IEM Dallas 2024 Breaks Viewership Records

The 2024 edition of the Intel Extreme Masters Dallas has marked a significant milestone in esports viewership, vastly surpassing the numbers seen in the previous year, according to recent data from Esports Charts.

This year’s grand finals featuring a showdown between G2 Esports and Team Vitality captured the attention of the esports community, achieving an impressive 155% increase in peak concurrent viewership, reaching over 823,000 viewers compared to 323,000 in 2023. “A huge number of viewers tuned in to watch G2 Esports lift the trophy in Dallas with an American stand-in by their side,” reported Esports Charts.

The tournament not only scored high in peak viewers but also saw a substantial rise in overall engagement. The Hours Watched metric escalated by 55.2%, and the average concurrent viewership climbed by 75.2%, partly due to a more streamlined event schedule. Over nearly 12 million Hours Watched were recorded across a concise 50-hour broadcast period.

One of the key highlights of the tournament was the performance of G2 Esports, which figured in three of the top five most-watched matches, largely due to the temporary inclusion of Stewie2k, a prominent North American player known for his aggressive play style. Stewie2k, often dubbed the “smoke criminal,” has been a significant draw since his switch to streaming in 2022, and his return to professional play at IEM Dallas 2024 generated considerable excitement.

Stewie2k’s involvement was essential, particularly without Hooxi, G2’s in-game leader, who was unable to play because of family obligations. This reorganization made it possible for tarik, a well-known streamer and former teammate, to make a memorable reunion, which further enhanced the event’s appeal.

The success of IEM Dallas 2024 is not isolated, as it ranks as the third-most popular CS2 tournament of the year, trailing only behind IEM Copenhagen and IEM Katowice, which have also made their mark as historic events in the Counter-Strike series this year.

Esports Charts underscored the broader trend of rising interest and investment in esports, positioning IEM Dallas as a bellwether for future events in the competitive gaming calendar. The dramatic increase in viewership and engagement at IEM Dallas 2024 highlights the growing global impact and appeal of esports, suggesting a bright future for competitive gaming events worldwide.