Apex Legends is a fast-paced battle royale where teams of three compete to be the last squad standing. Players select from a roster of “Legends,” each with their own unique abilities, strengths, and playstyles. Matches combine sharp shooting, quick decision-making, and team coordination across sprawling, ever-changing maps.
What makes Apex Legends special is the emphasis on teamwork and strategy. Squads must communicate, share resources, and combine abilities to outsmart opponents. With constant updates, new Legends, and evolving challenges, Apex Legends offers both casual fun and intense competition, making it a cornerstone of modern esports.
ESRB Rating: Teen
The Call of Duty series is one of the most recognized names in competitive gaming, offering fast-paced multiplayer matches across a variety of game modes. Players test their reflexes and aim in objective-based or elimination rounds that demand both individual skill and team coordination.
Call of Duty challenges players to think quickly under pressure, making it a strong platform for building focus, communication, adaptability, strategy, and collaboration in a competitive environment.
ESRB Rating: Mature
Chess.com competition features head-to-head play across rapid, blitz, and classical time controls, plus arenas, leagues, and seasonal events. Players prepare openings, manage time, and convert advantages under pressure — all while learning deep strategic ideas like tactics, endgames, and positional play.
As an esport, Chess.com emphasizes focus, pattern recognition, and preparation. With ratings, tournaments, and post-game analysis tools, it’s perfect for students who enjoy steady improvement and high-level competition.
ESRB Rating: Everyone
ChessKid.com is the kid-friendly version of online chess — same great game, wrapped in a safe, simplified platform. Players learn with videos, puzzles, and bots, then compete in child-appropriate tournaments and head-to-head matches.
It’s ideal for newer or younger competitors: clean visuals, protected accounts, and structured lessons build confidence before they graduate to faster time controls and larger events.
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Fortnite is a survival action game where players compete to be the last person or team standing. Using a unique combination of shooting mechanics and building skills, players gather supplies, construct defensive structures, and engage in combat on a shrinking battlefield. The game features four competitive modes:
- Zone Wars simulates late-game scenarios with fast-paced action. Players must act and think quickly to eliminate their opponents before the storm completely engulfs the map.
- Box Fights focuses on close-quarters battles that emphasize precision and strategy. Contained within a small space, two teams match build mechanics with quick reflexes to eliminate their opponents before they themselves are eliminated.
- Elimination Race is the standard battle royale with a twist. Two opposing teams of two join a lobby as a squad of four; once in the game, they must go their separate ways and avoid meeting up until the end. The goal is to best the other team by either collecting more eliminations or outlasting them. Win priority: most eliminations, longest survival, final elimination.
- No Builds removes building mechanics entirely. Players compete in the modes above without being able to construct, forcing adaptation to pure positioning, aim, and utility.
ESRB Rating: Teen
iRacing is a premier online motorsport simulator that delivers one of the most realistic racing experiences available. Players compete on laser-scanned tracks in authentic vehicles, where precision, focus, and consistency are key to success.
More than just speed, iRacing emphasizes discipline, strategy, and racecraft. Drivers must manage tires, fuel, and positioning while adapting to changing conditions. With leagues, tournaments, and official rankings, iRacing is as much a competitive esport as it is a true-to-life racing experience.
ESRB Rating: Teen
Marvel Rivals is a 6v6 team-based action game where players step into the roles of iconic Marvel heroes and villains like Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Loki. Each character brings unique abilities, and teamwork is the key to victory as players battle across dynamic maps and objectives. Fast-paced and strategy-driven, Marvel Rivals blends the excitement of superhero action with the teamwork and coordination of traditional sports.
What makes Marvel Rivals stand out is its emphasis on collaboration — every hero plays a different role, and teams must combine powers to succeed. With new maps, characters, and updates added regularly, no two matches are ever the same, making it both fun for casual play and thrilling at a competitive level.
ESRB Rating: Teen
NBA 2K26 brings the excitement of professional basketball to esports. Players control NBA teams or custom characters in matches that combine realistic gameplay, strategy, and skill. From fast breaks to three-point shots, it captures the energy of the sport while testing quick decision-making and precision.
As an esport, NBA 2K26 emphasizes team play, communication, and basketball IQ. Players coordinate on offense and defense, balancing individual skills with teamwork to succeed — much like playing the game on the real court.
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Overwatch 2 is a 5v5 team-based hero shooter where players select from a growing roster of diverse heroes, each with unique roles and abilities. Teams must complete objectives such as capturing points or escorting payloads while balancing offense, defense, and support.
With streamlined team sizes and reworked heroes, Overwatch 2 emphasizes both individual impact and strong teamwork. The fast pace, colorful maps, and constant updates keep the action fresh, making it both approachable for new players and deeply strategic for competitive teams.
ESRB Rating: Teen
Rainbow Six Siege is a tactical, team-based shooter that emphasizes strategy, planning, and precision. Two teams of five players face off in objective-driven rounds, using specialized Operators with unique abilities to either defend or attack.
Unlike faster-paced shooters, Siege rewards communication, map knowledge, and careful execution. Each round feels like a chess match with added intensity, making it a favorite for students who enjoy problem-solving under pressure.
ESRB Rating: Mature
Rocket League combines soccer with rocket-powered cars in a fast-paced, high-flying competition. Teams of up to four players race across the arena, boosting, flipping, and soaring through the air to score goals against their opponents.
The game is easy to pick up but takes practice to master, making it a favorite for both casual and competitive play. Rocket League encourages quick reflexes, smart positioning, and teamwork, with each player’s skills contributing to the flow of the match.
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a crossover fighting game featuring over 70 characters from Nintendo and beyond, including Mario, Link, Pikachu, Sonic, and even guest fighters like Cloud and Ryu. Players battle on dynamic stages, using simple controls and creative strategies to knock their opponents off the screen.
Easy to learn but endlessly challenging to master, Smash is beloved for its mix of fast-paced action, character variety, and competitive depth. Whether in one-on-one duels or team matches, every battle is exciting, unpredictable, and fun for both players and spectators.
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
The Finals is a unique team-based shooter where players compete in televised-style tournaments filled with action, destruction, and creativity. Teams must capture objectives while battling in dynamic environments that can be reshaped in real time — walls, floors, and buildings can be blown apart to create new strategies.
What sets The Finals apart is its unpredictability. Every match feels different, as players experiment with character builds, gadgets, and environmental tactics. It’s a game that rewards adaptability and teamwork in a constantly evolving battlefield.
ESRB Rating: Teen
Valorant is a tactical, 5v5 first-person shooter where players combine sharpshooting skills with unique agent abilities. Teams alternate between attacking and defending objectives, requiring both precise aim and strategic coordination.
What sets Valorant apart is its blend of fast-paced gunplay and character-driven tactics. Every round is a test of communication, timing, and teamwork, making it one of the most competitive and popular esports titles in the world today.
ESRB Rating: Teen