Esports in 2024: A Year of Transformation and Growth
The esports landscape of 2024 demonstrated remarkable dynamism, with established titans maintaining their dominance while emerging titles reshaped the competitive gaming ecosystem. A comprehensive analysis reveals fascinating shifts in viewership, regional engagement, and competitive structures across the most popular esports titles.
The Undisputed Champion: League of Legends
League of Legends continued its reign as the most-watched esports title, showcasing impressive growth and global appeal. The game’s viewership surged by 27% in 2024, driven by passionate fan bases in emerging markets. Notably, Vietnamese and Brazilian audiences played a pivotal role in this expansion, with the Vietnamese-language broadcast hitting a groundbreaking 1.1 million peak viewers during the World Championship.
The Korean esports scene remained a cornerstone of LoL’s success. Despite challenges like Twitch’s departure from South Korea, local platforms such as CHZZK and SOOP Korea breathed new life into the competitive ecosystem. The LCK Spring event exemplified this resilience, drawing nearly 2.66 million peak viewers.
Mobile Gaming’s Rising Star: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang solidified its position as the premier mobile esports title. The game’s stronghold in Southeast Asian markets, particularly Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, continued to drive its success. The MPL Indonesia Season 14 was a standout moment, attracting over 4 million concurrent viewers and highlighting the explosive potential of mobile esports in developing markets.
Competitive Shooters: Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant
The shooter genre saw intense competition between established and emerging titles. Counter-Strike 2 maintained its strong position, accumulating 430 million watch hours. The game made significant strides in expanding its global reach, with the Perfect World Shanghai Major marking an important step into the Asian market.
Valorant emerged as the breakout shooter of the year, overtaking Dota 2 in viewership rankings. The VCT Masters Madrid tournament was a particular highlight, with the Grand Finals drawing nearly 1.7 million peak viewers. The game’s focus on regional circuits and emerging rivalries contributed to its growing popularity.
Dota 2 experienced a transitional year as Valve restructured its competitive ecosystem. The discontinuation of the Dota Pro Circuit and increased reliance on third-party event organizers presented both challenges and opportunities for the long-standing esports title.
Key Viewership Rankings for 2024
- League of Legends: 749.6 million hours
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang: 475.8 million hours
- Counter-Strike 2: 434.5 million hours
- Valorant: 355.6 million hours
- Dota 2: 319.7 million hours
Looking Ahead: 2025 and Beyond
The esports industry continues to evolve rapidly. League of Legends is set to introduce streamlined competitive regions like the pan-Americas and Asia-Pacific circuits, potentially creating more stable and engaging viewership patterns. Valorant’s consistent growth suggests it could challenge the established order in the coming years.
The 2024 esports landscape demonstrated the power of regional markets, the importance of adaptability, and the continued global appeal of competitive gaming. As new technologies emerge and audience preferences shift, the esports ecosystem remains as dynamic and exciting as ever.
