Watch CBS News

5 Times Video Games Looked (Sort Of) Like Real Sports

Last month, a team of five young men earned more than $5 million by winning a tournament for the strategy video game "Dota 2."

And no, they didn't luck out. They beat the world's top teams in a grueling series of games part of an annual tournament called The International. This year, the prize pool for this one event was more than $10 million.

But these competitions aren't really about the money (which, in the case of the International, is mostly supplied by fans of the game). They're about the lightning-quick plays, the strategies, the comebacks, the crushing defeats – all the things that make people scream and weep when watching traditional sports.

Competitive video games, or esports, is an emerging phenomenon. Not only do these games now have huge player bases, they also have massive, hardcore audiences. For this year's International, 20 million people watched the tournament. And for the game "League of Legends", 32 million people watched the finals of last year's championship series.

To put that in perspective, about 18 viewers million watched this year's NBA finals.

But enough numbers. You came for the moments.

And while you might not have a clue what's going on in these games, just try to take in the action, the passion, and (in some cases) the surprising production value.

1. The Alliance tops Na'Vi in the The International 3 Finals

Seeing this just makes you want to slam your fist on a desk.

Dota 2 TI3 - Na'Vi vs Alliance - The Final Moments (Multicam) by DotaCinema on YouTube

---

2. Daigo Umehara Outplays Justin Wong In "Street Fighter III: Third Strike"

This is a comeback of comebacks. Just when hope is all but lost, the plays come.

EVO Moment #37 - Daigo(Ken) defeats Justin(Chun-li) by NightmareZer0 on YouTube

---

3. Justin Wong "Returns" At UMVC3 EVO 2014

Go to the end, and watch the video game equivalent of the Lambeau Leap...or roll.

UMVC3 EVO 2014: JUSTIN WONG vs CHRIS G Grand Finals by PS3GamingHD on YouTube

---

4. League Of Legends: Crazy Ending In 'El Clasico'

This clip even explains what's going on for you.

Fnatic Best Play Ever by LoL Esports on YouTube

---

5. Smash Melee Grand Final Apex 2014

You might have thought Nintendo's "Super Smash Bros. Melee" was a party game. Turns out, there's a die-hard competitive scene that's been around for years.

Super Smash Bros Melee Grand Final CT EMP Mew2King vs VGBC Dr PP - Apex 2014 Tournament by Team Spooky on YouTube

---

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.