The Esports World Cup (EWC) has made a significant impact in its first four weeks, attracting a massive audience and record-breaking attendance. The event, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has seen 1 million festival visitors and accumulated 177.5 million hours of viewership. Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, expressed his delight at the event’s success, stating that it has already surpassed their highest expectations. The EWC aimed to unite gamers from around the world and appeal to a broader audience beyond just esports enthusiasts. With hundreds of millions of viewers watching from home and over a million attending in person, the event has exceeded not only their expectations but also set new records for the esports industry.
Record-Breaking Prize Pool and Current Standings
Before the EWC even began, it announced a staggering $60 million prize pool, the largest ever in esports history. So far, $16.5 million has been awarded to winners, with the remaining $43.5 million set to be distributed among the remaining 13 events, including the Club Championship. Currently, Team Falcons from Saudi Arabia is leading the competition, followed by Team Liquid and Navi.
Impressive Attendance and Ticket Sales
The on-site experience at Boulevard City in Riyadh has attracted over 1 million visitors, with the festival venues alone bringing in 289,000 attendees. The esports tournaments have sold 60,000 tickets, with only 3,000 remaining for the second half of the event. This high level of attendance demonstrates the growing popularity and global reach of esports.
Viewership Highlights and Tournament Status
During the first half of the Esports World Cup, nine out of 22 featured tournaments have been completed. These tournaments, including popular titles like Call of Duty: Warzone, Apex Legends, and Dota 2, have collectively amassed 177.5 million hours of viewership. Dota 2 and League of Legends accounted for a significant portion of this viewership, with 55 million and 53 million hours watched, respectively. League of Legends also achieved the highest peak viewership, with 3.4 million viewers. However, it’s worth noting that these figures include Chinese viewership platforms and qualifying rounds, which may be less reliable. Excluding these, completed tournaments alone have garnered 96.8 million hours watched, according to Esports Charts.
Most Watched Tournaments and Average Viewership
The Esports World Cup has already held tournaments for the four most watched esports of 2023: League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Counter-Strike 2, and Dota 2. League of Legends had the highest average viewership, with over 566,000 viewers, while Mobile Legends: Bang Bang achieved the highest peak viewership at 2.4 million viewers. Dota 2, despite airing over 145 hours of content, underperformed in terms of average viewership compared to the other top esports.
Looking Ahead to the EWC Club Championship
The Esports World Cup will conclude on August 25, 2024, with the EWC Club Championship. This final event will determine the ultimate winner of the tournament. As the event reaches its climax, esports enthusiasts and gamers alike can eagerly anticipate the thrilling conclusion of the Esports World Cup.
