Esports Tournaments: Four Platforms To Stream Esports Online

The way we watch esports has undergone a dramatic shift in recent years. Gone are the days when pure latency was the sole concern. Today, esports streaming platforms are evolving into interactive entertainment destinations that redefine how we experience esports.

Twitch pioneered this interactive approach with the introduction of a console-based chat feature. This fosters a strong sense of community, allowing viewers to feel like active participants in the excitement.

While Twitch continues to be a dominant force, a whole ecosystem of challenger platforms has emerged where you can easily stream games from the best casinos not on GamStop. These platforms are vying for viewers by offering unique features and content.

Similar to traditional sports and football leagues, esports streaming platforms often secure exclusive rights to broadcast major tournaments. For example, some platforms might hold exclusive rights to tournaments from Facebook Gaming. In this article, we will be listing out the best platforms to stream Esports.

Twitch TV

Twitch’s appearance on this list should come as no surprise to the average gamer, as even regulars are aware of what Twitch is famous for. It is the biggest Esports streaming platform you’ll find on the internet, and despite the occasional rout around Twitch’s policies, it has still managed to secure its place as the best platform for both streamers and gamers.

This platform isn’t just a major player, it’s the one that revolutionized how we enjoy esports. They offer a vast library of content, featuring the biggest titles like League of Legends, Fortnite, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, Dota 2, Apex Legends, and World of Warcraft. Essentially, you’ll find all the most popular, most-played, and most-watched games globally, along with the most relevant events surrounding them.

Their continued dominance can be partly attributed to their innovative system, especially after being acquired by Amazon. This system empowers content creators with better revenue opportunities while offering subscribers access to a wider range of content. However, this platform isn’t the only option for watching esports online.

YouTube

Recognizing the esports boom, YouTube jumped on board with YouTube Gaming. This platform leverages YouTube’s existing massive pool of content creators and viewers, offering live gameplay streams. This strategy has proven successful, with Fortnite reigning supreme as the most-watched game on YouTube, boasting over 67 billion views in total content. Minecraft and Roblox content also remain highly popular.

However, YouTube Gaming stumbles when it comes to live esports tournaments. Unlike some competitors, YouTube hasn’t secured agreements with major esports leagues. This means viewers won’t find live streams of all the most important tournaments, like global League of Legends or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive leagues. Instead, YouTube Gaming’s live esports coverage is more limited.

Facebook Gaming

Next on the list is Facebook Gaming, which has been growing in popularity since its launch. Facebook Gaming emerged as a competitor to YouTube Gaming, capitalizing on the existing Facebook ecosystem and its “follow” system. Esports fans can easily access a dedicated section within the Facebook app, showcasing tournaments and gameplay from their friends.

However, Facebook Gaming initially took a more aggressive approach to securing exclusive rights. Their 2019 deal with ESL for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 backfired to some extent. Back then, Facebook Gaming lacked the feature set of competitors. Limited functionality and a lack of user-friendly streaming features frustrated viewers. This led many esports fans to resort to unofficial broadcasts on Twitch and YouTube Gaming, despite the exclusivity deals.

Facebook Gaming has learned from these early stumbles, focusing on social integration and adding features to enhance the viewing experience.

Steam TV

The powerhouse behind titles like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2, Valve, naturally entered the esports streaming arena with Steam TV. This platform caters directly to the Steam gaming community, allowing players to natively live stream gameplay and share content.

Steam TV excels as a forum-based platform, fostering communication between streamers and viewers. Its integrated chat system offers both text chat and voice chat options for private groups through Google Chrome. However, Steam TV’s content focus is currently limited. The platform primarily broadcasts its own esports tournaments, like The International for Dota 2 and CS:GO Majors.

Despite this limitation, Steam TV shows promise for the future. Valve’s dedication to the user experience is evident in its efforts to enhance the chat experience with interactive emotes and customizable profiles. While Steam TV may not be a one-stop shop for all esports content, it offers a valuable niche for the Valve game community.