The recent group stage of VCT 23, which concluded on Sunday, recorded a viewership of just under 24 million hours watched, marking a 25% decline compared to last year’s group stage, according to data company Esports Charts.
Significantly, the group stage garnered an average of 404,768 viewers, showcasing a 17% decrease from the 2022 group stage. The nail-biting elimination match between LOUD and NAVI emerged as the highlight of the group stage, reaching its peak with 713,960 viewers. This number was 17% lower than the highest viewership in 2022, achieved during the day one group stage clash between Paper Rex and EDward Gaming.
A Look at Group Stage Viewership Across the Years
- Valorant Champions 2021:
– Average viewers: 425,887
– Peak viewers: 836,991
– Hours Watched: 30.3M
– Airtime: 71H - Valorant Champions 2022:
– Average viewers: 490,607
– Peak viewers: 860,353
– Hours Watched: 31.9M
– Airtime: 65H - Valorant Champions 2023:
– Average viewers: 404,768
– Peak viewers: 713,960
– Hours Watched: 23.9M
– Airtime: 59H
It’s important to note that the viewership figures from Chinese streaming services are not included in the data, as these platforms do not disclose the number of active viewers.
This fact holds particular significance as Chinese Valorant has been experiencing a successful international journey, with EDward Gaming and Bilibili Gaming both securing playoff spots.
Esports Charts recently introduced DoHuya, a platform that gauges data from DouYu and Huya using the ‘Heat Index,’ a metric common to both platforms. Although it doesn’t reveal exact viewership numbers, DoHuya can assess the popularity of esports tournaments in China.
Esports Charts reports a noticeable dip in viewership for both English- and Japanese-language broadcasts, with a reduction of 35% and 39% respectively. Japanese broadcasts achieved the third-highest peak viewership during the group stage, attracting 198,571 viewers. However, it’s anticipated that fewer Japanese fans will continue to watch the tournament after ZETA DIVISION’s elimination.
Valorant Champions 2023 is set to carry on from Wednesday, August 16, with the double-elimination playoffs featuring the top eight teams from the group stage. LOUD, the reigning world champion, drew the largest audience during the group stage, with their matches averaging 525,222 viewers.
