From a viewership standpoint, 2021 has seen new information be damaged and titles surge to the subsequent degree of recognition.
Whether or not it’s conventional video games steadily growing fanbases or cell esports persevering with its progress, the 12 months has seen many esports tournaments amass over 1m peak viewers — 22 occasions in truth. Because the 12 months attracts to an in depth, Esports Insider, in collaboration with Esports Charts, particulars the highest 10 highest seen esports occasions of 2021 (excluding Chinese language viewership).
10. Mid-Season Invitational 2021
Coming in at quantity 10 is League of Legends’ Mid-Season Invitational 2021. The title’s second-largest worldwide occasion garnered a peak viewership of 1.83m and a mean viewership of over 711,465.
To spotlight the continued reputation of the MOBA title, League of Legends is just one of two video games to have multiple entry on this checklist. The height viewership was recorded throughout DWG KIA vs RNG, with DWG KIA additionally being the workforce with the best common viewership at 924,130.
Curiously, the workforce with the second-highest common viewership was paiN Gaming (879,770). The Brazilian organisation’s peak viewership determine got here throughout its conflict with MAD Lions in the course of the group stage with 1.15m viewers delivering.
9. MLBB Southeast Asia Cup 2021
Cell Legends: Bang Bang’s Southeast Asia Cup 2021 is ninth on the checklist, recording a formidable 2.28m peak viewers. The event, which was in the end received by Philippines-based esports organisation Execration, garnered a mean viewership of 514,617 and over 29.42m hours watched throughout its 57 hours of runtime.
The success of the occasion additional highlights the scene’s spectacular progress. MLBB’s Southeast Asia Cup 2019, which was the occasion’s earlier version, recorded 276,579 in peak viewers.
8: MPL ID Season 8
MLBB’s Indonesian league is the one regional competitors to make it into the highest 10 most acquired esports occasions this 12 months. Producing a peak viewership of two.39m, the league was truly the most well-liked esports occasion in August and September, beating the likes of the LCK, LEC and the ESL Professional League.
The over two-month competitors reached its peak viewership quantity in October’s decrease bracket remaining between ONIC and EVOS Legends. It’s laborious to totally decipher how a lot MLBB has grown in reputation with regard to the Southeast Asia Cup. Nevertheless, the statistics between MPL ID’s seventh and eighth editions already spotlight fixed progress.
MPL ID Season 8 garnered over 500,000 extra peak viewers than its earlier version and an additional 100,000 common viewers all through its runtime. That is seemingly extra spectacular contemplating Season 7 solely concluded in Might 2021.
7: The Worldwide 10
Coming in at quantity seven is DOTA 2’s longstanding esports spectacular, The Worldwide. The occasion’s tenth version was DOTA 2’s most successful esports event ever, recording a peak viewership of two.74m with viewers spending greater than 107m hours watching event broadcasts. The latter statistic is the fourth highest in esports ever, with solely League of Legends’ World Championships recording a bigger statistic.
When breaking down which groups have been common at TI10, Crew Spirit was the most-watched aspect (by way of common viewership). The Russian esports organisation recorded a mean viewership of 805,216. This was adopted by PSG.LGD (767,762), Crew Secret (561,481) and OG (517,908).
Regardless of being considered one of esports’ ‘previous guard’ titles, The Worldwide appears to be gaining increasingly more reputation throughout the sector.
6: PGL Main Stockholm 2021
Additionally recording a peak viewership of two.74m, albeit nonetheless being barely greater than TI10, was PGL Main Stockholm 2021. CS:GO’s first Main in over two years didn’t disappoint by turning into the most-watched event within the tite’s self-discipline.
In accordance with Esports Charts, the earlier report held by ELEAGUE Main 2017 was 1.33m, which is 52 p.c lower than the brand new determine. As well as, 4 of PGL Main Stockholm 2021’s seven playoff matches secured greater peak viewership figures than the ELEAGUE Main 2017.
With many questioning what CS:GO’s future can be in 2021 now that VALORANT’s esports ecosystem has commenced, these figures argue that CS:GO is right here to remain with regards to S-tier esports occasions.
5: M2 World Championship
Travelling again to the world of cell esports, Cell Legends: Bang Bang’s M2 World Championship locations fifth with a peak viewership of three.08m.
Being the primary of two MLBB world championships in 2021, the occasion was the title’s highest seen event ever and at present ranks seventh in all-time esports occasions. In accordance with Esports Charts, the event’s eventual winners, BREN Esports, recorded 21.43m hours watched on the workforce’s matches alone. Regardless of that, it was truly M2’s third-place workforce, RRQ Hoshi, garnering the perfect common viewership on the occasion (1.10m).
4: M3 World Championship
Taking the highest spot of MLBB’s most seen esports occasion ever is the M3 World Championship, which happened earlier this month. The event, received by Tier One’s Blacklist Worldwide, secured a peak viewership of three.19m with a complete of 62.61m hours watched by followers.
Regardless of being greater than the M2 World Championship, it is very important word that the competitors did have a decrease common viewership for the occasion – M2 recorded 689,737 whereas M3 garnered 602,588. This, nevertheless, could be a results of M3 having a considerably longer airtime of 104 hours in comparison with 62 hours.
General that is MLBB’s fourth entry in 2021’s prime ten, which is greater than another title. Regardless of not securing the highest spot by way of viewership this 12 months, 2021 has showcased the rising reputation of MLBB, not less than from a viewership standpoint.
3: PUBG Cell World Championship Season 0
Regardless of beginning in November 2020, PUBG Cell’s World Championship Season 0 makes the checklist as a consequence of its conclusion – and largest peak viewership – occurring in January 2021. Recording a formidable 3.80m peak viewership, the title has managed to keep up relative energy all through 2021.
The title recorded a mean viewership of roughly 528,000 throughout its 122 hour airtime, with the occasion’s hottest interval being its Spherical 1, Day 1 Finals. When it comes to peak viewers, the event carried out finest throughout Indonesian (2.12m), Arabic (494,393) and Russian (415,412) broadcasts.
2: League of Legends 2021 World Championship
Coming in second is the 2021 League of Legends World Championships with a staggering peak viewership of 4.01m (once more, excluding Chinese language viewership). That is now the title’s most seen event and the primary aggressive PC esports occasion to draw over 4m peak viewers.
As well as, the occasion additionally holds the title for many hours watched by an esports event ever recorded (174.82m). League of Legends is very considered the most important title in esports and its viewership figures spotlight that. Provided that Chinese language viewership figures are excluded within the checklist, these numbers may very well be considerably greater.
Actually, Riot Video games issued an announcement stating that its Grand Closing sequence between EDward Gaming and DWG KIA recorded an viewers of over 73m peak viewers. This not solely highlights the recognition of League of Legends, however how mainstream esports is in China. While these viewership figures look spectacular, Chinese language viewership statistics are tough to verify as a consequence of platforms within the nation not publicising numbers.
1: Free Hearth World Sequence 2021 Singapore
In accordance with Esports Charts, essentially the most seen esports occasion of 2021 by way of peak viewers is the Free Hearth World Sequence 2021 Singapore. The cell title garnered a peak viewership of 5.41m and a mean viewership of two.08m throughout its quick none hour airtime.
While Hindi (1.95m) and Indonesian (1,03m) peak viewership numbers have been significantly excessive, what notably helped safe this report determine was the title’s reputation in Brazil. The title’s Portuguese broadcasts at one level reached a peak viewership of 1.06m. Furthermore, its Spanish broadcasts additionally recorded figures as much as roughly 890,000.
Free Hearth World Sequence 2021 Singapore is, as of this writing, not solely the best seen esports occasion of 2021, however the highest seen in historical past.
Provided that so many titles have grown and developed this 12 months — with most video games breaking earlier information for its respective disciplines — 2021 has been an unbelievable 12 months for esports. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see if the cell esports development continues, or whether or not new titles reminiscent of VALORANT and even Halo will strike a problem for 2022’s checklist.
