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For many years, the gaming world was ruled by gaming consoles like Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo, and PC. Fast-forward to today, hardware-based games have been overtaken by online games, all thanks to the substantial number of online games available on various platforms like Android, iOS, Windows Phone OS, Symbian, and even gaming consoles. What’s more, most online games allow players to battle it out against each other, plus most of them are free.
Online games have become extremely popular during the pandemic, as more and more people have started to join. The esports market has grown from being just a pastime for many. The games listed in the article win huge prize pools during esports tournaments. You can get more information on the market by exploring esports participation stats, online game stats, or by visiting professional esports websites.
If you are looking for the most popular and engaging online games, you have come to the right place. In this article, we have prepared a list of the top 7 most popular online games in 2021. Looking to play online casino games instead? You can enjoy the best welcome bonuses via nodepositz.
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Top 7 Most Popular Online Games
 1. Player’s Unknown Battle Ground (PUBG)
Unless you’re completely new to online gaming, PUBG doesn’t need any introduction. Launched in 2018, it is by far the most popular online game with a total player count of more than 1Billion. The theme of PUBG revolves around various modes, whereby players can go one on one or play as a team in the battle royale mode. In the latter mode, the game pits one hundred players against each other, with the last-man-standing being declared the ultimate winner. As a reward for their performance, players receive different perks, which let except for them unlock crates containing valuable in-game items like new gear, weapon customization, and much more.
But perhaps what sets PUBG apart from its peers is the top-notch gameplay and realistic graphics, allowing players to enjoy an immersive gaming experience. Still, the game is available on multiple platforms including Android, IOS, Microsoft Windows, XBOX, PC, and PlayStation.
 2. Minecraft
Developed by Mojang, Minecraft is yet another popular video game and has already won multiple awards like BAFTA Awards (2016) and Game Developers Choice Awards (2011). Boasting an active user base of over 126 million, it is a 3-D sandbox game that has no particular goals or objectives to achieve, giving the players freedom to do whatever they want. Better yet, it can be played as a first-person perspective(FPP) or a third-person perspective(TPP).
Minecraft also allows players to enjoy up to five different game modes including Survival, Creative, Hardcore, Adventure, and Spectator. What’s more, it is available on IOS, Microsoft Windows, macOS, PlayStation, Linux, Nintendo, and Xbox One.
 3. Fortnite
Fortnite is the brainchild of Epic Games, and it is a popular survival and battle royale game with four major game modes including Battle Royale, Party Royale, Creative, and Save the World. The different games modes make it easy for players of all levels to participate in the game irrespective of their gaming skills.
The theme of the game is pegged on the concept of players going against each other, with the last-man-standing getting crowned the winner. And just like PUB, up to 100 players can take part in battle royale mode is 100, although players can also play alone or a group of 4 players.
Another key highlight of the game is that players can build stairs, walls, and other support using different elements to reach the peak of the game.
 4. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO)
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is the fourth installment in Valve’s Counter-Strike series. Available on Windows, macOS, Xbox 360, and PlayStation, and Linux, CS: GO’s theme revolves around two teams divided into Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists fighting each other, with the most common modes being Terrorists trying to locate a bomb and while Counter-Terrorists working to stop them.
At the end of each round, players are given rewards based on their performance, meaning the better the performance the better the rewards are.
 5. League of Legends
Developed by Riot Games, League of Legends is a multiplayer online video game that was inspired by Defense of the Ancients, a custom map that was available in Warcraft III.
The theme of the game comprises two teams with five players on each side going against each other conquering the opponent’s side of the map while still defending theirs. Each player is represented by a character known as a “champion”, all of whom have different playing styles and attributes.
To win the match, the teams need to collect experience points and use them to purchase capability-enhancing in-game items which make the team more powerful to defeat the opposing side. Better yet, the game is available free for everyone although customizations and other supplementary advancements require money.
 6. Dota 2
This online multiplayer MOBA video game from Valve was previously a modification of Warcraft III, although it has grown to become an independent project. Thanks to its multimillion prize pool, the game is now one of the most popular entities in the eSports realm, with a massive following from across the world. What’s more, the game is completely free, with the exception of heroes’ customization.
And just like League of Legends, players are represented by a character known as a “hero”, and they have unique styles of play and capabilities. During a match, players collect as many experience points as possible, which are then used to purchase in-game items that help defeat the opposing team.
7. Among Us
Although relatively new, “Among Us” saw a massive surge of popularity during quarantine, exceeding 217 million downloads in 2020. Developed by InnerSloth, “Among Us” is a multiplayer game whereby players are assigned the role of either a Crewmate or an Impostor at the beginning of each round. Basically, Crewmate players are required to either finish all their tasks or assemble for a meeting to vote off all the Impostors, while Impostors win by hiding among the Crewmates to kill most of them discreetly or without getting voted off.
Among Us was initially released in June 2018 on mobile, with the PC version coming into the market later that year. By June 2020, the game had an average of 500 players before it was thrown into the spotlight by Twitch streamers who discovered the game. Later in the year, the game viewership on Twitch rose to an average of 204,000, and since then, the game has continued to be a steady rise.
Final Thoughts
Today, most of us spend half of our time in front of electronic devices and mostly playing online games. Different online video games offer different opportunities, which makes it extremely challenging to choose the right one. With the help of our list of the top 7 most popular online games, however, you shouldn’t have a problem choosing the most popular online games this 2022.
Thank you for reading!