As an avid gamer, Nolan Rosen esports competitor is keenly aware of the rise in popularity during the last decade. Gaming has grown from online multiplayer sessions to mega-popular arena competitions that award hundreds of thousands, and in some cases millions, in prizes and attract thousands of fans. In 2025, there were dozens of massive in-person esports events for games like Rocket League, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike 2.
Here’s a sample of some of the largest esports competitions this year.
ALGS Championship
Held from January 28 to February 2 at the Daiwa House PREMIST DOME in Sapporo, Japan, the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) began with 40 teams participating in a group stage format. After the bracket stage, the top 20 teams advanced to the winners bracket, competing in a match point format with the first team to earn 50 points securing the $600,000 grand prize. The total prize pool was $2 million and more than 30,000 people attended the weekend matches. The ALGS was also broadcast live on Twitch and YouTube.
GoNext Esports, which were seventh after the group stage, claimed the top prize, while Alliance and Team Falcons finished second and third, earning $320,000 and $210,000, respectively. The fifth season of ALGS will be even bigger, with 160 teams competing for a share of $5 million in prize money.
BLAST Slam II
A Dota 2 competition held in Singapore, BLAST Slam II featured 10 invited teams competing for a share of $1 million in prize money. After finishing first place in Group A with a 3-1 record, Tundra Esports earned a bye to the semifinals, where they beat Nigma Galaxy 2-1. They defeated Gaimin Gladiators 3-0 in the grand final, earning the $400,000 first-place prize.
This was Tundra Esports’ second consecutive Tier 1 tournament victory and was extra special for player dyrachyo, a former member of Gaimin Gladiators.
PGL Cluj-Napoca
Originally scheduled for Buenos Aires, Argentina, PGL moved the first of its four Counter-Strike 2 competitions to the BT Arena in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Sixteen teams competed in the Swiss System format for a share of the $1.25 million prize pool. The event featured commentators, creators, and esports analysts from several countries, including Canada, US, Denmark, and India.
MOUZ won the $400,000 first-place prize, beating Team Falcons 3-1 in the grand final.
RLCS Birmingham Major
With a prize pool of $5 million, the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) is one of the most lucrative esports competitions in 2025. This was the 14th season of the RLCS and featured several changes, including the addition of Last Chance Qualifiers and an expanded World Championship from 16 to 20 teams.
The Birmingham Major, a 3v3 event held at the bp pulse LIVE arena from March 27-30, culminated with an eight-team playoff and had more than $350,000 up for grabs, as well as critical RLCS Circuit Ranking Points, which help determine the teams in the RLCS 2025 World Championship, held in Lyon, France, from September 10-14.
Karmine Corp won the $102,000 first-place prize and earned 30 RLCS Circuit Ranking Points. They were one of the 20 teams, and one of four from Europe, to qualify for the RLCS 2025 World Championship.
FISSURE Playground #1
A Counter-Strike 2 tournament held in Belgrade, Serbia from July 15-20, FISSURE Playground #1 was the first of two scheduled events hosted by the broadcasting studio this year. It had a $450,000 prize pool and featured 16 teams. Subsequent Playground events are scheduled through 2028, including one in China from April 20-26, 2026.
Sixteen teams competed in the inaugural Playground competition, with eight advancing to the single-elimination playoffs. TYLOO, a Chinese organization considered among the premier Counter-Strike teams in the world, finished first and won the $150,000 first-place prize.