ReportStream Hatchet
Video Game Streaming Trends Report: Q2 2023
1 Jan 202324 pages~16 min full read
Despite a 9% quarterly viewership decline in Q2 2023, the live-streaming market remains 97% larger than pre-pandemic levels from Q2 2019.
See it on page 6New platform Kick captured a 2% market share in Q2 2023, driven by a 204% increase in unique channels and a creator-friendly 95-5 revenue split.
See it on page 7Kick’s content strategy diverges from Twitch, with over two-thirds of its viewership originating from non-gaming categories like 'Just Chatting' and 'Slots & Casino' rather than gaming.
See it on page 8Diablo IV generated 164 million hours watched in its first month, with 29% of its first-week viewership directly attributed to the 'Hardcore Mode' creator-led marketing challenge.
See it on page 19Esports viewership grew 4.1% year-over-year, with top organizations increasingly reliant on content creators, who account for over 50% of the audience for eight of the top ten teams.
See it on page 16League of Legends, Grand Theft Auto V, and VALORANT remained the most-watched gaming titles during the quarter.
See it on page 11This analysis of the video game live-streaming market for Q2 2023 highlights a period of stabilization and strategic shifts following the post-pandemic boom. While overall viewership declined by 9% compared to the previous quarter, the industry remains significantly larger than its pre-pandemic state, with total hours watched up 97% over Q2 2019. The data covers major global platforms including Twitch, YouTube Gaming, Facebook Live, and the emerging competitor Kick, utilizing data aggregated through third-party APIs and manual classification.
A primary finding is the rapid ascent of Kick, which secured a 2% market share to become the fifth most-watched platform. Kick’s growth was driven by a creator-friendly 95-5 revenue split and high-profile signings like xQc and Amouranth, leading to a 204% increase in unique channels. Notably, Kick’s content mix differs from Twitch; while Twitch remains 74% gaming-focused, over two-thirds of Kick’s viewership comes from non-gaming categories, specifically "Just Chatting" and "Slots & Casino."
In the gaming sector, League of Legends reclaimed the top spot for hours watched, followed by Grand Theft Auto V and VALORANT. The report emphasizes the impact of new releases, specifically Diablo IV, which generated 164 million hours watched in its first month. Blizzard’s use of a "Hardcore Mode" challenge demonstrated the efficacy of creator-led marketing, as 29% of the game's first-week viewership was tied to this specific challenge.
The esports segment showed resilience, growing 4.1% year-over-year despite the broader market cooling. The analysis also notes the continued dominance of female VTubers on YouTube and the trend of esports organizations relying heavily on content creators for viewership, with eight of the top ten teams drawing over 50% of their audience from creators rather than competitive matches.
