What Makes a Game a Good Esport?

Esports has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment on the planet. Millions of people tune into platforms like Twitch to watch their favorite players or teams compete in a game they love

However, what makes a good game for Esports and Esport leagues? There are many new video games that can be Esports, but there are a few boxes they need to tick if they want to be successful in the space.

Popularity

The first thing a game needs is to be popular. The biggest Esport games have player bases that go into the millions, such as Call of Duty, CS:GO), League of Legends, and Clash of Clans. While these games are all different, they all have hundreds of thousands of players online at any time.

Esport games need a large player base, not for the numerous competitions and tournaments but to also ensure there are always thousands, if not millions, of people tuning in to watch.

Watchability

Even if a game is popular, it doesn’t mean it is going to be great for Esports. The game still needs to be enjoyable to watch for those who have experience playing it and those that have never touched it before.

Games like Warzone, Fortnite, and CS:GO are great for spectators as the action is fast, and there’s always something exciting happening.

Newcomers

A game can only grow as an Esport if there are more and more new players coming in every day. You need these players to fill in the competitions and then eventually either join a pro team or make their own.

This means games need to have a very high skill ceiling but also make it easy for newcomers to join and master the game. A prime example of this is Warzone which is very beginner-friendly but also tough to master.

On the other hand, a game like Rainbow 6 Siege has often been criticized for being too difficult to get into, making the Esports side of the game much smaller and less popular compared to other titles.

High-Profile Teams

The next thing you need is a group of high-profile teams that want to play the game and join a competitive league. Faze, Optic Gaming, and Cloud 9; are also teams that have joined and helped to grow Esport games and leagues.

While this isn’t something that the game includes, the best games have an aspect of being high-profile enough to attract the time and attention of these teams.

Easy to Learn, Hard to Master

As mentioned already, Esport games have to have a large skill window. If a game is too easy, then the professional and highly-skilled players will dominate; if it is too hard, there won’t be many players or new players joining.

Once again, a game like Warzone is the perfect example of this. While pro players will be good in tournaments, less skilled players can still eliminate them and win through sheer luck or skill.

Widespread Appeal

The most popular Esport games have widespread appeal. As mentioned in the popularity section, the biggest games appeal to almost anyone, no matter their gender or age. Fortnite is widely regarded as the first game that crossed all of these boundaries.

Everyone was playing the game, and it was being featured across the internet, news, and TV. This widespread appeal not only made it a more popular and more played game but also ensured the player base for competitions and tournaments across the globe.

Quality Spectator Experience

Esports is similar to a movie; it doesn’t matter how good the story and cast are or how excited people are to watch; if it just isn’t a great viewing experience, it won’t be successful. The same logic applies to Esports.

Many games offer great casting options and allow commentators to show and explain more during matches. A complaint many viewers often have is games don’t always have the features available to be enjoyed as a spectator sport.

Games that feel like real sporting events have the most appeal and are easier to watch and enjoy and, in the case of battle royales, are easier to follow.