Report: Final figures show GOTF 2025 drew 461m broadcast views

The Games of the Future 2025 delivered huge viewing figures across six days of competition in Abu Dhabi in December, demonstrating its ability to engage large, digitally native audiences worldwide.

According to an independent viewership analysis by Ipsos Strategy3, the event reached 137 million unique viewers globally, generating 461 million broadcast views across television, streaming platforms and media partner channels. In total, audiences consumed 59 million hours of live competition and event coverage, highlighting the scale of engagement achieved by the tournament’s hybrid sports format.

Not only do the figures underline the appeal of phygital competition, they also show the effectiveness of a broadcast strategy designed for today’s multi-platform environment.

Global reach across platforms

GOTF 2025 benefited from a broad media ecosystem that combined traditional broadcast partners, streaming platforms and creator-driven coverage.

Key highlights include:

• 461 million broadcast views across official media partners
• 137 million unique viewers worldwide
• 59 million hours watched during the event
• 388 million additional social media views generated by event content
• 4 million social media interactions across platforms

Digital played a particularly important role in the distribution strategy. Around 82% of total views came from non-exclusive streaming platforms, reflecting the viewing habits of esports and gaming audiences who increasingly favour digital-first channels.

Media partners accounted for the vast majority of views, while creator and influencer streams added further reach and engagement.

Strong regional engagement

The December tournament attracted audiences across multiple key markets, with strong performances in regions where esports and digital competition have established fan bases.

Regional viewership was led by:

• South East Asia & China – 25%
• Latin America – 21%
• Central Asia – 18%
• India – 7%

Latin America emerged as a particularly dynamic market, with Brazil contributing a large share of regional viewership. Meanwhile, a further 25% of audiences accessed the event via global broadcast feeds.

Esports and phygital disciplines share the spotlight

Viewership was driven by a mix of popular esports titles and the distinctive phygital disciplines that define the Games of the Future format.

MOBA competitions generated the largest share of views – accounting for roughly 45% of total viewership – while phygital sports continued to attract growing audience interest.

Taken together, the phygital disciplines accounted for more than one third of total views, highlighting the appetite for hybrid competitive formats that blend physical sport with digital gameplay.

The vital roles of creators

Alongside official media coverage, creator streams provided an additional layer of audience engagement.

Influencer-led broadcasts generated:

• 24 million views
• 2 million unique viewers

These streams were particularly influential in Southeast Asia, where creators play a central role in esports consumption.

A platform for continued growth

The Games of the Future Abu Dhabi 2025 demonstrated the scale that phygital sport can achieve when paired with a global digital distribution strategy.

With hundreds of millions of views and a worldwide audience exceeding 137 million, the event continues to position itself as a major new platform in the international sports and esports landscape.

You can still catch all the action from GOTF 2025 – including full matches, highlights and behind-the-scenes footage – by visiting the GOTF streaming hub at tv.gofuture.games.