Top 10 Most Popular Esports Games in the World Right Now (2025 Rankings by Viewers & Prize Pools)

Published On: November 27, 2025

League of Legends players are reported to have much much higher and stable salaries compared to players in other scenes. While prize pools are the main focus, Global esports industry crossed $1.8 billion in revenue in 2024 and is projected to exceed $2.3 billion in 2025 on the basis of viewership and institutional investment.

As of November 2025, more than 640 million people regularly consume competitive gaming content. The following list ranks the most popular esports games in 2025, determined through a weighted approach:

50% – Peak concurrent viewership (Esports Charts, November 2024 – November 2025)
30% – Total prize money awarded in 2025 (Esports Earnings)
20% – Active professional player base and tournament frequency

Below are the definitive top 10 esports games dominating the competitive landscape today.

Why These Are the Most Popular Esports Games in 2025

We combined three hard metrics — peak viewers (50%), total 2025 prize money (30%) and number of active pro players (20%) to produce the most data-driven most popular esports games ranking on the web. No hype, just numbers.

How We Ranked the Top Esports Games in 2025

Rank	Game	Peak Viewers (2025)	2025 Prize Pool	Active Pro Players	Primary Region
1	League of Legends	6.84M	$12.4M+	1,250+	Korea / China
2	Counter-Strike 2	3.91M	$28.1M	1,100+	Europe / NA
3	Dota 2	3.27M	$41.7M	850+	China / CIS
4	Fortnite	2.79M	$31.8M	2,200+	North America
5	Valorant	3.12M	$9.8M	1,050+	EMEA / Korea
6	Street Fighter 6	1.74M	$2.9M	650+	Japan / North America
7	PUBG / PUBG Mobile	3.48M (Mobile)	$18.6M	1,800+	Asia-Pacific
8	Overwatch 2	1.59M	$11.2M	480+	Korea / North America
9	EA Sports FC 25	1.41M	$8.7M	900+	Europe / LATAM
10	Rocket League	1.28M	$4.1M	720+	North America / Europe

If you’re looking for the most popular esports games right now, this continuously updated 2025 list ranks every major title by live viewership, prize pools and active pros, all verified by Esports Charts & Esports Earnings.

Top 10 Esports Games Dominating 2025

1. League of Legends

Still unapproachable. Esports Charts indicates that the 2025 London League of Legends World Championship reached a record 6.84 million peak viewers, higher than the 2020 Shanghai event.

Riot’s LCK, LPL, and LEC leagues continue to deliver weekly viewership above 1 million each. LoL remains the core of competitive gaming, with the Esports World Cup adding a $1M event and the “Fearless Draft” format (source).

2. Counter-Strike 2

Even though the move from CS:GO was controversial, Counter-Strike 2 has been a huge success. In 2025 alone, tournaments for the game gave out over $28.1 million in prizes, which is more than any other esport.

IEM Katowice 2025 also hit a peak of 3.91 million viewers at once, proving CS2 is the top tactical shooter esport (source).

3. Dota 2

Seattle’s The International 2025 broke esports records with a $41.7 million prize pool funded by fans through the Battle Pass. The final match between Team Spirit and Gaimin Gladiators peaked at 3.27 million viewers.

Dota 2 remains a top esport due to its complex gameplay and rewarding systems (source).

4. Fortnite

More than $100 million was invested by Epic in competitive Fortnite from 2023–2025, including $31.8 million given out in 2025. In October, the Fortnite global championship was watched by nearly 2.8 million people at its peak. The game stays popular with young people because of its building features and famous celebrity crossovers (source).

5. Valorant

Valorant’s 2025 championship had over 3 million viewers, which is a new record for the game. Riot’s VCT, new agents, and maps have maintained a period of explosive growth. Valorant’s viewership is now competing with CS2’s in tactical shooters (source).

6. Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 is leading the fighting game comeback. Capcom Pro Tour 2025 and Evo 2025 combined for 1.74 million peak viewers during the Grand Finals. Modern controls have broadened the player base, while the $2 million Capcom Cup XI prize pool solidified its return to elite status (source).

7. PUBG / PUBG Mobile

PUBG Mobile has become most popular esport game in Asia because everyone has a smartphone, unlike gaming PCs and consoles. The PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2025 peaked at 3.48 million concurrent viewers, driven by massive audiences in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Total prize money across both versions exceeded $18.6 million in 2025 (source).

8. Overwatch 2

After a period of doubt, the Overwatch League’s change to the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) has been a success. The OWCS World Finals in Riyadh had a $1 million prize and attracted 1.59 million viewers, showing the game is making a strong comeback.

9. EA Sports FC 25

Football transcends borders, and EA Sports FC 25 is the digital manifestation. The FC Pro Open and ePremier League circuits distributed $8.7 million in 2025. 1.41 million people watched the FC Pro World Championship at its peak, with high levels of interest in Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

10. Rocket League

Rocket League’s unique vehicular soccer continues to thrive. The RLCS 2025 World Championship in Lyon, France, awarded $1.5 million and peaked at 1.28 million viewers. Thanks to regular updates and a dedicated player base, Rocket League remains a top 10 game.

Emerging Esports Titles to Watch in Late 2025–2026

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (CDL + Warzone circuit showing strong growth)
Apex Legends (ALGS Year 5 prize pool increased to $5M)
Tekken 8 (rapidly rising FGC contender)
Marvel Rivals (NetEase’s hero shooter already hitting 600k peak viewers)

How to Get Started with These Top Esports Games

Most of the top 10 games are free-to-play, like League of Legends and Fortnite. To learn the current winning strategies, you should create an account, follow the official video channels on Twitch and YouTube, and watch the professional league broadcasts.