What Are The Most Famous Multiplayer Gaming Maps In Esports?

The world of competitive gaming is fast becoming one of the most digested forms of entertainment on the planet, with millions of hours being invested into playing and watching some of the biggest titles. Here are some of the most commonly seen maps being played from the world of Esports. 

Dust II – Counter-Strike 

Easily one of the most famous and long standing multiplayer maps in the entire gaming community, a lot has changed for Counter-Strike’s leading light, Dust II, since the game’s original release. One of the few maps to be included in all four of the franchise’s titles, it has undergone renovations, restructures and been given numerous facelifts over the years to leave it with the condition it is in now. From Fortnite, Far Crys 3 and 5 to Minecraft, the map has also  managed to branch itself out into different games from the Esports world. 

Whether it’s through competitive matchmaking or deathmatches, Dust II has become so popular with gamers that in 2018 it was moved out of the competitive pool and given its very own mode, showing off just how many people try to clamour on it. The map is designed out of three main long strips that lead up to CT spawn and bombsites A and B, and are easy enough to walkthrough and practice your grenade/utility throwing on, as well as making sure that your movement in game is up to par. 

However, that isn’t to say Dust II isn’t without a high skill ceiling for upper ranked players, there’s still plenty to keep the pros entertained with. Bombsite B remains one of the hardest bombsites in the game to retake if the CTs rush towards it, the flip on the direction of the doors at B is a new and exciting change, and the standoffs between CT Ramp, A Plant and Short are always super-competitive. 

Summoner’s Rift – League of Legends

Another one of the oldest, but still most played, map in the entire world of Esports, Summoner’s Rift is made up of five turrets in total across a dark and gloomy woodland map that players will have to work through before they can attack the enemy team’s Nexus. The map’s three lanes house three turrets in addition to the two turrets guarding the Nexus. Each team’s side of the map has a Jungle section that allows players to enter via a set number of routes and slay NPC enemies for gold, levelling experience and certain strategic buffs that come off the higher levelled foes. 

The map is arguably one of the most carefully constructed designs in all of Esports history, and is a favourite for League of Legends betting fans to flex their knowledge around and put their money where their mouth is.  

The Map – Dota 2 

Taking a lot of its influence from Starcraft 2 and the Defence of the Ancients game mode from Warcraft 3 that ultimately spawned the Dota franchise, the map from Dota 2 is a 15,000 x 15,000 game units square featuring the Radiant and Dire teams split equally by a diagonal lined river running across the map. Just like with League of Legends, the aim of the game is to make your way across the map, harvest experience, power ups and buffs before attempting to take down the enemy team’s towers, known as Ancients in Dota. 

There are once again three lanes that lead from one camp across the map to the other, Upper, Middle and Lower that each team will battle across. The map provides plenty of balance for pros and casuals alike, with the top lane for Dire and bottom lane for Radiants seen as the safer options for honing skills and developing an understanding of the game, whilst Mid has always been where the superstars of Dota really shine.