Get ready 2018, eSports is coming in with a bang. This year is supposed to be eSports biggest year yet with lots in store for eSports fans. Every year the professional gaming competition has grown exponentially, but there is something about 2018 that is different. eSports is making exciting changes to the existing games and leagues and even new ones. We all know eSports is here to stay based on their recent success, however, given everything they have planned for 2018 it could be a major success.

eSports is a world-famous competition that involves playing video games. eSports creates an organized multi-player video game competition where professional gamers compete against each other in front of a large audience. You can watch professional gamers play real-time strategy, fighting, sports, first-person shooter, multiplayer online battle and more. If you attended or kept up with eSports last year, you don’t want to miss out this year. Find out about all the most important eSport events of 2018:

League of Legends: NA LCS

The most popular event of this year was the League of Legends. However, next year they have much more in store for fans. This year your position in the league depended on how well you performed during the season. Beginning in 2018 the NA LCS is franchising. A total of 10 teams have purchased their spot in the LCS and they plan on staying there. It is similar to the way the NFL functions, with a set of 32 teams. The new look of the LCS is a combination of old teams with new teams. However, the existing and beloved teams, the Dignitas and Immortals, have been traded to the shinier NBA-backed organizations. Fans may feel weird about not seeing their traditional eSports teams, however, the faces of some popular players will stay the same.

Overwatch League

Remember the original Overwatch League, where it seemed too fast to follow? This year they are making some major changes on improving the viewing experience to help fans enjoy watching the games. After some preseason matches, fans have commented that the viewing experience is much better than before.

On the other hand, the league was also not doing too well and hasn’t officially taken off in the way that they hoped. However, in the new year, 12 teams have already paid the whopping $20 million fee to join the league. This means there will be an exciting kick off for its inaugural season on January 10th. They have also worked hard on creating extra content around the Overwatch League matches to keep fans engaged.

NBA 2K League

A new addition to their 2018 event calendar is the NBA 2K League. This league is supposed to have the most direct sports team involvement. Fans should get excited, the 2018 NBA 2K League has a total of 17 teams signed up for the first season! At the moment this league doesn’t have too much hype over the eSports 2018 calendar, however, the managing director of the league says there is a strong appetite for it. In fact, this could be the most accessible eSport to a typical audience who doesn’t really understand the sport.

CS: GO, Hearthstone, PUBG, and more

The upcoming new year looks bright for the PUBG tournaments. However, the next big thing looks like it’s going to be Player Unknowns. In 2018, there will be a higher money prize for Hearthstone, and there will be more events. It also looks like other sports games are gaining more traction in eSports. Some other events to look forward too are FIFA eWorld Cup, and F1 eSports World Champion. These leagues have heavily increased in the past year so there will be a good amount of hype for them in 2018.

It looks like the entire eSports industry is shifting quickly into higher gear with even a possibility of Japanese eSports in the works. This is guaranteeing them a larger market in their future. No matter what it looks like, 2018 is looking up and should be a huge year for eSports. The world is starting to take more notice so it’s now up to the players and their teams to put on a great show.