Streaming Platforms Twitch and Facebook Gaming Break Records for Hours Watched in January
The streaming industry continues to thrive in 2021, with both Twitch and Facebook Gaming surpassing their previous records for hours watched last month, according to data from Rainmaker.gg, StreamElements’ analytics partner. Twitch experienced its biggest month ever, reaching over two billion hours watched and a 117-percent year-over-year growth. Meanwhile, Facebook Gaming saw a significant increase in hours watched, growing by 118 percent year-over-year to 439 million hours watched in January.
Twitch’s success can be attributed to the continued growth of new categories as well as the sustained popularity of its top streamers. Even with the easing of stay-at-home restrictions, viewership on streaming platforms remains strong. This demonstrates the lasting appeal of livestreaming as a medium for entertainment.
Key Growth Areas and Influencers
The music category on Twitch experienced substantial growth, with 24 million hours watched in January—a remarkable increase of 428 percent compared to the previous year. Additionally, OfflineTV and its associated streamers propelled the game Rust to become the most-watched category on Twitch, accumulating 189 million hours watched—an incredible jump of 1,226 percent.
In terms of individual streamer performance, xQc remains the top creator with approximately 25 million hours watched in January. However, international creators now dominate the top 10 channels. For example, David “TheGrefg” Martinez broke Twitch’s record for concurrent viewership by attracting over 2.4 million viewers for the premiere of his Fortnite Icon Series skin on January 11.