2025 favors CS2, yet VALORANT plots its rise

Two major First-Person Shooter tournaments concluded on June 22 — the BLAST.tv Austin Major (CS2) and VALORANT Masters Toronto — reigniting the debate over which title dominates the esports landscape. The Austin event welcomed 32 teams and offered a $1.25 million prize pool, while Toronto gathered 12 top squads competing for $1 million. 

CS2’s legacy draws massive viewership, with Austin peaking at 1.8 million viewers and reaching a record 76.1 million hours watched, over double Toronto’s 34.8 million hours. Other CS2 events like IEM Katowice (1.3 m peak) and BLAST Rivals (1.03 m) also outperform VALORANT’s Masters Bangkok (1.3 m) and Toronto (1.1 m). VALORANT has seen regional dips post‑Bangkok, though Pacific remained stable. 

Structurally, CS2 embraces an open ecosystem, any qualified team can enter major events, while VALORANT’s franchised VCT limits competitors to fewer slots. Financially, CS2 already hosted three $1m+ tournaments and has more on the way; VALORANT awaits its Champions finale with a $2.25 m prize pool. 

Riot keeps spicing things up with new agents and maps that shake the meta, while Valve plays it safe with minor map pool updates. Right now, CS2 is dominating 2025 — stronger viewership, more majors, and that unbeatable legacy. But with VALORANT’s Champions and its fast-evolving scene, things could get real interesting later this year