Analytics platform Stream Hatchet has reported that a total of 32.5bn hours were watched last year, a 12% increase compared to 2023.
This is the first time since 2021 that live-streaming viewership is on an upward trend. According to Steam Hatchet’s 2024 Live Streaming Trends Report, last year’s viewership is double that of 2019, highlighting the market’s growth in recent years.
Unsurprisingly, Twitch remained the dominant platform in 2024, with 61.1% of total watch hours. However, the report emphasised the growing market shares of YouTube Gaming (22.9%) and Kick (5.7%), which have diversified the live-streaming marketplace.
Moreover, the shutdown of Twitch in South Korea last year has led to the creation and growth of local platforms SOOP Korea (3.4%) and Chzzk (2%). Stream Hatchet concluded that audiences are willing to adapt to regional changes in the market.
In light of TikTok’s brief ban in the US, the report predicted the emergence of more regional streaming platforms to address geopolitical and regulatory changes.
The most popular games among streaming audiences were Grand Theft Auto V (2bn watch hours), League of Legends (1.9bn) and VALORANT (1.1bn). Thanks to the release of Counter-Strike 2, the franchise also experienced its highest year-on-year viewership growth.
Esports viewership trends
According to Stream Hatchet, esports had a ‘ground-breaking year, with a new era of global recognition.’
The Saudi Arabian multi-title esports festival recorded 103m watch hours and 2.8m peak viewers across the entire competition.
Continuing 2023’s trend, esports co-streaming grew significantly last year. Stream Hatchet noted that a total of 1.3bn watch hours, representing 45% of all esports viewership, could be attributed to co-streamers such as Gaules, Ibai and Caedrel.
Mobile esports also became more popular among esports audiences, seeing a 3% and 32% increase in watch hours and average viewers, respectively. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was the most-watched mobile esports, taking the top-four esports events in the category.
Individual creators continue to grow
Stream Hatchet’s report further emphasised the growing importance of individual creators within the live streaming market. With creator-led events and esports co-streaming on the rise, consumers increasingly watched individual streamers rather than official brand channels.
Twitch streamer KaiCenat leads this category by a large margin, whose fans tuned in for 192.8m watch hours. However, Ibai (91.4m watch hours) generated by far the highest peak viewership of 3.8m during the latest edition of his streamer boxing event, La Velada del Año 4.
The two streamers are followed by Gaules (81.3m watch hours), Jynxzi (78.9m) and Caedrel (78.6m).
The top female streamers, excluding VTubers, were Russian creator mira (19.6m watch hours) and Emiru (16.9m), as well as Jinnytty and Amouranth (both with 14.4m). None of the most popular female creators made it among the overall top 10 by hours watched.
Finally, Stream Hatchet pointed out the rise of VTuber live streamers, such as Kuzuha Channel (41.7m watch hours), Pekora Ch. (37.8m) and Miko Ch. (32.5m).
In regards to monetisation avenues, subscriptions and, specifically, subathon events have given creators new opportunities. As viewers purchased an average of 16m subscriptions per month on Twitch, individual streamers as well as traditional media, may benefit from loyalty-based monetisation models in 2025.