PUBG Global Championship 2024: Record-Breaking Popularity Fueled by Vietnamese Viewership

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The 2024 PUBG: Battlegrounds esports season concluded in a spectacular fashion this past weekend in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The PUBG Global Championship 2024 (PGC 2024) made history, becoming the most-watched event in the series’ history. This record-breaking achievement was the perfect finale to a season that far surpassed 2023, with stunning growth in viewership, particularly driven by the remarkable surge in Vietnamese engagement.

Kuala Lumpur served as the grand stage for the culmination of a year-long esports journey that took PUBG’s top teams across Asia, from China to South Korea, Thailand, and the highly anticipated Esports World Cup 2024 in Riyadh. The season ended with PGC 2024, marking the conclusion of one of the most intense and thrilling years in PUBG esports history.

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The Expendables’ Historic Victory

In a tense and closely contested final, the Vietnamese team The Expendables claimed their first-ever major title, defying expectations and making history. Despite Twisted Minds being the tournament favorites after a stellar season, winning three out of four PUBG Global Series events, the final proved that anything could happen on the PUBG battlegrounds.

While Twisted Minds entered the event with high hopes and incredible consistency, they finished in 8th place. Meanwhile, The Expendables pulled off an unforgettable performance. Going into the final rounds, four teams were still in contention for the title. The lead was razor-thin, with a difference of just two points between the top contenders. Ultimately, The Expendables emerged victorious, marking an emotional milestone for a team that had never finished higher than sixth at a major event.

This unexpected victory was a testament to the unpredictability of PUBG esports, where no outcome is ever guaranteed. The thrilling nature of the final had fans on the edge of their seats, and it was a spectacle that would go on to shatter viewership records.

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Vietnamese Viewership Steals the Spotlight

The stunning rise of The Expendables did not go unnoticed, especially by their home country of Vietnam. Vietnamese viewers played a pivotal role in driving the event’s historic viewership numbers. Compared to the 2023 World Championship, the engagement from Vietnamese fans saw a dramatic increase, with their support serving as the primary force behind the record-breaking numbers.

This year’s tournament saw the Vietnamese audience make up the largest demographic by far. The number of viewers from Vietnam surged by over 60%, reaching more than 50,000 average viewers—more than three times the size of any other country’s audience. Vietnamese fans were clearly more engaged than ever before, a trend that has continued throughout the 2024 PUBG esports season.

While the viewership data from Chinese platforms was not included (due to their reliance on the Heat Index, which measures engagement through factors like chat activity and reactions), the rise in Vietnamese viewership was undeniable. It played a major part in pushing the viewer count to new heights.

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The Final Rounds: A Viewer Surge

As the Grand Final unfolded, the tournament reached new peaks in concurrent viewership, breaking records in the final rounds. By the closing moments, the event had amassed more than 400,000 concurrent viewers. The excitement of the final two rounds, with The Expendables pulling ahead in the last moments, was enough to keep fans glued to their screens, leading to a surge in engagement. Had the format included a few more rounds, the peak viewership would likely have climbed even higher.

This increase wasn’t a one-off moment. The rise in viewership throughout the tournament indicated a sustained and growing interest in PUBG esports. As the competition heated up, so did the number of viewers, especially in the later rounds.

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A Record-Breaking Year for PUBG Esports

The PUBG Global Championship 2024 didn’t just break viewership records—it shattered them. The event surpassed its previous record by an impressive 186%. But the Grand Final wasn’t the only event that helped push these numbers to new heights. Throughout the 2024 season, other major PUBG: Battlegrounds events also saw an increase in average viewership, proving that PUBG esports is on an upward trajectory.

Key to this growth was the surge in interest from Vietnamese viewers, who had become the dominant audience for PUBG esports. This was also aided by the expansion of coverage across various streaming platforms. While YouTube remains the primary platform for PUBG tournaments, its share has now dipped below 50%, as the growing variety of platforms has attracted more viewers from different regions.

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A More Successful Season Across the Board

The 2024 season of PUBG esports wasn’t just a one-time fluke; it was a season of sustained growth. Across all major viewership metrics, 2024 outperformed 2023. This growth wasn’t solely attributed to the dramatic final moments of the PUBG Global Championship but also to a larger trend of expanding engagement across different regions, with Vietnam leading the charge.

The increase in audience numbers across all platforms, paired with more diverse channels, helped to make PUBG esports a global spectacle. The shift away from YouTube’s dominance and the rise of new platforms have positively impacted the viewership landscape, and PUBG esports is benefiting from the change.

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Looking Ahead: PUBG Esports’ Bright Future

As we look to the future, the 2024 PUBG esports season has set a solid foundation for continued success. With more viewers, more platforms, and a growing fanbase, PUBG esports is poised for even greater growth. The record-breaking success of the PUBG Global Championship 2024 was only the beginning, and the game’s presence in the esports world is stronger than ever.

Looking forward, it’s clear that the rise in engagement from countries like Vietnam will continue to shape the future of PUBG esports. As more platforms and regions get involved, the competition will only grow fiercer, and the excitement will keep fans engaged for years to come. With the 2024 season behind us and the potential for even more success in the future, PUBG esports is ready to claim its place as one of the biggest forces in the world of competitive gaming.

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