Felix Lengyel, better known as xQc, has stirred controversy with a bold claim about the Overwatch League. While watching an old clip from 2019, he reacted strongly to reported high viewership numbers, alleging that the league may have used bots to inflate its audience figures.
This statement surprised many fans, as the Overwatch League was once considered one of the biggest esports events, drawing massive global attention and millions of followers online. In the video, businessman Mark Cuban mentioned that the league had reached around 300,000 viewers at its peak. xQc strongly disagreed, saying, “These numbers were so botted, it’s comical,” and added that the real numbers were likely much lower. However, he did not provide any proof or confirm the source of his information.
xQc’s Insider Revelation
xQc explained that he learned about the actual viewership numbers from an insider during the league’s early testing phase on Major League Gaming (MLG). He said this person told him how many people were truly watching, and the number shocked him. As he put it, “These numbers were so botted… I’m not going to say who told me, but I went, ‘Yo!’” Although he did not reveal the source, he claimed this moment made him reconsider his future in the league.
Impact on His Career Decision
At the time, xQc had already signed a professional contract. But after hearing these claims, he began planning his exit. He questioned how he could grow as a streamer if the league’s real audience was much smaller than what was being shown publicly. For him, building his own stream and personal brand became more important than staying in competition.
He also highlighted strict league rules, noting that players were not allowed to stream during official matches. This made it difficult for him to produce content and engage with his followers. He mentioned that he needed to devote time to training, playing games, and adhering to his team’s schedule, but was unable to stream or create content simultaneously.
Conclusion
In the end, xQc felt that staying in the Overwatch League was not worth it. He believed he would lose more than he would gain by remaining a professional player. While his claims about viewership are serious, they remain unproven. Nonetheless, his story offers fans a closer look at why he chose to leave professional esports and focus entirely on streaming.
