Viewership on Twitch Increases Amidst COVID-19 Outbreak
The viewership for Twitch streamers has significantly increased in recent months, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent state of emergency in America, according to Stream Hatchet data.
While Twitch has been experiencing month-over-month improvements in hours watched since November, the platform saw a notable spike in February, with nearly 10% more hours watched compared to the same month in 2019.
In the past two weeks, these figures have become even more prominent. Despite the cancellation of live esports events, Twitch’s viewership reached 239 million this week, with 9.37 million hours of airtime. This represents a 14% increase from the 209 million hours watched during the same period last year.
Key Influencers Driving Twitch’s Viewership
In contrast to last year, where esports held a significant influence on viewership, content creators are now the driving force behind the platform. While Riot Games, the Overwatch League, and DreamHack were among the top 10 channels last year, influencers dominate this year’s viewership, with Call of Duty streamers leading the way.
In fact, the top 10 most-watched channels on Twitch are now predominantly led by content creators, with Summit1g’s channel attracting 3.3 million hours watched. Interestingly, Summit1g also held the top spot on Twitch last year, but at that time he was popular for streaming Grand Theft Auto role play.
Despite the loss of viewership from Riot Games and the Overwatch League, Twitch’s overall viewership has continued to grow, demonstrating that more and more people are turning to the platform for entertainment as they refrain from traveling or attending social events, and with the absence of traditional sports due to lockdown measures.
The Rise of Twitch During the COVID-19 Crisis
Twitch has emerged as a leading source of entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic, with viewership reaching new heights. As people seek alternatives to traditional entertainment avenues, Twitch has become a go-to platform for many, providing them with a wide range of content and keeping them entertained during these challenging times.
Twitch, viewership, COVID-19, pandemic, Stream Hatchet, esports, content creators, influencers, Call of Duty