The number of people playing video games is rising, with around two-thirds of the USA reporting they have played regularly in 2022. Video game consumption does not stop at that, however, with users also discussing their favorite games online, and, in many cases, watching other people stream it. Livestreaming video games have been popular with a segment of gamers for a long time, but it has recently become much more mainstream.
What is video game livestreaming?
Video game livestreaming takes a few different forms. Some of the more popular platforms include Twitch and YouTube, although smaller livestreaming platforms do exist. There is no lower or upper limit to be considered a video game live-streamer. If someone broadcasts themselves playing video games, they are a video game live-streamer. This is true even if no one watches the stream in question. The act of livestreaming does not require viewers to be considered a live game stream.
Why is video streaming so popular?
There are a few different reasons video game streaming has become so popular. First, livestreaming video games is free entertainment. The streamers are usually personable and entertaining, and viewers do not have to pay anything to enjoy their streams. Second, players who enjoy video games can likely find either their favorite game being streamed, or their favorite genre of game being streamed, whether via tournaments or simple streams.
Tournaments are a particularly appealing to hardcore players of the game in question. Popular FPS “Counter-Strike: Global Initiative” (CS:GO), for example, with the game amassing a live viewing audience of nearly 3 million at its peak. More than $110 million have been handed away as gifts at CS:GO tournaments, too, of which there were 516 in 2021 alone. CS:GO live streamers either show themselves gaming in real-time, or watch other people playing in real-time while discussing the strategies they see with their viewership.
Another popular livestreaming option is livestreaming gameplay on popular platforms such as Twitch or YouTube. Relaxing games are especially popular in this format, with many people joining streams just to watch the live streamer slowly work their way through low-stress gameplay and interact with pleasant NPCs in an attractive environment. Minecraft, for example, which hit wide release in 2011, was the nineth most popular game streamed on Twitch in November 2022, topping out at nearly 38 million viewer hours. Stardew Valley, a 2016 indie release which took the world by storm, has also gathered its fair share of viewers. It was the 10th most popular indie game streamed on Twitch in November 2022, with 238 thousand viewer hours.
Casino livestreaming has been increasing over the past few years, too. Some casino game streamers on Twitch boast more than 600 thousand viewer hours! From games such as poker to online real slots, casino games have a growing viewership in the online streaming realm. Other popular streaming formats include horror games, RPG games, and FPS games.
What do you think about livestreaming your favorite video game? Whether you want to watch or broadcast, the industry is actively growing every day.
