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The Best Esports Games for 2020

If you dream of becoming a professional video game player, you need to get good right now. We've reviewed the top esports titles that can launch you on your quest for gaming glory.

Jeffrey L. Wilson
 & Jeffrey L. Wilson Managing Editor, Apps and Gaming

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

Related:
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  • League of Legends (for PC)

    League of Legends (for PC)

    4.5 Outstanding

    Pros & Cons

      • Competitive and addictive gameplay, with lots of variation between Champions.
      • Easy to learn, despite having complex gameplay and customization elements.
      • Thriving online community with fair micro transactions.
      • Free.
      • Runes and Masteries aren't as useful as they should be early in the game.
      • Some Champions are overpowered.

    Bottom Line:

    Bottom Line:

    League of Legends, the incredibly popular PC title from Riot Games, continues to shine as the crown jewel of the MOBA genre.

    Specs & Configurations

    ESRB Rating E for Everybody
    Games Genre Action
    Games Platform PC
    Get It Now
    Learn More League of Legends (for PC) Review Review
  • PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
    Best for Serious Battle Royale Fans

    PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Great visuals and atmosphere.
      • Novel "battle royale" concept.
      • Active development growing community.
      • Fast matchmaking.
      • Gameplay can be repetitive.
      • Still somewhat buggy.
      • Annoying pop-in graphics.

    Bottom Line:

    Bottom Line:

    PUBG has a lot of momentum, due to its growing user base, departure from the FPS/survival genre norms, and technically impressive play environment. But there's still room for improvement.

    Specs & Configurations

    Games Genre Action Games
    Games Genre Online
    Games Platform PC
    Get It Now
    Learn More PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (for PC) Review

Buying Guide: The Best Esports Games for 2020

More on Esports

None

Esports is big business, with thousands of hungry players looking to get a part of the pot. For more on esports, check out:

Recommended by Our Editors

Acer Launching Streaming-Only Handheld Gaming PC
Acer Launching Streaming-Only Handheld Gaming PC
Valve's Steam Deck Is Back in Stock, But It Comes With a Shocking Price Hike
Valve's Steam Deck Is Back in Stock, But It Comes With a Shocking Price Hike
No Steam Machine Scalpers? Reservation System May Be Ready At Launch
No Steam Machine Scalpers? Reservation System May Be Ready At Launch

Photo Credit: Copyright: ESL | [Helena Kristiansson]

About Our Expert

Jeffrey L. Wilson

Jeffrey L. Wilson

Managing Editor, Apps and Gaming

Since 2004, I've written about consumer tech for many publications, including 1UP, Laptop, Parenting, Sync, Wise Bread, and WWE. I now apply that knowledge and skill set as the managing editor of PCMag's apps and gaming team.

The Technology I Use

As a member of the App & Gaming team, I use a wide variety of apps and services. Google Drive is an essential file-syncing service for moving documents between team members in this work-from-home era. Scrivener has been an invaluable writing tool as I rework my fiction manuscript. YouTube Premium and YouTube TV deliver hours of entertainment (though I only use the latter service during the F1 and NBA playoff seasons).

In terms of hardware, I use a Lenovo Thinkpad Carbon X1 laptop for work and an Origin PC tower for playing PC games. I also have a Steam Deck, which lets me play my favorite titles under a shade tree. Of course, I have a smartphone, and the Google Pixel 9a is my handset of choice.

My main input devices are the Das Keyboard 4 Professional and Logitech MX Vertical Ergonomic Mouse, though I bust out the Hori Fighting Commander Octa or Hori Fight Stick Alpha when mixing it up in fighting games. I have a thing for arcade sticks. I collect Neo Geo AES games, too, but only if I can find the carts on the (relative) cheap.

For video and music consumption, I fire up my Lenovo Tab P11; it has a sharp screen and great Dolby Atmos-powered speakers. My Kindle Paperwhite has received much use, too. I have a standalone, Sony Blu-ray player connected to a TCL television when it's time to go full cinephile. I'm also a vinyl guy, so the Bluetooth-enabled Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT keeps the wax spinning.

My first computer was a Commodore 64. Long live BASIC and retro computers!

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