If you love the video game you play, it’s quite obvious you follow the eSports scene – knowing the best player to ever touch that game, strategies you’d like to implement to win your ranked games, or supporting your favorite eSports team that’ll take the title of world champion! Several major eSports tournaments around the world celebrate your favorite games and pit the best players against each other for thrilling tournaments and grand awards. Below is a list of the best ten major eSports tournaments that take place in the United States of America.
Capcom Cup – San Francisco, Washington
For all you Street Fighter fans, the Capcom Cup has one of the biggest arcade-style fighting tournaments in the world, boasting a prize pool of over $2 million, with the winner receiving $1 million – the largest prize pool for any fighting game.
You’ll witness 47 of the best players in Street Fighter besting one another, who are split up into eight groups. Players go head-to-head in a three-round match in a round-robin format until only two from each bracket make it to the elimination stages. Each duel in the final stages of the tournament features a five-round knockout match, and the winners keep progressing forward until only two compete for the grand prize of a million dollars.
IEM – Dallas, Texas
IEM Dallas is seven days of non-stop Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) action from the best teams and players from all around the world. The week starts with an intense matchup between all eight teams going in for a best-of-one (Bo1) knockout match, in which teams will be tested on their ability to adapt and prove they’re the best out of the best. In the next round, many attendees corner their seats as it leads into a best-of-three, allowing teams to clutch up, usually being the pinnacle of the week until the finals.
The top three teams move into the playoffs, where the winners from each group get a ticket directly into the semi-finals. In the meantime, the runner-up and third-place teams from each group compete with one another in the quarterfinals, needing to prove their thirst for victory.
CDL Major 2 – Boston
The CDL Major 2 is the second of the five regular season majors that occur in 2023 for Call of Duty players, featuring a double knockout elimination tournament between the best players and teams in the world. The tournament will consist of 12 teams facing off against each other in thrilling qualifying matches, where teams will be battling to gain the most CDL points and secure the top spot.
CDL Major 3 – Dallas
In case you missed CDL Major 2, don’t worry. CDL Major 3 will be waiting for you only a few months later, with similar teams that compete at the highest level of Call of Duty and take home the grand prize of $200,000. The tournaments share a similar format in which twelve teams compete against one another in best-of-five rounds, with CDL points helping teams secure a spot in the next round of elimination. Similar to CDL Major 2, this tournament will also have a best-of-seven-round match for the finals, keeping the tensions as high as possible.
RLCS Winter Major – San Diego
In the RLCS (Rocket League Championship), 16 teams will be divided into four groups, each consisting of four teams. Every team will battle it out in a round-robin format, with every match being a best-of-five in round 1, then a best-of-seven for the rest of the tournament. Winners from each group will qualify for the quarterfinals of the playoffs, while second and third-placed teams will have to secure their spots in round 1 of the playoffs. The tournament ensures the survival of the fittest and best, who’ll be walking home with the prize money of $100,000.
RLCS Spring Major – Boston
The four-day RLCS Spring Major is one of the biggest Rocket League tournaments in the world, where the best teams display their skills and fight for the $100,000 grand prize. The tournament hosts 16 of the best teams, split into four groups, who will go in a best-of-five round-robin format for every match in round 1. Winners from each group move forward to the quarterfinals, while the second and third-placed teams fight for their spots in round 1 of the playoffs, which are a best-of-seven format. You’ll witness various strategies from the best teams in the world and cheer your favorite team to victory.
All matches in the tournament will be as intense as the previous one, where teams will compete against each other in a best-of-five format, allowing players to adapt and put out the best performances. The finals, however, are a best-of-seven match where players will be in great rhythm and fans will be edging their seats, cheering their team to victory for a grand total of $200,000.
Genesis 9 – San Jose, California
Genesis 9 is one tournament that you wouldn’t want to miss out on, without a doubt. Genesis 9 is an annual tournament with nearly 5,000 attendees, a 24-hour overnight venue consisting of over 150,000 square feet of gaming fun, and the largest and most competitive grass-roots Smash event that is hosted every year. The tournament offers more of a festival experience with several free-to-play arcades and rhythm games, lots of fun side events, artists, workshops, and even food vendors offering mouthwatering foo
It’ll be quite easy for you to get lost in all the fun; however, the main event, the finales, takes place inside the convention center and includes competitors and attendees, while you still have the option to skip out on the finals and take a friend and challenge each other on your favorite arcade game.
Overwatch World Cup – Anaheim, California
The Overwatch World Cup is an annual international tournament hosted by game developer Blizzard Entertainment that is finally coming back after three long years. Taking part in this tournament are 40 teams from across the globe who will compete across three conferences, out of which only the top 16 teams will qualify for the finals.
The top 16 teams that qualify will travel to California for the group stages, which will happen on LAN, out of which the top eight teams will fight for their victory in a single-elimination bracket in front of you and fans supporting their favorite teams!
The Evolution Championship Series – Las Vagas
The Evolution Championship Series (EVO) has been around for twenty years, hosting the biggest stage for international and national teams to compete with one another on the biggest stage for fighting games. The three-day tournament is completely open for players to register and uses the double-elimination format. It features games like Tekken, Dragon Ball Fighter, Street Fighter, and much more.
All matches in the tournament will be as intense as the previous one, where teams will compete against each other in a best-of-five format, allowing players to adapt and put out the best performances. The finals, however, are a best-of-seven match where players will be in a great rhythm and fans will be edging their seats, cheering their team to victory for a cash prize worth $200,000.
The International (DOTA 2) – Seattle, Washington
The International, better known as TI, is another annual eSports world tournament brought to you by game developers, Valve. The tournament will feature the world’s best DOTA teams competing for the title of world’s best and the Aegis of Champions.
Not only is Dota 2 one of the best Multiplayer Online Battle Arena’s (MOBA) with a huge fan base, but it also has the record for the highest prize pool compared to any other eSports tournament in the world. Last year, reportedly, the winners of IT DOTA 2022 were awarded a grand prize of $18,865,624 and also passed their record-breaking viewership numbers, which went up to 2.7 million people at their peak. If you haven’t noticed already, there isn’t a single tournament as big as The International, and you surely wouldn’t want to miss it.
If you’d like to know more about esports, gaming festivals, and tournaments, don’t forget to keep tuning in.
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