The 2024 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) of League of Legends has shattered previous viewership records, becoming the most-watched edition of the event ever. With over 500,000 more peak viewers compared to last year, the event reached a peak viewership of 2.8 million, according to Esports Charts. This milestone makes it the sixth most-watched League of Legends event in history.
Event Highlights
The tournament, held in Chengdu, China, was won by the Korean organization Gen.G. Historically, MSI has been a highly popular esports tournament, consistently drawing over 2 million viewers for the past three years. The 2024 edition, in particular, has set a new benchmark as the most-watched MSI and the most-viewed esports tournament of the year so far.
Throughout the event, the average viewership was just over a million, accumulating approximately 78 million total hours watched. Compared to the 2023 edition, MSI 2024 saw an increase of around 200,000 average viewers, with last year’s tournament averaging 802,500 viewers and peaking at just under 2.3 million.
Viewership Insights
It’s important to note that Esports Charts’ data does not include viewership from Chinese platforms, suggesting that the actual numbers are even higher, especially considering the event’s location in China this year.
The top three most-watched teams remained consistent with 2023’s rankings: T1, Bilibili Gaming, and Gen.G. Despite not winning the event, T1 was the most-watched team at both MSI 2024 and MSI 2023, with 34.4 million hours watched this year.
Notable Matches
The lower bracket final between T1 and Bilibili Gaming emerged as the most-watched match of MSI 2024, with Bilibili securing the victory. Similarly, the most-watched match of MSI 2023 was T1’s Bracket Stage face-off against JD Gaming from China.
The grand finals between Gen.G and Bilibili was the second-most watched series, drawing 2.6 million peak viewers. By winning the 2024 Mid-Season Invitational, Gen.G earned a direct spot in the World Championship later this year.
The 2024 MSI has not only broken viewership records but also highlighted the enduring popularity of teams like T1 and the increasing global interest in esports events, especially those held in key markets like China.