Worlds 2024 Play-Ins Day 1 reaches over 1.3 million peak viewership

The very first day of the Play-In Stage at Worlds 2024 reached a staggering peak-viewership of over 1.3 million. The incredible numbers are even more meaningful when we take into account that the tournament's Main Stage has not even started yet.

Third European seed of MAD Lions KOI playing the opening game of Worlds on European soil surely contributed to the incredible numbers. The main attraction, however, was no doubt PSG Talon vs paiN Gaming.

What is arguably the strongest team at Play-Ins facing off against the first and only seed from a region as large and dedicated as Brazil was bound to bring in the viewers. No one expected quite these many, though.

With teams pushing each other to the brink for a deciding Game 3, however, the heat became simply irresistible.

League of Legends Worlds remains King

Day 1 of Play-Ins at Worlds bringing in this many viewers is a remarkable indicator for the game and it's esports scene. Despite the first League of Legends World Championship taking all the way back in 2011, LoL esports continues to be a smashing success 13 years later.

Besides the encouraging peak viewership numbers, the first day of Play-Ins also had an average viewership of 1.05 million. That alone is an incredible statistic, and all the more so after we consider that average viewership for the entirety of Worlds last year (2023) was 1.26 million.

That's right, Worlds 2023's entire average viewership (including semifinals, the grand final, etc.) was only marginally higher than that of the first day of the Play-In Stage in 2024, where expectedly weaker teams compete in comparison to the later stages of the tournament.

As seen in 2022, the League of Legends World Championship Grand Final is an event like no other in esports. (Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)

League of Legends is a constantly evolving game, and that means it never stops finding ways to remain attractive and exciting. Moreover, this also means that teams from all around the world, even those competing in minor regions, are continuously leveling up, making even the opening stages of the tournament an exciting affair.

The very first day of the Worlds 2024 Play-In Stage has truly been an event to behold, and one can only wonder at what the rest of the tournament has in store for us.

For the latest League of Legends news, follow Strafe Esports. To follow everything on Worlds 2024, check out our full guide. Also, follow the Strafe YouTube channel for exclusive interviews with players and coaches.

Image source: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

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