Throne of Games

The eternal struggle for the #1 spot in esports

Image courtesy of GillesBone.com

Much like the perpetual warring between the great houses of Westeros, the esports world has many fierce rivalries, with an ever revolving door for who occupies the Throne of Games.

Who sits on the throne right now and who is lurking in wait to usurp one of the great houses or even the throne itself?

The Great Houses

League of Legends (House Baratheon)

“Ours if the Fury.”

With the most active players, seriously it’s something close to 1% of the world’s population, LoL currently occupies the Throne of Games. But can they hold the much-coveted crown amidst a relentless onslaught from all directions by a whole host of worthy opponents?

StarCraft (House Stark)

“Winter is coming”

Competitive StarCraft kickstarted the whole esports boom and was the undisputed king of Korean esports for close to a decade. If it was not for SC, would esports like LoL and Dota 2 even exist, let alone be anywhere near what they are today? Despite its wild success winter is coming for SC2, as player numbers and tournament prize pools dwindle in comparison to the other major esports titles.

Dota 2 (House Lannister)

“A Lannister always pays his debts.”

Cashed up and not afraid to flaunt it. With the full backing of Valve, Dota 2 makes a point to break its own record for largest prize pool in esports on a yearly basis at The International (Dota’s version of a world championship).

Street Fighter (House Targaryen)

“Fire and Blood.”

The original esport, Street Fighter has shown incredible longevity but has struggled to stay relevant with it’s dated business model. Charging users $80 every few years for access to the updated version of a game doesn’t fly in the world of esports. For the last few years, it seems like Street Fighter has been surviving on nostalgia alone. If Street Fighter could successfully execute a free to play business model circa just about every other esports title, then re-ascension to the Throne of Games is not out of the question.

Counter Strike (House Tully)

“Family, Duty, Honor.”

The undisputed king of FPS, Counterstrike is currently in the midst of a full frontal assault on their Kingdom by Overwatch (House Frey). With its aging game modes, can CS hold onto its crown or will we see a repeat of the Red Wedding?

Overwatch (House Frey)

“We stand together.”

In a genius move by Blizzard, Overwatch combines a MOBA style game mode with an FPS format, which has proven to be an explosive success. In less than a year, Overwatch has gone from zero to one of the top 5 esports titles. At this rate, it’s only a matter of time until Overwatch usurps CS as the king of FPS.

Hearthstone (House Tyrell)

“Growing Strong.”

This notoriously well mannered, if not a little bit pompous, game has a vast and heavily populated player base. Largely due to the game’s ease of access in both device choice (available on PC, Mac, iOS, and Android) and game design; if you’ve ever played MTG, Pokemon cards, or Yugioh, you’ll pick it up in an instant. Hearthstone seems to hang around, never making any obvious major moves, but for some reason always feels like it could be a threat to the throne.

Rocket League (House Arryn)

“As High As Honor”

“High” is definitely a word I’ve heard thrown around by people describing the state you’d have to be in to come up with Rocket League and actually think it would be a success. Despite this, the bizarre racing sim/soccer hybrid has developed a legion of loyal players and fans.

Smite (House Greyjoy)

“What Is Dead May Never Die”

While Smite seems engaged in an inexorable assault on the top MOBAs, it never seems to gain any ground as the LoL and Dota 2 powerhouses continue to outperform it.

Smash Bros (Night’s Watch)

“Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night’s Watch, for this night and all the nights to come.”

How does a game that is available exclusively on a 15-year-old console (no, that Wii U bastard child version does not count) still attract hundreds of thousands of players, massive viewer bases, and tournaments with prize pools in the tens of thousands? This is an absolute anomaly, I guess for some, standing steadfast and unchanging is the best defense.

Other Nobel Houses?

Did we miss anyone? Who are the up-and-coming games that may eventually wrest control of over the esports world away from the current giants?