In early June 2025, the CS2 Austin Major hosted by BLAST.tv opened in Austin, Texas, USA. During the event, BLAST.tv innovatively introduced YouTube’s Multiview technology for the first time in e-sports live broadcasts, allowing viewers to watch multiple games on one screen at the same time; coupled with the simultaneous broadcast of multiple platforms on Twitch and BLAST official website, it has jointly promoted the leap of CS2 viewing experience.
This is the first time since 2018 that the tournament has returned to the United States, with an unprecedented scale: 32 teams, a total prize of up to $1.25 million, and a prize of $500,000 for the champion team.
Data highlights: high-quality viewing and on-site enthusiasm
Ticketing and offline impact
The four-day finals tickets at the Moody Center in Austin were sold out in just six hours in February 2025, with more than 40,000 fans watching the game on site, of which about 70% were from outside Texas, covering more than 60 countries.
The direct impact of this event on Austin’s local economy is expected to exceed $30 million.
Online audience performance
The peak audience in the first two days of the game reached 480,306 people.
The official estimate is that the global online audience will reach about 220 million, which shows the overall popularity of the game.
Participating lineup and competition system design
This Major invites 32 teams, including 16 directly invited teams and 16 teams that advance through regional qualifiers.
The competition system includes three stages of Swiss group matches, and the final eight enters the Moody Center finals. The first stage (June 2-5) will be held by the qualifying teams; the second and third stages will include seeded teams; the four-day finals (June 18-21) will be held at the Moody Center.
Technological innovation: Multiview reshapes the viewing experience
YouTube Multiview features
Multiview allows TV and console users to watch two CS2 games at the same time, presenting a “panoramic” view of the stadium to the audience and enabling free switching of multiple perspectives.
This technology has been used in mainstream events such as the NFL and Coachella, and is an important upgrade for e-sports live broadcasts.
BLAST.tv’s strategic layout
BLAST cooperated with TikTok during the 2023 Paris Major and set a peak viewing record of 1.5 million. This integration of Multiview is a step further.
While BLAST enhances its live broadcast technology, it continues to broadcast simultaneously through Twitch and the official website, striving to cover a wider fan base.
Analysis and insights
1.Technological breakthroughs enhance appeal
The introduction of Multiview is an important step for e-sports live broadcasts to catch up with mainstream sports. It not only provides a more information-dense way to watch the game, but also enhances fan stickiness.
2. Offline and online synergy
The number of offline viewers and the peak online audience complement each other, reflecting the strong appeal and market potential of CS2 Major.
3. Upgraded competition system promotes global participation
Expanding to 32 teams and allowing more regional teams to participate will help attract a wider field of vision and bring higher viewing value to the event.
4. Clear e-sports business path
This event not only drives local economic effects, but also demonstrates the commercial money-making ability of e-sports similar to traditional sports events.
Conclusion: Can the Austin Major become a model for e-sports?
The Austin Major has entered a new stage in terms of event scale, technical attempts and commercial performance. The application of Multiview has broken the traditional pattern of e-sports live broadcast; and the expansion of 32 teams and the Swiss system have also strengthened the global inclusiveness of the event. According to rough statistics, there are 40,000+ live spectators, 480,000+ online peaks, and 220 million expected global viewers, all of which show that major CS2 events are becoming the focus of global entertainment.
If this Major final and the following games can maintain a continuous high audience volume, or even hit the record of a single-game million-line viewer record, the Austin Major will become a benchmark event in the e-sports industry – not only limited to Counter-Strike, but also a key node for the entire e-sports industry to connect with mainstream sports. In the future, can the audience expect more events to move towards the normalization of Multiview? We will wait and see.
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