As part of our 2023 Esports Results series of articles, we’ve thoroughly examined every facet of the industry. Our PRO subscribers can delve into more specific articles, such as the top esports tournaments among Korean and Brazilian viewers. Now, it’s time for an overview of the entire industry and to highlight the top 5 most-watched esports disciplines of 2023.
Statistics from Chinese live streaming platforms are unsuitable for direct comparison with other data, preventing us from including these platforms in our statistics. However, viewership of Chinese-language broadcasts on other platforms is included.
For this ranking, we compiled the viewership of esports events for each discipline, excluding non-esports-related live streaming statistics for games. Only broadcasts of esports matches were considered, and this does not exclude competitive events hosted by the community or smaller-scale tournaments for each discipline.
MOST WATCHED ESPORTS DISCIPLINES OF 2023
#5 VALORANT (326.7M HOURS WATCHED)
Valorant starts our ranking in 5th place with 326.73 million hours watched accumulated throughout the year. With the backing of Riot Games, this relatively new esports shooter has quickly become a top choice for fans globally. Although Valorant’s viewership dynamics have remained static compared to 2022, the franchise league system is settling in. Prize pools for the discipline are on the rise, and Valorant is expanding into China in 2024 with a new franchised regional league. While Valorant earned slightly fewer hours watched in 2023 compared to the previous year, the discipline faced challenges in peak viewership, particularly during the Valorant Champions 2023 event.
#4 DOTA 2 (364.1M HOURS WATCHED)
In fourth place is Dota 2, the beloved MOBA title from Valve, generating 364.1 million hours watched in 2023, marking a growth of over 60 million compared to the previous year. The most watched event of the year was The International 2023, which received less viewership than the previous iteration but contributed to Dota 2’s overall growth. Major events and third-party non-Major events, such as the Riyadh Masters 2023 and ESL’s DreamLeague events, significantly contributed to Dota 2’s esports watch time.
#3 COUNTER-STRIKE (381.2M HOURS WATCHED)
Counter-Strike secured the third spot as the third-most watched esports discipline of the year, spanning two separate games with the release of CS2. Counter-Strike garnered 381.22 million hours watched throughout the year, experiencing a substantial drop in viewership compared to 2022. Despite this, the release of the new title is expected to revitalize the discipline, especially with Valve planning its first-ever Major event in China for 2024.
#2 MOBILE LEGENDS: BANG BANG (530.2M HOURS WATCHED)
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, an esports scene not in need of revitalization, earned 530.16 million hours watched in 2023, marking a 190 million hours watched increase compared to the past year. With consistent growth, the mobile gaming esports sector, one of the fastest-growing sections of esports, continues to break records and set new standards for the industry. ML:BB benefited from hosting two World Championships in 2023 and remains a discipline poised for further growth.
#1 LEAGUE OF LEGENDS (590.9M HOURS WATCHED)
The most-watched esports discipline of the year was League of Legends, generating 590.93 million hours watched in 2023, significantly more than any other title in the esports scene. League of Legends set a new esports viewership record during the Grand Final of Worlds 2023, with 6.4 million fans concurrently watching. Despite setting a new viewership record for esports in 2023, League of Legends generated almost 30 million fewer hours watched compared to 2022.
FINAL RANKING OF THE TOP 5 ESPORTS DISCIPLINES OF 2023:
- League of Legends: 590.91M Hours Watched (Peak Viewership: 6.4M)
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang: 530.16M Hours Watched (Peak Viewership: 5.07M)
- Counter-Strike: 381.19M Hours Watched (Peak Viewership: 1.53M)
- Dota 2: 363.92M Hours Watched (Peak Viewership: 1.44M)
- Valorant: 326.72M Hours Watched (Peak Viewership: 1.44M)
League of Legends and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang lead the esports industry by a significant margin, with Counter-Strike, Dota 2, and Valorant following closely behind. The number of events hosted significantly contributes to watch time in esports disciplines, with shooters hosting more events compared to MOBAs. While viewership for Dota 2 and Valorant remained stable, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang saw significant growth, establishing itself as a major player in the industry. As the esports landscape evolves, keep an eye on emerging trends with Esports Charts.