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League of Legends (LoL) and Dota 2 have been among the top multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) since 2009. Both games have devoted players who have in the process significantly changed the esports landscape.
Unlike Dota 2, which is a complicated and challenging game to play and comprehend, League of Legends is simple to comprehend in every way. In this post, we’ll examine the player counts for both games from 2020 to February 2025 before comparing them on Twitch in 2024.
Which Game Had More Players?
League of Legends may be played regularly by a large number of players. With an average of 150 million players each month since June 2024, League of Legends has a sizable following of devoted followers. But there were both good and bad moments in Dota 2.
Topping the chart back in 2016, the number of Dota 2 players continuously fell afterward, and in 2023 it touched the bottom line of 400,000 players, the least ever recorded. Yet, Dota 2 had a big jump in the year 2024 with the highest number being 943000 in June, mainly because of the successful “Crownfall 2024” a mostly old-player’s event. Leaving this regain, the number of LoL’s active players cannot equal that of Dota 2.
Twitch Stats for Dota 2 vs. League of Legends in 2024
Both games showcased impressive numbers on Twitch in 2024. For a brief period between January 1 and September 19, 2024, Dota 2 attracted 973,000 viewers, surpassing all other strategy games in the highest concurrent viewers category. League of Legends had its highest peak at 906,000 viewers and came in second.
Hours Watched
But when it comes to overall hours viewed, Dota 2 lags well behind League of Legends. The number of hours watched for League of Legends nearly doubled the 405.39 million in Dota 2 at 908.48 million. This indicates that while Dota 2 is a popular game at major events, League of Legends maintains a low volume of users for a longer period of time, making it more successful overall.
Broadcasts and Viewers
It is difficult to get precise data on the number of broadcasters, average and maximum viewership, and hours of broadcasting in 2024. Nevertheless, our data demonstrate both games’ strong points. Both LoL’s ongoing popularity and dependability as well as Dota 2 capacity to attract significant peak viewership times are clear.
Even while League of Legends leads in both player count and viewing time, it is evident that both games have had a big influence on the gaming and esports industries. Despite its difficulties, Dota 2 has shown to be resilient and appealing to a wider audience throughout pivotal occasions.
I’ve been gaming since before I could properly tie my shoes, which might explain why I can nail a mid-lane gank in Dota 2 but still trip over shoelaces on occasion. With over 12,000 hours in Dota 2, I’ve probably spent more time defending the Ancient than I have doing anything remotely “productive,” unless you count explaining to my team why “mid or feed” is a valid strategy. When I’m not casting spells or clashing swords in Assassin’s Creed (I like to think I’d make a decent assassin in another life), I’m likely trying to save my team in Fortnite or squeeze in a quick game of Padel to balance out all those hours in front of a screen. Writing about video games was a natural career choice—someone had to make sure Dota players got some representation, after all. Over the past decade, I’ve cranked out close to 10,000 articles for some of the biggest names in gaming journalism, covering everything from meta shake-ups to the eternal mystery of why my support always forgets to buy wards. When I’m not typing, playing, or yelling at my screen, I’m usually watching anime and dreaming of a life where respawns are real.