Twice as Many Viewers Watched Shanghai Major RMR Compared to Austin Major RMR
The transition from the proven RMR system to the experimental MRQ format led to a sharp decline in audience interest. The lack of high-profile matches and powerful emotions due to the online format is reflected in the statistics, which appear more than disappointing compared to last year's qualifiers for the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024.
MRQ 2025 Viewership Statistics
According to Esports Charts, MRQ gathered only about 4.1 million hours of viewing. This is four times less than the RMR qualifiers in 2024, which collectively surpassed 16 million hours. The peak online audience for MRQ decreased by 68% compared to last year's figures. The number of active streaming channels also dropped by almost a quarter. Interest declined across all key language zones: in English, Russian, and Portuguese, peak values fell by more than 60%. Even the most popular MRQ match between Astralis and B8 barely reached 170,000 peak viewers.
Comparison with RMR 2024
Last year's RMR tournaments featured top teams like NAVI, Vitality , G2, and Spirit , which drew viewer attention. This year, many of them received direct invites to the major, and lesser-known teams participated in the qualifiers. The fact that this qualification was online, unlike last year's LAN, also had an impact. Just remember the emotions of Passion UA after the victory over Spirit — it was very cool.
Comparison of MRQ 2025 and RMR 2024 Statistics
The shift from the familiar RMR system to the MRQ format directly affected audience interest. Despite the increase in regions and the emergence of new teams, fan engagement dropped sharply. To clearly understand the scale of the decline, here are the key metrics:
Total viewing hours: MRQ 2025 — 4.1 million, RMR 2024 — over 16 million
Peak online: A 68% drop compared to last year
Views in key languages (EN, RU, PT): More than a 60% decrease
Number of active streaming channels: Down 23.8% compared to 2024
Most popular MRQ 2025 match: Astralis vs. B8 — 169,974 peak viewers. For comparison, even less significant RMR matches exceeded 250K
Participation of top teams: In MRQ, almost all TOP-10 world teams received invites and didn't play, whereas in RMR 2024, they competed for spots, creating hype and drama
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 will take place from June 2 to June 22 in Austin , USA. Teams will compete for a prize pool of $1,250,000. You can follow the tournament's progress in more detail via this link.
