7 Popular Esports Games in Nigeria

Nigeria is one of the up-and-coming countries out there to offer a strong esports community. Youngsters are taking on computer games that can be played competitively and, in many cases, earn them millions of dollars.

Represented strongly in the African Gaming League, Nigeria has been actively participating in esports competitions since August 2016. Here is the list of the most popular games that adolescent Nigerians play.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Released in the early 2000s, CS: GO is one of the defining esports experiences. Today, the game has a massive international following and a good stream of investment which allows many people from around the world to break on the international scene owing to their skill and aptitude at Valve’s FPS game.

Dota 2

Dota, in general, was popular in Nigeria even before the African Gaming League arrived in 2016. As a result, today Dota 2 is one of the most competitive games played in the country. Even though Nigeria is yet to promote a team of its own to the international scene, many players are gathering around the game, building a strong base.

League of Legends

League of Legends is one of the latest games released by Riot Games and one of the most competitive titles as well. As a result, the game is truly one of a kind and it offers some very in-depth strategy thinking that seems to have a positive effect on teenagers.

However, the game is also a very good opportunity for Nigeria to establish itself globally as an esports destination. Esports being so popular and Riot Games investing a lot, there are multiple regional competitions and it’s not unlikely for Riot Games to open a Nigeria or Africa-focused local league.

This will allow the country to show its true colors when it comes to playing video games competitively.

Overwatch

Overwatch is the latest and admittedly most elitist game out there. Nigerians love to play Overwatch, but it may have a very high entry-level, as Blizzard/Activision, the company behind the game, seems to be driven chiefly by the prospect of a solid profit. As a result, gamers in Nigeria will have to continue to enjoy the game on their own, even though a very strong competitive community has been formed around the title.

Rocket League

Another great choice is the Rocket League, the game that mixes football and racing cars. It seems like a great choice and it is. Rocket League is indeed one of those titles that have completely dominated headlines and it’s very likely to continue being an important part of the competitive landscape. What’s more, the entry-level is very low for the Rocket League.

Hearthstone

Hearthstone is a rather pricey competitive game, but Nigerians love it as well. The main issue with the game is that it costs a lot to maintain a great deck, which will require you to spend a fair amount of money every year to maintain it. You may think that this is just some pocket money – after all spending $50 every few months isn't that big of a deal. But then, think that on occasion you might need to pay for an emergency job around the house and you will need this money that you just spent on the game.

Imagine, for example, that you needed your front door’s lock fixed quickly. You would love to have your lock fixed expertly and that’s why you would call https://get-locksmith.com/residential-locksmith. The problem will be solved in a matter of minutes.

When there is still some great alternative out there in terms of free esports games, you might want to consider before playing a game that some described as paid-to-win.

Clash Royale

Clash Royale is a free to play game available for mobile phones. This is a perfect choice for Nigerians who have great mobile gizmos and often cannot be bothered to spend enough on PCs. With this being said, Clash Royale is a truly fantastic game that we think you should consider playing, especially if you are in Nigeria right now and looking for an esports title to start playing at.

All things considered, the esports industry in Nigeria is a very new thing and it will take a lot of time and effort to nurture it to success. However, most people out there are fully prepared to do what is necessary and guarantee the success of the industry. Nigeria will need to take cautious steps if the country wants to succeed.

Esports are new and they will require a lot of attention. More importantly, esports cannot develop if other social problems continue to exist, as esports is a sign of a developed market, more or less. Therefore, Nigeria will definitely have a few challenges to tackle first before its esports industry meets eye-to-eye with China or the United States.

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