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PUBG Mobile has taken the esports world by storm, becoming the most-watched battle royale title in 2022. This news comes as no surprise to those who have been following the game’s rise in popularity over the past few years.
The battle royale genre is highly popular among gamers of all platforms, including PC, mobile, and console. This type of game is played by millions of people around the world.
According to Esports Charts’ recent report published on January 2, PUBG Mobile, the battle royale game developed by Krafton and published by PUBG Corporation, was the most-watched esports title in the battle royale genre in 2022. The game’s esports content was watched for over a total of 112 million hours during the year, and it was the only title in the battle royale genre to surpass 100 million hours of watch time.
Despite being banned in various countries around the world, PUBG Mobile managed to become the most watched battle royale esports title of 2022 with 112.09 million hours of watch time. The game’s highest peak viewership occurred during the 31st Southeast Asian Games PUBG Mobile, with a recorded 903,011 viewers, demonstrating its popularity in Asian countries. The PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2022 (PMGC 2022), which has yet to hold its main event (grand finals), has already garnered over 20.9 million hours of watch time.
Apex Legends was stated to have recorded the second-most watched hours of a battle royale title in 2022. The esports title saw significant growth in both the number of new players and its audience in the Asian region.
This could be attributed to the launch of Apex Legends Mobile, the game’s mobile version. Apex Legends also had a successful year in terms of esports viewership, recording over 62.47 million hours of watch time. The game reached its peak viewership of 676,653 during the Apex Legends Global Series 2022: Split 2 Playoffs.
According to Esports Charts, Free Fire garnered the third-most hours, acquiring a total of 43.83 million hours. The esports title recorded a peak viewership of 1.4 million viewers. Compared to its 2021 numbers, Free Fire lost half of its total watch time dropping from second place to third in the 2022 charts.
Fortnite and PUBG: Battleground are pegged as the fourth and fifth most-watched battle royal titles in 2022, respectively. Fortnite recorded a total of 38.96 million hours and Battleground registered about 29.63 million hours.
PUBG, which is also published by Tencent Games, was released in 2018 and has quickly gained a massive player base. It’s no secret that PUBG Mobile has a strong competitive scene, with various tournaments and leagues taking place throughout the year. In fact, the game has a dedicated esports division, PUBG Mobile Esports, which oversees the competitive side of things.
One of the main reasons for PUBG Mobile’s success in the esports world is its accessibility. The game is available on a variety of platforms, including iOS and Android devices, making it easy for players to get in on the action. Additionally, the game’s free-to-play model means that anyone can try their hand at competitive play without having to make a financial commitment.
Another factor contributing to PUBG Mobile’s success is the game’s popularity in countries such as India and China, where the game has a massive player base. This has helped to drive viewership numbers for PUBG Mobile tournaments and has made the game a major player in the esports world.
But PUBG Mobile’s success isn’t just limited to its player base and viewership numbers. In November 2022, PUBG Mobile exceeded $9 billion in lifetime revenue generation. In addition, it was honored with the “Esports Mobile Game of the Year” award at the Esports Awards 2022.
As we move further into 2023, it will be interesting to see how PUBG Mobile continues to dominate the battle royale esports scene. With its massive player base, strong competitive scene, and major sponsorships, it seems that PUBG Mobile is here to stay as a major player in the world of esports.
