The BLAST R6 Major Montreal 2024 has concluded Phase 2, setting the stage for the playoffs. While the Canadian tournament initially struggled to match the viewership of the previous major, it gained momentum during Phase 2, narrowing the gap significantly. This surge was largely thanks to streamer Jynxzi, who spent over nine hours casting for the community. Esports Charts provided an update on the last major of the year for Rainbow Six.
Key Moments from the Group Stage
A group stage followed a Swiss system and delivered surprising outcomes. The biggest shock was G2 Esports’ early elimination. The two-time Six Invitational champions lost three consecutive matches, finishing last in their group.
Fans of Team Liquid and DarkZero also faced disappointment as neither team advanced to the playoffs, despite both reaching the semifinals at the previous BLAST R6 Major in Manchester. On a brighter note, Team Falcons secured their first-ever playoff spot at a major, marking a historic achievement for the squad.
Most Popular Matches of Phase 2
The standout match of Phase 2 was Team Liquid vs. Soniqs, which peaked at over 93,900 viewers. The game’s stakes were high, determining which team would advance to the playoffs. Soniqs ultimately triumphed over Team Liquid with a 2-0 victory.
Phase 2 generated approximately 2.18 million Hours Watched, a 4% decline compared to the same stage in Manchester. Viewer numbers also dropped slightly, by 1-2%. Despite this, Montreal has made significant progress, reducing an initial 30% gap in viewership and steadily catching up in key metrics.
Viewership Trends in Phase 2
English-language streams saw a notable 29% increase in peak viewership compared to Manchester, driven primarily by Jynxzi’s community casting, which reached the highest viewer numbers of the tournament. Spanish-language streams also experienced slight growth, while Portuguese and Japanese streams saw declines across both community and official channels.
Montreal has already surpassed the Esports World Cup 2024 in viewership and is on track to outpace the BLAST R6 Major Manchester 2024. A key factor is the increase in broadcast channels — Montreal has featured approximately 160 channels so far, compared to Manchester’s 134, with more likely to join as the playoffs begin.