The 2024 competitive season was a standout year for esports, delivering record-breaking prize pools, thrilling tournaments, and countless memorable moments for fans. Statistics from the analytics platform Esports Charts provide a comprehensive overview of the year's trends and achievements in the esports world.
Top Disciplines by Prize Pools
The largest prize pool of 2024 was awarded in Dota 2, with $22.68 million distributed across 102 tournaments. Trailing closely behind was Counter-Strike, with $22.67 million awarded in 712 events. Despite the close results this year, the gap over the past eight years is striking:
- Dota 2: $330 million
- Counter-Strike: $155 million
Mobile esports continued to gain momentum, with Honor of Kings securing third place with $13.34 million in prize money, followed by PUBG Mobile ($12.95 million) and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, which completed the top 10 list.
Meanwhile, League of Legends ranked seventh with $9.23 million awarded across 120 tournaments. Valorant followed in eighth with $8.94 million across 296 tournaments.
Viewership Records of the Season
In terms of peak viewership, the 2024 World Championship for League of Legends emerged as the undisputed leader, drawing over 6.941 million peak viewers, a new esports record. The top 10 tournaments by peak viewership included:
- 4 tournaments for League of Legends
- 4 events for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- 1 tournament for Counter-Strike 2
- 1 event for Valorant
Notably, The International 2024 for Dota 2 failed to secure a spot in the top 10 for peak viewership, with its maximum audience reaching 1.438 million viewers.
Total Hours Watched: Leaders and Dota 2's Position
In total hours watched, the 2024 World Championship dominated with over 190 million hours. By comparison, The International 2024 ranked ninth with 55.18 million hours, highlighting a declining interest in Dota 2’s flagship event compared to other disciplines.
The International 2024 Highlights
The International 2024 took place from 4 to 15 September in Copenhagen, Denmark. The tournament concluded with a triumphant victory for Swedish Team Liquid, who defeated the European squad Gaimin Gladiators in the grand final.
Despite its prestige, The International 2024 faced challenges, including a noticeable drop in viewership. This serves as a wake-up call for organisers to rethink the format and re-engage the audience.