Preface: The S16 season has officially begun. I believe most fans have been following the recent matches. The competitions in various major regions have concluded one after another, and now only the playoffs in the LPL region remain without a final outcome. The LCK region's Gen.G team once again took the lead. While it was thought their match热度 was still decent this time, the official viewership data released afterward left all fans astonished. The peak viewership for this first-stage final dropped by 51% compared to last season. Surprisingly, the LCK final's热度 was even lower than that of the European regional final. Does G2 now have more fans than the Gen.G team?

LCK Finals Data Halved Year-on-Year

I believe most fans are still quite familiar with the LCK region. Recognized as the world's top competitive region, its overall popularity and热度 have been very high. After winning the World Championship for several consecutive years, it has firmly secured its position as the global leader. In recent years, the esports industry has experienced significant fluctuations. Declining热度 is a serious issue for every region, with many teams even facing financial deficits. In the LPL region, three teams have already withdrawn from competition. While the LCK region's situation seemed relatively stable, it turns out their data has also dropped severely. Recently, the official viewership data for the LCK finals was released, and the results were unexpectedly poor.

This LCK final featured Gen.G versus BFX—one a longstanding powerhouse, the other a rising dark horse—with a considerable gap between them. The live audience didn't find it very thrilling, as it ended swiftly with a 3–0 sweep. Official peak viewership data for the finals was announced, revealing only 695,000 peak viewers for this LCK final. In contrast, the S15 finals peaked at 1.432 million viewers, marking a year-on-year drop of 51%. Considering this final was held in Hong Kong, China, meaning many offline attendees were likely LPL fans, while most Korean fans could only watch online, such a low peak clearly indicates how severely the LCK's internal popularity has declined.

What's even more awkward is that the European regional final's peak viewership reached 729,000. Could it be that the match between G2 and KC was more popular than Gen.G's? Frankly, the drop in match热度 likely boils down to three key points: First, the absence of T1. Faker is an absolute king—any match featuring him guarantees high热度. Second, BFX simply has too few fans; many LPL followers aren't even aware of this team, let alone international fans. Third, and perhaps most crucial, the match itself was overwhelmingly one-sided. Despite being a final, the gap between the teams was huge, resulting in a straightforward sweep.

It seems the LCK region is currently relying solely on Faker to drive traffic. Whether in the LPL or other regions like Europe and North America, whenever Faker plays, the venue is packed. Otherwise, the LPL wouldn't have offered him an annual salary in the hundreds of millions. He is truly the living icon of esports. Honestly, this year's global先锋 tournament might hit a record low in viewership. With the LPL lacking star players, the LCK sending a dark horse team, and Western regions not generating much buzz except perhaps G2, overall data might not look very promising. Let's wait and see.

Farewell Thoughts

It's surprising that the LCK finals viewership has halved, dropping 51% compared to last season. Note that last season's final also didn't feature T1—it was Gen.G versus HLE. This suggests the esports industry is truly entering a winter period. Both regions and teams are considering reforms, and the move toward traditional sports models seems increasingly distant.

What are your thoughts on this, everyone?