Russian Viewership in Dota 2 tops all Other Languages

2024 is approaching it's end and it's that time of year when a lot of interesting statistics come out. Among them is the continuing trend of growing Russian viewership for Dota 2.

This year saw Aleksandr "Nix" Levin claim the crown as the most watched Dota 2 channel, with 24.33 million hours watched, just barely edging out Janne "Gorgc" Stefanovski's 23.64 million. Not only are Russian language streams the biggest on Twitch, but official tournaments in Russian tend to attract more viewers than English do.

Dota 2 is peaking in Russia in 2024

Dota 2 viewership isn't the only thing that is doing well in Russia right now. Looking at the last few tournaments reveals another trend. Russian players are the most common nationality in the highest level of the competitive scene.

BLAST Slam I saw 12 Russian players, three times more than China's four. DreamLeague Season 24 had 13 Russians to 10 Chinese players. ESL One Bangkok 2024 has 12 Russian players to six Peruvian stars. Russians again show up at BetBoom Dacha Belgrade 2024, with 12 players to five from Kazakhstan.

It's hard to pinpoint the exact reason Dota 2 is popular in Russia. But there are a few facts we do have that help shed a light on it.

Team Spirit won The International twice

Team Spirit with their second TI rings. (Credits: Valve)

Since The International 10, Team Spirit has won the event twice. TI10 is particularly notable, as it has the biggest esport prize pool in history, with over 18 million dollars going to first place. Team Spirit also won Riyadh Masters in 2023, the biggest tournament in prize pool since TI11.

A team composed of three Russians with a Russian coach is likely to inspire players in their own country that they too are capable of going the distance. Representation is important, and Team Spirit has given Russians (and indeed, Russian Viewership) much to cheer for.

President Putin has encouraged Russian Esport Athletes

Wait till they win the event again two years after.

Esports is here to stay and more and more people recognize that. This includes the highest people in government, including world leaders.

After their victory at The International 10, Team Spirit received a letter and an invitation to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. This is not the first time a world leader has celebrated their Dota 2 stars. French president Emmanuel Macron met with OG's two time TI winner Sébastien "Ceb" Debs and congratulated him on his victory as well.

Considering how nationalist Russia is, an endorsement from the president goes a long way to boosting Dota 2's popularity, and of course Russian Viewership.

The question is, how long will this trend last, and will Dota 2 get a second wind in countries outside Europe?

READ MORE: Team Falcons is the most successful Dota 2 Organization in 2024

Featured Image Source: Starladder.