Twitch and Facebook Gaming Experience Massive Growth in Q2 2021
In June 2021, Twitch and Facebook Gaming witnessed significant year-over-year growth in overall viewership during Q2, according to StreamElements’ analytics partner, Rainmaker.gg.
Twitch recorded a total watch time of 6.2 billion hours in Q2 2021, a 31% increase compared to 4.7 billion hours in Q2 2020. Additionally, there was a slight four-percent increase from Q1 2021’s six billion hours. Facebook Gaming also experienced substantial growth, with 1.21 billion hours watched in Q2 2021, a 24% increase from 967,000 hours in Q2 2020.
Decrease in Viewership for Top Categories on Twitch
Despite the overall increase in viewership on Twitch, many of the platform’s top categories experienced a decline once summer began. Among the top 10 categories, eight saw a decrease in viewership, with four of them losing over 20% compared to May. The biggest drop-off was seen in Grand Theft Auto V with a 33% decrease, while Dota 2 and World of Warcraft were the only games to show an increase in viewership due to the WePlay Esports AniMajor and the launch of Burning Crusade Classic, respectively.
Changes in Top Games and Streamers on Twitch
In June, Apex Legends and Resident Evil Village dropped out of the top 10 games. As for the top streamers, xQc, a former Overwatch pro, remained at the top but experienced a decrease in hours watched, with 22 million hours in June compared to 39 million in May. On the other hand, Asmongold jumped into the top 10 streamers, with a 53% increase in hours watched thanks to the resurgence of WoW and the launch of Burning Crusade Classic.
Growth of VTubers and Increase in ASMR and Pools, Hot Tubs, and Beaches Categories
VTubers continue to grow on Twitch, with six of the top 10 VTubers experiencing significant increases in overall viewership from January to June. AdmiralBahroo leads with 2.5 million hours watched.
Rainmaker.gg also noted steady growth in ASMR, which reached eight million hours watched on Twitch in June. The Pools, Hot Tubs, and Beaches category closely followed with just under eight million hours watched, featuring top streamers Amouranth and Indiefoxxx. However, their rankings might be affected due to recent bans.