ReportStream Hatchet
Stream Hatchet Video Game Streaming Trends Report 2022 First Quarter Report
1 Jan 202223 pages~20 min full read
Twitch remains the dominant streaming platform with 75% of total market share, growing by 5% (286 million hours) in Q1 2022 despite a broader industry decline.
See it on page 5Total hours watched across all streaming platforms fell by 6% compared to Q1 2021, signaling a market correction following pandemic-era saturation and creator fatigue.
See it on page 4Core viewers who watch at least 5 hours daily represent only 7.8% of the total audience but account for two-thirds of all hours watched and are 24 times more likely to engage with ads.
See it on page 15Esports viewership remains a high-performing sector, showing a 61% increase over pre-pandemic levels with 80% of all esports hours occurring on Twitch.
See it on page 6Emerging platforms are gaining traction, with Trovo and AfreecaTV recording significant viewership growth of 188% and 15% respectively in Q1 2022.
See it on page 5VTuber content has become a major growth driver for female creators, with figures like Ironmouse and Valkyrae achieving significant audience expansion.
See it on page 11Core audiences are the primary drivers of mobile game streaming, accounting for 78% of total hours watched in that category.
See it on page 16The report examines live video‑game streaming activity in Q1 2022, focusing on audience growth, platform market share, and creator performance across Twitch, YouTube Gaming, Facebook Gaming, and emerging competitors such as Trovo, AfreecaTV, and Naver TV. Total hours watched across all platforms rose 140 % from Q1 2019, yet the growth rate slowed to a 6 % decline versus Q1 2021, reflecting creator fatigue and pandemic‑induced saturation. Twitch maintained dominance with 75 % of total hours, adding 286 million hours (5 % growth), while Trovo and AfreecaTV experienced double‑digit gains of 188 % and 15 %, respectively. Esports viewership remained resilient, increasing by 61 % from pre‑pandemic levels and contributing 80 % of esports hours on Twitch.
Creator analytics reveal that xQcOW led all platforms with 62.8 million hours, while Spanish‑speaking channels dominated the top 30 % of viewership. Female creators such as Ironmouse and Valkyrae achieved significant growth, largely driven by VTuber content. Core viewers—those watching 5 hours daily—constitute only 7.8 % of the audience but generate two‑thirds of total hours and are 24 times more likely to engage with repeated advertising. Mobile game streaming remains largely casual, yet core audiences drive 78 % of mobile stream hours.
Methodologically, the study aggregates live and VOD metrics from third‑party APIs across 14 platforms, applying manual labeling and automated filtering to produce hourly, concurrent, and retention statistics. The findings underscore a maturing streaming ecosystem where platform diversification, creator niche specialization, and core audience targeting are pivotal for marketers and publishers.
