The Rise of Tfue: The Most-Watched Influencer in 2019
2018 witnessed the incredible success of Ninja, who set records on Twitch with his Fortnite streams and collaborations with celebrities like Drake. However, this year, a new streamer has taken the top spot as the most-watched influencer: Tfue.
According to data collected by StreamElements and Arsenal, Tfue has amassed a staggering 87.8 million hours watched, surpassing Shroud who sits in second place with 65.8 million hours watched.
Tfue’s journey to the top began with his victories in KEEMSTAR’s Friday Fortnite competition, gaining popularity in 2018. Although he was often overshadowed by Ninja among Fortnite followers, Tfue gradually closed the gap in terms of hours watched.
Despite taking a brief break from streaming in September, Tfue managed to accumulate nearly 30 million more hours watched than Ninja, who switched from Twitch to Mixer in August.
Ninja’s decline in hours watched hasn’t affected his popularity. Recently, he unveiled a collaboration with Adidas, designing custom sneakers. Additionally, he has appeared on various YouTube shows, including Kevin Hart’s “Cold as Balls” interview series, reaching a wider audience.
In contrast, Tfue’s success in terms of hours watched is even more impressive as he hasn’t landed major mainstream endorsement deals. His stream page doesn’t list any endorsements, and he has been involved in a well-known legal dispute with his former team, FaZe Clan.
Tfue’s domination in hours watched is even more remarkable considering the decline in Fortnite’s viewership on Twitch. While Fortnite was the most-watched game on Twitch in 2018, this year it has been surpassed by League of Legends, a well-established esport with leagues like the LCS, LCK, and LEC.