Updated Mar 17, 2026 by Stream Hatchet
Total hours watched across live streaming platforms fell 15% year-over-year to 8.1 billion in Q2 2022, signaling a post-pandemic market stabilization.
Twitch maintains a dominant 68% market share of total hours watched, while YouTube holds 14% and Facebook Gaming experienced a 50% decline in viewership.
The esports segment grew by 8% during the quarter, bolstered by major events like the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational and the PGL Major Antwerp.
Creator activity contracted significantly, with a 20% drop in unique channels and a 16% decrease in total hours broadcast compared to the previous year.
Esports organizations are increasingly reliant on content creators for reach, as evidenced by 98% of Luminosity’s total watch time being generated by affiliated creators rather than competitive matches.
Niche and disruptor platforms are gaining traction, highlighted by a 127% increase in viewership for Trovo, largely driven by Russian streamers migrating from Twitch.
Non-gaming content remains a significant driver of engagement, with the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial contributing to a 7% increase in the 'Just Chatting' category.
Total hours watched across live streaming platforms fell 15% year-over-year to 8.1 billion in Q2 2022, signaling a post-pandemic market stabilization.
Twitch maintains a dominant 68% market share of total hours watched, while YouTube holds 14% and Facebook Gaming experienced a 50% decline in viewership.
The esports segment grew by 8% during the quarter, bolstered by major events like the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational and the PGL Major Antwerp.
Creator activity contracted significantly, with a 20% drop in unique channels and a 16% decrease in total hours broadcast compared to the previous year.
Esports organizations are increasingly reliant on content creators for reach, as evidenced by 98% of Luminosity’s total watch time being generated by affiliated creators rather than competitive matches.
Niche and disruptor platforms are gaining traction, highlighted by a 127% increase in viewership for Trovo, largely driven by Russian streamers migrating from Twitch.
Non-gaming content remains a significant driver of engagement, with the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial contributing to a 7% increase in the 'Just Chatting' category.