What is the scope of electronic sports in Spain?
The online sports industry is deeply rooted in Spain, which currently has more than 30 million players in the region. A rough estimate puts the number of professional gamers in the country at over 2,000 and revenue from the esports industry at just over $35 million. With these statistics, anyone would be convinced that electronic games have grown enormously in the country.
The country has some notable teams in this field, such as G2 Esports and MAD Lions, which give Spain the worldwide recognition that other countries covet. These teams are not only well known, but have even inspired the Spanish Government to include electronic sports in a development project for the audiovisual industry.
Furthermore, esports betting is big business in Spain, with several sports betting sites available at the click of a few buttons. The best esports betting sites in the country are famous for having betting markets on the most prominent esports games. These include betting markets on new and upcoming events in CS:GO, League of Legends, DOTA 2, and even Valorant. You can bet on any of these games at these sites with a simple deposit, and if you’re lucky with the predictions, you’ll earn some pretty impressive winnings. However, be sure to always look for the best odds, tips and guides to help you make informed decisions about your bets.
All of this puts esports in a positive light for enthusiasts and future professional gamers. As is the case in other countries with a strong presence in esports, gamers prefer to play one esport over another. For example, South Korea is known for its dominance in League of Legends, while the United States is popular for its lead in Counter-Strike: Global Offense (CS:GO). We have done our research and have compiled the five most popular esports games among the Spanish.
The best most played electronic sports games in Spain
According to available data, Spain has held more than 3,000 national and international tournaments. Tournaments in this region have generated over $10 million in prize pools, and the numbers continue to rise with the daily influx of esports enthusiasts. Some of the most popular games that have contributed to this feat are as follows.
Image credits: counter-strike.net
1. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO)
It is not surprising that CS: GO is perhaps the most popular game in all of Spain. This game has proven its relevance for decades with its excellent gameplay and the level of mastery that can be achieved. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) has generated more than $1.1 million in prize pools for Spanish players regionally and internationally.
Also, a team like G2 Esports (known for their CS:GO exploits), hailing from Spain, makes the game more attractive to future professional and enthusiast gamers. ESL has also hosted major offline CS:GO tournaments in the country that have undoubtedly convinced many players of their superiority just by watching.
Image credits: The AfroGamer
2.League Of Legends
In October 2022, the League of Legends-based World Championship tournaments had more than 290,000 viewers from Spain alone. This recent statistic fits perfectly with the data that puts the total earnings of League of Legends in Spain at just over a million dollars. With these data, League of Legends competes with CS: GO for being the most played electronic sports game in Spain.
The League of Legends characters, objectives, weapons, and gameplay are enough to capture the heart of any gamer. It is not surprising to see that it also has a large number of active players and followers in the region.
Image credits: Internet Matters
3.Rocket League
Although Rocket League is less popular on the global esports scale, it is a much-loved game in Spain. Psyonix launched the game in 2015 and it hasn’t taken long to make its way into Spanish esports tournaments. In the relatively few years since its release, the game has generated over $800,000 in prize pools for Spanish players.
As a video game, it combines racing and soccer to provide an engrossing gameplay that is sure to grab the attention of any gamer. Hopefully, in the coming years, the game will gain more visibility so that it can be played on a global scale like CS:GO and League of Legends.
Image Credits: Epic Games
4.Fortnite
Fortnite launched in 2017, and less than a year later, it gained more than 125 million active players. Until last year, data and records from around the world showed that some 80 million players were playing Fortnite on a monthly basis. It is a huge figure and the Spanish take a considerable percentage. Fortnite is a beloved game in Spain, spawning elite esports teams and generating more than $840,000 in revenue to date.
The battle royale theme and the endless number of activities that take place in the game make it ideal for many audiences. That is why it is not surprising that Spanish players are so interested in him.
Image credits: PCGamesN
5.Dota 2
The International 2022, which is the DOTA 2 championship event, registered more than 110 thousand Spanish spectators. Without a doubt, DOTA 2 is one of the highest rated games in the esports industry and Spanish gamers seem to agree. The game is quite similar to League of Legends and has been compared to it on multiple occasions by esports fans. This rivalry between the two MOBA games seems to help draw attention to them, and according to statistics, Spanish players are not left out of the debate and comparison.
Conclution
These are currently the five most popular games in Spain, according to the number of users and the prizes generated by their tournaments. However, other games like Valorant and PUBG are growing fast and could take the top spots for years to come.