The beginning of 2024 has proven to be quite successful for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), as one of its tournaments achieved a significant peak viewership. The ongoing ESL Snapdragon Pro Series: BGMI recorded 61,000 peak viewers during Round 2 of Week 1, Day 1. Propelling it to become the fourth most popular in the series.
The Snapdragon Pro Series stands out as one of the largest and most diverse, featuring 11 mobile-based disciplines, including New State Mobile and Brawl Stars. This is a noteworthy figure for the Indian market, and considering it has become the most popular non-MLBB event in the series. It is a commendable achievement.
In fact, the top five matches by this metric surpass the previous record not involving MLBB. Indicating a renewed interest among audiences for the Indian version of PUBG Mobile. This also bodes well for the new season, marking the first full one for BGMI since its comeback from a government-imposed ban in mid-2022.
Important statistics from the first week of the ESL Snapdragon Pro Series: BGMI
The Indian esports market is predominantly saturated with mobile games. Reflecting the accessibility of these devices compared to consoles or PCs in this part of the world. Hence, titles like Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, COD Mobile, and Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) enjoy high popularity and boast impressive viewership statistics.
However, this preference for smartphone-based competitive play has not translated into major audience numbers as seen in a discipline like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. This Montoon MOBA is deeply rooted in the SEA psyche and remains one of the most popular esports titles globally. As evident from its record-extending M5 World Championship.
Most popular competitions in the Snapdragon Pro Series so far:
This dynamic may change if the momentum gained at the ESL Snapdragon Pro Series: BGMI continues into the new year. What has rallied fans behind the game is its ban (barely over a year after release) and subsequent unbanning after a ten-month battle. During which followers of the genre had no means of playing it.
More significantly, the esports scene suffered, with fans deprived of watching their favorite teams and players compete locally and internationally. As one of the largest markets for the game, there were repercussions across disciplines, with Indian PUBG Mobile sides unable to compete, and BGMI faced uncertainty.
However, the local edition’s return last year appears to have reignited the passion within pro gamers and fans, with average viewership numbers for events held since then surpassing previous levels. The ESL Snapdragon Pro Series: BGMI is another beneficiary of this trend and has made a strong start to the new year.
Organizers hope that viewers will continue to tune in until February 18, when the winner will be decided. For now, they can draw positives from surpassing Free Fire, Brawl Stars, and PUBG Mobile in terms of peak viewership numbers for a BGMI tournament.