The first quarter of 2022 recorded a 56% year-over-year increase in total viewing time for esports tournaments in Japan, with over 250 tournaments broadcasted (source: TAIYORO)

2022-04-27

PlayBrain Inc. (headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, hereafter referred to as PlayBrain) is proud to to share insights into the viewership trends of domestic esports tournaments for the first quarter of 2022 (January to March) and the entire year, leveraging data collected via “TAIYORO,” a comprehensive website for esports tournament schedule information.

The first quarter of the year (from January to March) usually coincides with the time when major esports leagues begin their new season, thus drawing considerable attention and viewership. This year saw the start of prominent domestic leagues and tournaments like the "League of Legends Japan League (LJL)" and the "2022 VALORANT Champions Tour" in mid-February, with viewership data far surpassing last year's figures.

Below are the main topics from the domestic esports broadcast viewing data for January to March 2022, as independently compiled by TAIYORO.

Cumulative viewing time Records a significant 56% year-over-year increase

More than 250 esports tournaments were broadcast domestically, marking a +14% increase compared to the previous year*
Over 25 game titles were featured in esports tournaments
The total viewing time for domestic esports tournaments was approximately 850 million minutes, recording a significant increase of 56% compared to last year
The record for the average concurrent viewership significantly surpassed the previous year's figure of around 20,000, breaking into the 50,000 range**

*This figure includes major tournaments measured during the period, according to TAIYORO's selection criteria. **Data from the "2022 VALORANT Champions Tour - Challengers Japan Stage 1" during the January-March 2022 period.

Key trends in esports viewership from January to March 2022 (According to TAIYORO)

"VALORANT" Leads with the Highest Viewing Time (Approximately 310 Million Minutes)

The "2022 VALORANT Champions Tour - Challengers Japan Stage 1," starting in February, saw a dramatic increase in viewership, with record-breaking concurrent viewer numbers. With a total of 310 million minutes watched,* VALORANT accounted for nearly a third of all esports viewing during this timeframe.

*This figure represents the cumulative viewing time for the main broadcast and does not include views from mirror broadcasts.

"Knives Out" Tops the Chart for Most Broadcast Days (Over 40 Days)

During this period, "Knives Out" was the most broadcasted game, especially in early January, during the off-season for many major esports leagues. The game's "Knives Out ELITE LEAGUE SEASON 3" began, supplemented by the weekly "FFL Knives Out" league matches hosted by FENNEL, making it the game with the highest number of broadcast days.

The "Six Invitational 2022" Becomes the Most-Watched International Tournament (February 8th to February 20th)

The "Six Invitational 2022," the pinnacle of the "Rainbow Six Siege" esports calendar, took place in Stockholm, Sweden, from February 8th to 20th. The event saw significant viewership as fans tuned in to watch Japan's CYCLOPS athlete gaming (CAG) go head-to-head with global powerhouses like Team Liquid, FaZe Clan, Spacestation Gaming, and Rogue. This tournament secured the third spot in terms of cumulative viewing time for the period, following behind "2022 VALORANT Champions Tour - Challengers Japan Stage 1" and "LJL 2022 Spring Split."

About the esports calendar “TAIYORO”

The esports calendar website “TAIYORO” is dedicated to making it easier for fans to watch esports tournaments by offering up-to-date information on esports broadcasts within Japan and collecting data on viewership. One of its unique feature is the free Discord Bot, which enables users to link the schedule of Japanese esports broadcasts directly to their Discord servers.

Information listed on TAIYORO spans from competitions in major professional esports leagues both in Japan and internationally (with Japanese language broadcasts), down to community-level tournaments and innovative new events, all with the objective of continually updating to support the growth and expansion of the esports viewership community.

Learn more about the TAIYORO esports calendar: https://taiyoro.gg/

For more information on the free TAIYORO Discord Bot: https://taiyoro.gg/discord

TAIYORO is committed to providing accurate and analyzable viewership data to deepen understanding of fan engagement in Japan’s esports scene, aiming to facilitate new business opportunities and enrich the fan experience. Customizable reports will soon be available to offer compiled viewership data reports to businesses, event organizers, and media outlets.

About TAIYORO

TAIYORO is a portal site designed for esports viewing fans, offering comprehensive information on esports tournaments within Japan, from VODs of past events to broadcast details of upcoming events. Whether you are searching for the schedule of esports tournaments for your favorite game titles or want to catch the esports events everyone is currently buzzing about, our goal is to bring the excitement of esports viewing closer to everyone and share the fun of watching esports with as many people as possible.

The information on our site is kept up-to-date and accurate thanks to contributions and cooperation from tournament organizers and communities. If you find any inaccuracies or wish to request corrections, please reach out to us via the contact form.

Website: https://taiyoro.gg/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Taiyoro_gg