In the first three months of 2025, Counter-Strike emerged as the undisputed leader among esports titles on Twitch, surpassing giants like League of Legends, Dota 2, and VALORANT. According to data from Esports Charts, the game amassed 99.16 million hours watched, the highest among all disciplines in the first quarter of the year.
Most Watched Esports Games on Twitch (Q1 2025):
- Counter-Strike – 99.16M hours | 937,876 peak viewers
▸ Peak event: IEM Katowice (ESL) - League of Legends – 78.44M hours | 673,339 peak viewers
▸ Peak event: LEC Winter - Dota 2 – 59.12M hours | 307,258 peak viewers
▸ Peak event: DreamLeague S25 - VALORANT – 58.68M hours | 583,189 peak viewers
▸ Peak event: VALORANT Masters Bangkok - Rainbow Six Siege – 14.8M hours | 309,238 peak viewers
▸ Peak event: Six Invitational
Why Is Counter-Strike Leading?
1. IEM Katowice as the Viewership Engine
The driving force behind CS’s popularity this quarter was the IEM Katowice tournament, which traditionally attracts a massive audience. In 2025, the event peaked at 937,876 viewers, making it the most-watched esports event during this period.
2. Consistency and Global Community
Counter-Strike remains steadily popular due to its accessibility, simple rules, and deeply competitive ecosystem. Announcements of future updates, rising stars, and roster changes further fuel fan engagement and interest.
3. A Competitive Spring
Q1 2025 was filled with top-tier matches—from closed qualifiers to major tournaments. This consistent high-level action maintained viewer interest and drove steady growth in watch time.
Community Reactions: Why Is CS a Fan Favorite?
On Reddit, particularly in the r/GlobalOffensive community, users actively discussed CS’s Twitch dominance in 2025.
- Ease of Understanding:
Many users emphasize that CS is one of the easiest esports to follow. User Dumbass-Idea7859 noted:
“Compared to all other games on the list CS is absolutely the easiest to understand.” - Pace and Action:
Others highlight that each round brings new action, keeping the audience engaged. User RealMasterOfPain added:
“It’s also action every single round. League on the other hand has so much more downtime while the game is progressing.” - Comparison to Other Games:
Some compare CS favorably with other esports titles. User AstralSerenity commented:
“Although CS is an FPS, it’s so simple to understand and visually clear that it’s one of the best esports to enjoy.”
Counter-Strike has firmly established itself as the most-watched esports game on Twitch in Q1 2025. With rising competition, strong tournament support, and the full transition to CS2, the game is experiencing a new wave of popularity. If the trend continues, 2025 could be a defining year in the history of Counter-Strike.
