In a remarkable display of competitive gaming, 2023 witnessed a surge in major eSports tournaments, with mobile gaming taking center stage.
New viewership records and unforgettable matches across various gaming disciplines highlighted the year, solidifying eSports as a colossal entertainment phenomenon.
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The dominance of mobile gaming
At the forefront of this eSports shake-up was the M5 World Championship for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. The grand finale, a riveting battle between Onic eSports and Ap.Bren, captivated over five million peak viewers, marking it as the discipline’s most successful event to date. Moreover, it was the year’s second-highest in viewership, following only the League of Legends 2023 World Championship. This phenomenal success not only signifies the rising dominance of mobile gaming in the eSports arena but also establishes Mobile Legends as a flagship title.
Pubg Mobile, another titan in the mobile eSports domain, claimed its glory in the Pubg Mobile Global Championship 2023. The event’s 16th round drew an impressive audience of over 980k peak viewers, a testament to the game’s enduring popularity and best performance in 2023. This achievement cements Pubg Mobile’s position as a paramount eSports discipline, boasting the fifth-best viewership in its history.
On the same accord, the Arena of Valor International Championship 2023 earned its place as the third most popular event, drawing 539.8k viewers during a match between Saigon Phantom and Bacon Time. This tournament showcased Arena of Valor’s intense play and international appeal. It trailed only slightly behind the Arena of Valor Premier League 2023 in terms of viewership for the year.
Moreover, in Berlin, the Red Bull League of 2023 gathered the crème de la crème of League of Legends teams, with the Korean team T1 stealing the spotlight. Their match against Nno Old was watched by 513k viewers, setting a new record for the event and ranking it fourth in December’s top tournaments. T1’s victory here, following their fourth world championship win, further cements their legacy in the League of Legends sphere.
The Blast Premier World Final 2023 for Counter-Strike took the fifth spot. The last series between Team Vitality and FaZe Clan attracted 361.8k viewers, highlighting the enduring appeal of Counter-Strike in the competitive gaming community.
Channels of influence: Twitch’s role in esports
In the broadcasting realm, the most popular eSports channel on Twitch was the EA Sports FC channel, with over 278.5k peak viewership during the FC Pro 24 Open tournament broadcasts. This channel’s success can be attributed to using in-game rewards to boost viewership, a growing trend in engaging eSports audiences.
Spanish streamer Rubius took the second spot, drawing 249k peak viewers to his Pokemon TwitchCup 3 tournament coverage. His channel’s triumph underscores the influential role of individual streamers in shaping eSports viewership trends.
In third place, Brazilian streamer Gaules captivated audiences with a peak viewership of 175.7k during the Elisa Masters Espoo 2023. His channel drew this stellar audience in the final match, showcasing Furia eSports’ triumphant 3:1 victory over Apeks.
Rounding out the top five were Spanish streamer TheGrefg and Brazilian streamer Baiano, who attracted significant viewership with their Pokemon TwitchCup 3 and Cbolao Season 6 coverage, respectively. Their success is a testament to eSports content’s diverse appeal and streamers’ importance in advancing various gaming disciplines.
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