For the past few years, the competitive gaming scene has kept a keen eye on one thing: guns. It may be Counter Strike’s AWP, Apex Legends’ Peacekeeper, or Tracer’s pulse pistols from Overwatch 2, but it’s clear that fans cannot get enough.
Esports tournaments get millions of fans and thousands of players looking at the shooter genre. People are spending days doing very little except refining their skills just to have a shot at winning their next game in this fierce domain.
Valorant, one of the most popular First Person Shooter (FPS) games, has had an astonishing start to its Esports scene. According to Esports Charts, VALORANT Champions 2023, one of Valorant’s biggest tournaments, had a viewership of 1.2 million viewers and sported a massive prize pool of $2.2 million. Its player base is extraordinary, especially considering the game is only 4 years old.
The competitive scene would not be the same without its massive audiences. Kai Beckman, an OH Junior and eager fan, said, “I watch every VCT I can. Personally, I follow Valorant’s esports scene, but every so often I’ll tune into another game like Apex or Overwatch.”
Valorant’s rise is nothing to be surprised about. Coming from the developers of the massive eSports powerhouse League of Legends and following with mechanics from fan-favorite games of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Overwatch, Valorant was sure to be a top game both with competitors and audiences.
Another example of a top shooter video game would be Fortnite. Arguably one of the most mainstream competitive shooters,Esports Charts reported that Fortnite sported a peak viewership of 2.3 million, and its biggest ever prize pool was $30 million.
But why has this genre risen so much? Is it the adrenaline rush of wiping an entire team? Or is it the hype plays made in the final storm circles? I believe it is safe to say it’s a combination of them all.
One reason would be that the genre is an absolute blast. It’s fun to play. Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds has had an all-time peak of 3.2 million players, and Counter-Strike 2 has had a peak of 1.8 million players, according to SteamDB.
If it’s fun to play, it’s fun to watch too. People see tournaments like VCT and are amazed by the hype plays and the shocking clutches.
“It’s real fun to just watch the pros go ham, and if I can catch a few tips along the way, it’s definitely well worth my time,” said Beckman.
Another reason for their growth would be the sheer variety within the genre. There’s always a game that fits anyone’s playstyle. Want to take it fast, with a heavy focus on mechanical skill? Play Apex Legends. Rather play slower, with a larger focus on tactics and game-sense? Try Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege.
Even with its massive player base, the shooter scene still has plenty of room to grow. Massive powerhouses in the genre, like Apex Legends or Valorant, are still only four or five years old.
Major developments and upsets within the game are still going to happen, and with the amount of money and time being poured into these games, the only direction to go would be up.
Hello, I am Quinn Villanueva! This is my first year on 42Fifty! I am a junior at OHS, and am a proud member of the OH Bowling team. I'm also a gamer who enjoys a wide variety of video games. I'm excited to be here!
Shooting games are just fun! I sort of get adrenaline from toxic guys telling me I can’t play because I’m a girl.