point for newbies looking to explore the esports gaming world. The game provides simple mechanics to get started.

With each fight won you’re encouraged to delve further into exploring sneak attacks and unpredictable moves. You can settle for the usual kicks and punches. However, there are more destructive ways to destroy the competition with sonic booms and super-charged attacks. 

3. Dota 2

We also have the popular MOBA game Dota 2. While it may have been around for a while now, the developers continue to add content and updates that keep the gameplay fresh and exciting. Plus, every playthrough is intense and incredibly deep.

You often feel challenged to strategize your next play against the competition. With a prize pool of over $40 million, Dota 2 surpasses most esports games in lucrative gains. 

2. League of Legends

If Dota 2 doesn’t work for you, consider League of Legends. Ever-persistent in providing the epitome of MOBA mechanics and gameplay, LoL has left just as significant a mark in esports gaming. With a mix of RPG, tower defense, and RTS gameplay, you enjoy a deep and intense playthrough that truly challenges you and pushes your skills to the limits.

While newbies can find their footing, veterans will likely have more experience fully exploiting the game’s complex mechanics. Whether is carefully planning your cooldowns, taking advantage of unique abilities, and upgrading equipment, you’ll be juggling multiple balls to come out crowned winner.

1. Counter-Strike 2

The best esports games this year would be incomplete without Counter-Strike 2. It’s simply the best, most skilled, perhaps demanding tactical FPS out there. Two decades after its inception, Counter-Strike has perfected its craft. It now has impressive visuals with fluid mechanics.

Also, many professional video gamers thrive in the Counter-Strike niche, thanks to its lucrative cash rewards and peak entertainment for spectators. If you want to watch tactical brilliance in action, Counter-Strike 2 is the way to go.