Cover-Credits:
The recently concluded Bali Major 2023, the last Dota 2 Major of the DPC 2023 season, had its ups and downs, and saw the final 12 teams for The International 12 be decided. However, the event achieved significantly lower viewership compared to the other majors of DPC 2023 season, according to the reports by Esports Charts. Key metrics such as peak viewers, average viewers, and total viewed hours were all lower than other Majors in the season.
Same format but lower viewership
The Bali Major 2023 followed the same format as its predecessors, the Lima Major 2023 and ESL One Berlin Major 2023. The tournament amassed slightly over 22 million Hours Watched. However, the Average Viewers per broadcast saw a significant decline, averaging 175.8K people. In contrast, the Peak Viewers number reached 475.4K people, indicating sustained interest during pivotal moments of the tournament.
The most-watched match of the Major was the Grand Final clash between Team Liquid and Gaimin Gladiators, the only match to surpass the 400K viewer mark. Team Liquid also emerged as the leader in total Hours Watched, accumulating 5.6 million hours. Notably, Team Liquid's extensive lower bracket run allowed them to play more series than any other team in the Major.
Comparing the Bali Major 2023 to previous Majors, it experienced the lowest audience reach throughout the 2023 season. While the Peak Viewers number saw a slight decline, the gap in Average Viewers was substantial, approximately 25% lower than that of the ESL One Berlin Major 2023 and even greater when compared to the Lima Major 2023. The decrease in Average Viewers translated to a 22% decline in Hours Watched, signaling a decrease in overall engagement with the tournament.
Several factors may have likely contributed to the diminished viewership of the Bali Major 2023. First, the unfavorable time zone greatly impacted Western European viewers, as matches started during the early hours. Second, the tournament faced the challenge of oversaturation, with numerous major international tournaments taking place in quick succession, leading to viewer fatigue and repetitive matches due to the established meta. Lastly, the quality of the on-site production received criticism from Dota 2 fans, with comparisons drawn to higher-quality broadcasts from previous events
Moving forward, the DPC 2023 season has come to a close, but the Dota 2 community can look forward to the upcoming Riyadh Masters 2023, commencing on 17th July, with a massive prize pool of $15,000,000. This tournament will set the stage for The International 12, the pinnacle Dota 2 event of the year.
