The first three months of 2025 were full of action in the esports world. Top Esports tournament games attracted millions of viewers, and tournaments across continents grabbed massive attention. From global titles like League of Legends and Valorant to regional favorites like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Q1 2025 reminded us why esports is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world.
In this post, we break down the most popular esports titles by peak viewers and highlight the biggest tournaments of the quarter. Esports Charts, a trusted platform for esports analytics, powers all viewership data.
Most Watched Esports Tournaments Games in Early 2025 📈
Based on peak concurrent viewers, let’s start with the top five most-watched games during Q1 2025.
| Rank | Game | Peak Viewers | Highlight Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | League of Legends | 1,907,634 | LCK Cup 2025 |
| 2 | Valorant | 1,319,067 | VCT 2025: Masters Bangkok |
| 3 | Counter-Strike 2 | 1,299,747 | IEM Katowice 2025 |
| 4 | Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | 1,158,590 | MPL Indonesia Season 15 |
| 5 | Apex Legends | 540,364 | ALGS Split 1 Playoffs |
League of Legends (LoL) – Still the King 🥇
LoL topped the charts with over 1.9 million peak viewers. The LCK Cup 2025, a major event in South Korea’s League of Legends circuit, was the standout performer. Fans from around the globe tuned in to see the best Korean teams battle it out.
Interestingly, the newly introduced First Stand 2025—LoL’s fresh international event—didn’t pull as many viewers. Despite Riot’s high hopes, it couldn’t match the hype of LCK. This shows strong regional leagues still hold massive power in the LoL community.
Valorant – Climbing Fast 🎯
Riot’s FPS title Valorant continues to rise. The VCT 2025: Masters Bangkok was the first global Valorant tournament of the year and gathered a peak of 1.31 million viewers. The grand final featured a thrilling matchup between T1 from Korea and G2 Esports from North America.
Although the tournament was exciting, it struggled to connect with Brazilian and European audiences. Still, it outperformed most Counter-Strike events in Q1, proving Valorant is now a serious competitor in the FPS scene.
Counter-Strike 2 – Still Going Strong 💣
Even without a major in Q1, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) had a huge impact. IEM Katowice 2025 drew 1.3 million viewers, making it the most successful Katowice event in years.
While CS2 didn’t have an official major event this quarter, it still hosted over 90 third-party tournaments, mostly by ESL and BLAST. These events helped maintain a steady fan base. The CS community remains one of the most loyal in esports.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang – Southeast Asia’s Pride 📱
MLBB remains a dominant force, especially in Southeast Asia. The MPL Indonesia Season 15 had a thrilling start and reached 1.15 million peak viewers.
Most of this viewership came from Indonesia and the Philippines, two of MLBB’s biggest markets. As international tournaments for MLBB roll out later in the year, the numbers could climb even higher.
Apex Legends – Making a Comeback 🪂
While not as dominant as the top four, Apex Legends still had a solid showing. The ALGS Split 1 Playoffs peaked at 540K viewers, which is impressive for a game that doesn’t have as many regional leagues.
EA and Respawn have invested more into Apex’s competitive scene this year, and the results are starting to show. With more international events planned, the game might climb higher in future rankings.
Top Esports Tournaments of Q1 2025 🏆
Here’s a summary of the top tournaments in terms of peak viewers:
| Rank | Tournament | Game Title | Country Hosted | Peak Viewers | Prize Pool (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LCK Cup 2025 | League of Legends | South Korea | 1,083,697 | $300,000 |
| 2 | VCT 2025: Masters Bangkok | Valorant | Thailand | 1,319,067 | $1,000,000 |
| 3 | IEM Katowice 2025 | Counter-Strike 2 | Poland | 1,299,747 | $1,000,000 |
| 4 | MPL Indonesia Season 15 | Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | Indonesia | 1,158,590 | $300,000 (est.) |
| 5 | ALGS Split 1 Playoffs | Apex Legends | United States | 540,364 | $1,000,000 |
Global Reach of Esports Tournaments and Local Strength 🌏
One of the most interesting trends in Q1 2025 is how local leagues continue to outperform new international events. For example, the LCK Cup beat the international First Stand 2025 event. Similarly, MPL Indonesia had more engagement than some global MLBB tournaments in past years.
This tells us something important: strong regional support builds long-term success. When local fans are engaged, viewership numbers rise naturally.
Third-Party Events Still Matter 📊
Not all top-tier tournaments are run by game publishers. Events like IEM Katowice (organized by ESL) and BLAST Spring Open show that third-party events can still draw massive audiences.
In Q1, IEM Katowice 2025 was the most popular CS2 event, with over 1.3 million peak viewers. This proves third-party organizers can compete with official leagues with the right production and talent.
What to Expect Next 🔮
Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, several things could shake up the rankings:
- Valorant Champions 2025 is expected to break viewership records.
- League of Legends MSI 2025 could be the year’s most-watched event.
- Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup (MSC) might surpass MPL numbers.
- Counter-Strike 2’s first Major of 2025 will likely cross 1.5 million viewers.
Also, keep an eye on emerging titles like PUBG: New State and Warzone Mobile, which are building new competitive ecosystems.
Final Thoughts 🧠
Esports in 2025 continues to evolve. While the top games are still the usual suspects, the landscape is shifting. Regional scenes are getting stronger, FPS games are battling it out, and mobile titles are rising fast.
Whether you’re a fan, player, or just curious about the scene, now is a great time to watch esports. With more tournaments, bigger prize pools, and growing audiences, Q2 and beyond promise even more action.
Source:
🔗 Esports Charts – Most Popular Esports Events of 2025
