If 2025 was the year of the “viewership correction” for most major esports titles, Counter-Strike 2 didn’t get the memo. In a year defined by double-digit declines for industry giants like League of Legends and Valorant, Valve’s tactical shooter has not only survived it has thrived.
According to the latest data from SullyGnome, CS2 was the standout performer on Twitch throughout 2025, recording massive growth across almost every key metric. While Riot Games and Epic Games saw their audiences shrink, the Counter-Strike community proved that the “Dead Game” allegations are further away than ever.
Here is a breakdown of the numbers and why CS2 is winning the war for eyeballs.
Counter-Strike 2 Viewership Stats (2025)
The numbers paint a clear picture of growth. While the broader streaming market contracted, CS2 saw a surge in engagement:
- Total Hours Watched: 770 Million (+15.3% Year-on-Year)
- Stream Time: 13.1 Million Hours (+24.1%)
- Average Concurrent Viewers: ~88,000 (+15.3%)
This 15% jump is particularly impressive given that it occurred during a “quiet” year for many games, proving that the core gameplay loop and the esports circuit remain the most resilient product in the industry.
The Competition: A Sea of Red
The success of CS2 is even more stark when compared to its direct competitors. 2025 was a brutal year for other top-tier titles on Twitch.
League of Legends
While LoL still holds the crown for raw volume with 1.02 billion hours watched, the trend is worrying. The MOBA giant saw a 19% decrease in hours watched compared to 2024. Even more concerning for the ecosystem, the number of peak channels streaming the game dropped by a massive 58%, suggesting a decline in creator interest.
Valorant
The biggest shock of the year comes from Riot’s shooter. Valorant, often touted as the “CS killer,” suffered a significant retention issue in 2025.
- Hours Watched: Down 30.9%
- Average Viewership: Dropped to 68,641
- Stream Time: Declined heavily
Fortnite & Dota 2
The downward trend continued elsewhere. Fortnite saw its watch time plummet by 26.6%, with average viewership dipping below 53,000. Meanwhile, Dota 2 experienced a slower bleed, losing 9.8% of its watch time as viewership consolidated further around major tournaments rather than daily streaming.
Why is Counter-Strike Growing?
Analysts point to several factors for CS2’s “evergreen” status. Unlike games that rely on constant content updates or “seasons” to retain interest, Counter-Strike’s consistent competitive calendar keeps viewers engaged year-round.
While other titles struggled with meta-stagnation or creator burnout in 2025, the open circuit of CS2 provided a non-stop narrative that kept the directory alive on Twitch.