Mobile esports growth in charts: games, markets & audience stats

2024 was a massive year for mobile esports, with games like MLBB and PUBG Mobile pulling in millions of viewers and shattering watch-time records. And it wasn’t just the tournaments making headlines – mobile gaming kept growing across the board.

As the mobile gaming market keeps outpacing PC and console, one thing is clear: competitive mobile gaming is now the main event. 

Here’s what the data says about its rise.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was way ahead of the pack in 2024. According to Esports Charts, It pulled in nearly 476 million hours watched over 6,412 hours of tournament airtime, putting it at the top of the list for mobile esports games. No other title came close to matching that level of engagement.

In second place, PUBG Mobile reached just over 127 million hours watched, with a similar airtime total of 6,165 hours. While it didn’t get near MLBB’s numbers, it still proved why it’s one of the most popular mobile games in the world – especially for fans of the battle royale format.

Arena of Valor came in a close third, with nearly 127 million hours watched from just 1,665 hours of content. That’s far less airtime than the top two, which makes its viewership even more impressive. It’s clear the game still holds strong appeal, particularly in Southeast Asia.

Free Fire placed fourth with around 85 million hours watched over 2,618 hours of tournaments. While it’s no longer at its peak, the game continues to attract attention and remains active within the mobile esports games scene.

Battlegrounds Mobile India rounded out the top five with 39 million hours watched across 1,196 hours of competition. It’s still catching up to the others, but the numbers show solid progress. For a title focused on one market, BGMI is building momentum and finding its place among the most popular mobile games.

In 2024, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang led the way once again, dominating both total watch time and peak viewership across the mobile esports tournament landscape.

According to data from Esports Charts, MPL Indonesia Season 14 came out on top with 117.5 million hours watched and nearly 4 million viewers tuned in live for its Grand Final – one of the highest peaks ever seen in esports mobile games. 

Season 13 wasn’t far behind, bringing in 110.2 million hours watched and drawing 2.22 million peak viewers, showing how consistently strong the league has become. 

The M6 World Championship followed closely, with 85.6 million hours watched and a record-breaking 4.13 million peak viewership, the highest peak of any mobile tournament all year.

Another key moment came with the Esports World Cup’s debut. The EWC x MLBB Mid-Season Cup helped push mobile esports into a more global spotlight. It drew 29.1 million hours watched and 2.38 million peak viewers, and thanks to its $3 million prize pool, it instantly became one of the most talked-about international events of the year.

PUBG Mobile also held its ground with the PMGC 2024, which attracted 28.6 million hours watched and close to 1 million peak viewers. Although it didn’t hit the same highs as MLBB, it confirmed PUBG’s ongoing appeal among fans of competitive shooters and battle royale.

Brawl Stars also had a strong showing, hitting a new personal best. The World Finals pulled in 1.10 million peak viewers, its biggest ever, proving it has earned a place alongside other major mobile esports tournaments.

Regional competitions continued to attract reliable numbers. MPL Philippines Season 14 generated 21.1 million hours of watched, with nearly 1.61 million peak viewers during the playoffs. 

Meanwhile, Arena of Valor’s local tournaments – including the Arena of Glory Winter and Spring editions – both topped 21 million hours watched, showing just how important regional leagues still are for the growth of esports mobile games.

To understand where mobile esports is heading, it helps to look at how people are using mobile devices for gaming in general. 

Data from the Entertainment Software Association shows that in the US, mobile was the most widely played platform in 2024. Around 67% of households had someone who played games on a mobile device. That’s more than PC, which came in at 53%, and well ahead of console, which sat at 36%.

At the individual level, the trend is just as clear. 78% of players aged eight and above said they play games on mobile. It’s become the go-to choice for most people, partly because it’s simple, portable, and already in everyone’s pocket. 

These numbers highlight just how central mobile has become in the mobile gaming market – not as a niche option but as the mainstream.

If we look at it by age, it’s not just younger players driving this shift. In 2024, while 77% of Gen Z and 78% of Millennials played on mobile, it was actually Gen X – those in their 40s and 50s – who led the way, with 81% saying they play on mobile devices. Even among Boomers and Silent Generation players, mobile use was strong, with 79% saying they game on their phones or tablets.

There’s also an interesting gender difference. 84% of women who gamed used mobile as their main platform, compared to 74% of men. On PC and console, men were more active – but mobile is where things evened out. It’s more accessible, less tied to expensive hardware, and often more flexible in how and when people can play.

According to Capcom, back in 2022, total global revenue from video games reached $203 billion. That alone is a huge figure, but the industry didn’t stop there. In 2023, it climbed to $222 billion, and by 2028, it’s expected to hit $258.8 billion. That’s more than a quarter of a trillion dollars.

But if you look at where that growth is actually coming from, the answer is clear: it’s mobile.

In 2022, the mobile gaming market was already bringing in $122.6 billion, making it the largest part of the industry by far. Fast forward to 2023, and that number rose to $136.2 billion. The trend continues: by 2024, mobile revenue is expected to hit $139.2 billion, and by 2028, it’s forecast to top $163.8 billion.

To put that into perspective, mobile is growing faster than both PC and console combined. PC gaming revenue is expected to increase only slightly, from $42.9 billion in 2022 to $48 billion in 2028. Console gaming, meanwhile, will go from $37.9 billion to $47 billion. These numbers are stable – but they’re nowhere near mobile’s growth curve.

Mobile esports had a huge year in 2024, with games like MLBB and PUBG Mobile pulling in massive audiences. It’s clear that competitive mobile gaming is only getting bigger. 

At the same time, the mobile gaming market keeps growing faster than PC or console. With more players, more tournaments, and more money in the mix, mobile is quickly becoming the heart of the gaming world.