State of the Stream: February 2025

Key insights

5 takeaways

01
Twitch maintained consistent daily hours watched in February 2025 compared to January, avoiding the typical seasonal decline observed in February 2024.
02
Marvel Rivals secured a top 10 position on Twitch for the third consecutive month, a rare feat for a new AAA title that typically sees viewership drop off after 30 days.
03
KaiCenat reclaimed the top streamer spot in February 2025 by increasing his total stream time by 64 hours compared to the previous month.
04
KaiCenat achieved a milestone as the first creator to livestream the Grammy Awards directly to Twitch, in addition to participating in the 2025 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
05
The sustained viewership for Marvel Rivals through February suggests the game may set a record for consecutive months in the top 10 if it remains on the list through mid-March.

Summary

The February 2025 State of the Stream report provides an analytical overview of viewership trends on Twitch, utilizing data provided by Rainmaker.gg. The primary objective is to evaluate platform engagement, identify top-performing content creators, and track the longevity of new game releases within the streaming ecosystem.

A key finding is the stability of Twitch’s daily hours watched. Despite February having fewer days than January, the platform maintained consistent daily viewership levels, avoiding the typical seasonal decline observed in the previous year. This indicates a resilient engagement baseline for the platform during the early months of 2025.

Individual creator performance was highlighted by Kai Cenat, who reclaimed the top spot among streamers. His success was driven by a significant increase in broadcast time—64 hours more than the previous month—and high-profile appearances, including the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and a historic livestream from the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.

The report also notes the unusual staying power of the title Marvel Rivals. While most AAA game launches experience a sharp decline in viewership after 30 days, Marvel Rivals achieved a rare three-peat by remaining in the top 10 categories for three consecutive months. This sustained interest suggests a deviation from the standard lifecycle of new game releases on the platform. The analysis confirms that while launch hype eventually wanes, the game’s initial momentum was sufficient to maintain a significant presence in the top-tier rankings.