PUBG Global Championship 2024 Breaks Viewership Records
The competitive PUBG: Battlegrounds scene reached new heights as the 2024 season wrapped up with a record-breaking championship event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The tournament showcased unprecedented viewer engagement and marked significant growth compared to previous years.
Historic Victory for Vietnamese Underdogs
In a stunning turn of events, The Expendables from Vietnam secured their first major championship title. The victory was particularly remarkable given their previous track record, where they had never placed higher than sixth in major competitions. The final rounds were extraordinarily close, with just two points separating the champions from their nearest competitors.
Season favorites Twisted Minds, who had dominated throughout the year with victories in three out of four Global Series tournaments, finished in an unexpected eighth place.
Viewership Milestones
The championship’s final rounds drew more than 400,000 concurrent viewers, establishing a new series record. Vietnamese viewers played a crucial role in this achievement, with their participation increasing by over 60% compared to the previous year. The Vietnamese audience, exceeding 50,000 average viewers, represented the largest demographic group by a significant margin – more than triple the size of any other viewing population.
Season Overview
The 2024 competitive calendar featured tournaments across multiple Asian locations, including China, South Korea, and Thailand, with a notable stop in Riyadh for the Esports World Cup. The season demonstrated growth across all key performance metrics compared to 2023, despite having slightly reduced broadcast hours.
Platform Diversification
While YouTube remained the primary platform for PUBG tournament broadcasts, its market share decreased to less than 50% as coverage expanded to additional streaming services. This broader distribution strategy contributed to the overall growth in viewership. Note that Chinese streaming platforms utilize a different measurement system based on a Heat Index, which combines various engagement metrics rather than traditional viewer counts.
The successful conclusion of the 2024 season, marked by record-breaking viewership and expanding global reach, suggests a bright future for PUBG esports, particularly with its growing Vietnamese fanbase.
