Livestreaming video games on platforms like Twitch has exploded in popularity over the past few years. Once viewed as a niche activity, streaming gameplay for audiences around the world to watch has become a massive industry.
Some individual streamers now have millions of dedicated followers and bring in huge viewership numbers rivaling major traditional broadcasts. Entire genres of content like esports tournaments, speedrunning challenges, collaborative builds, and more thrive on services like Twitch.
Behind all the streams are the games themselves which drive and anchor fan bases. A few titles stand out from the pack in terms of viewership and engagement on Twitch. We dug into the latest data and trends to highlight the most critical statistics on the current top Twitch games as we progress into 2024.
1. Just Chatting Dominated Viewership in 2021 with Over 3 Billion Hours Watched
The Just Chatting section on Twitch focuses on streamers talking to their audiences rather than gaming. It has exploded to become the most watched category by a huge margin recently.
Over 3 billion hours were spent watching Just Chatting streams in 2021 alone. That makes it nearly twice as popular as the next leading game. It also averaged the most viewers last year at nearly 345,000.
Just Chatting’s rise speaks to both the power of influencer fan bases as well as Twitch’s continual expansion beyond only gaming content. Still, specific video games constitute most of the platform’s viewership outside of Just Chatting.
2. Grand Theft Auto V Was Watched for 117 Million Hours in December 2021
Rockstar’s open world crime series Grand Theft Auto is one of the most legendary franchises in video game history. The latest entry, Grand Theft Auto V, came out initially way back in 2013. However, it has exhibited unparalleled longevity partly through its still thriving GTA Online multiplayer mode.
In December 2021, Grand Theft Auto V amounted to 117 million hours watched on Twitch. That made it the single most viewed game on the platform that month. It has brought in over $6 billion total in sales to date as well across various editions and platforms.
3. 6.5% of Twitch’s Average Viewers Watched GTA V Streams in December 2021
Not only was Grand Theft Auto V the outright view leader among games on Twitch in December 2021, but it also accounted for an outsized portion of the total audience. 6.5% of all average concurrent viewers on Twitch that month were watching a GTA V stream.
For perspective, that gave GTA V a 1.3% lead in share of average viewers over second place League of Legends with 5.2%. It also beats out the third place game Escape from Tarkov by 2.1% during the same period. That dominance highlights the enduring legacy appeal of GTA V.
4. Fortnite Had 2.8 Million Streamers in 2021 Driving 63 Million Hours Watched
Fortnite from Epic Games stands as the paradigmatic battle royale game that kicked off the recent massive popularity of the genre. The free-to-play title has cultivated a youthful and energetic fanbase translated into big engagement on streaming.
Across 2021 there were 2.8 million individual streamers broadcasting Fortnite gameplay adding up to over 62 million hours of air time. That makes it Twitch’s most streamed game of last year, even if view times fall short of rivals like GTA V. It proves the consistency and longevity of Fortnite fandom.
5. Dota 2 Viewership Jumped 185% From September to October 2021
MOBAs (multiplayer online battle arenas) like Dota 2 and League of Legends have been esports favorites for years. The highly competitive team-based format continues driving huge viewership when major tournaments roll around.
Dota 2 demonstrated this recently as its average viewer count leapt 185% month over month from September to October 2021 on Twitch. The number of average viewers climbed from about 48,000 up to 133,000 in that single month. Dota 2 also saw a massive viewer peak in October at 1.7 million during a tournament event.
6. League of Legends Is the Most Viewed Game Ever on Twitch with 43 Billion Views
Speaking of popular MOBAs, League of Legends retains the crown for most hours watched of any game in Twitch history. As of July 2021, League of Legends had accrued over 43 billion total hours viewed reflecting its enduring prominence in esports.
For comparison, second place Fortnite does not even have half as many view hours as League of Legends on Twitch at around 25 billion. Riot’s juggernaut game continues to be a streaming mainstay thanks to its high skill ceiling and flashy professional play.
7. Fortnite Has 74 Million Followers Making It Twitch’s Most Followed Game
While Fortnite comes up behind League of Legends in total hours viewed, it does claim the top spot for most overall followers of any game category on Twitch. The battle royale title currently sits at over 74 million total channel follows.
That gives Fortnite close to 30 million more followers than second-place Grand Theft Auto V. For additional context, it leaves popular esports like League of Legends and CS:GO in the dust follower-wise showing Fortnite’s comparative mainstream appeal. Epic’s smash hit clearly cultivates an enthusiastic streaming fanbase.
8. League of Legends Hit a Twitch Peak of 3 Million Concurrent Viewers in 2021
League of Legends yet again flexed its esports viewership might when the League of Legends World Championship 2021 Finals occurred. At the tournament’s November 2021 peak, League of Legends drew in over 3 million concurrent viewers setting a fresh Twitch record.
For comparison, Fortnite comes next on the list of peak concurrent Twitch views at just under 2.3 million from back in 2020. When it comes to the total audience reachable for esports events though, League remains king above other competitive titles.
9. 1.8 Million Channels Have Streamed Fortnite Since Launch on Twitch
Speaking to Fortnite’s enduring dominance as a streamed game itself, the battle royale title has amassed some staggering channel statistics on Twitch as well over time. In total, more than 1.8 channels have aired Fortnite gameplay making it far and away the leader by this metric.
To put that into perspective, second place Minecraft does not even crack 2 million for its cumulative channel total. Fortnite managed to drive nearly 133,000 simultaneous streaming channels
during one peak day in December 2020 too underscoring the game’s swirling hype cycles.
10. An Individual Fortnite Stream Hit 2.5 Million Concurrent Viewers in 2021
Not only have millions of different channels broadcast Fortnite gameplay over time, but certain top stream events have hit utterly staggering highs themselves too viewer-wise. One Spanish streamer named TheGrefg broke the overall individual concurrent Twitch viewer record in January 2021 playing Fortnite.
At its peak live viewership, TheGrefg’s Fortnite stream during which he revealed his new icon skin hit over 2.5 million people watching simultaneously. That dwarfed previous records and got him an official Guinness World Record nod in the process. It goes to show Fortnite’s continuing ability to drive hype.
11. Grand Theft Auto V Was January 2022’s Most Streamed Game on Twitch
Jumping back monthly to this past January 2022, Grand Theft Auto V yet again took the crown for most streamed game currently on Twitch. It edged out several close competitors with around 624 average live channels that month.
For example, popular competitive shooter VALORANT sat at 613 average channels in January 2022 while League of Legends trailed closely with 612. So while GTA V did not have an absolutely dominant lead, it remained the top mainstay game broadcast that month by a slim margin.
12. Minecraft Racked Up 55 Million Hours Watched on Twitch in December 2021
Given Minecraft’s position as the best-selling video game of all time with over 200 million copies sold globally across all platforms, its popularity on Twitch should come as no surprise. Minecraft accumulated over 55 million hours watched in December 2021 alone for instance.
That gave the enduring creative sandbox game a 2.8% share of total Twitch viewership in that month. While not record-breaking statistics, it does underline Minecraft’s consistency as a streaming mainstay given its relaxing play style and family-friendly image.
13. Expeditions: Rome Boasts a 6.9x Better Streamer-Viewer Ratio Than Twitch’s Average
For content creators just starting out as streamers on Twitch, standing out from the saturated field poses an immense challenge. However, picking the right game to stream offers a major opportunity. Currently, a brand new title called Expeditions: Rome has an incredibly streamer-friendly dynamic.
With around 4,200 average viewers and only 22 average streaming channels currently, Expeditions: Rome maintains a 6.9x better streamer to viewer ratio compared to the Twitch-wide average. That means brand new streamers diving into the game have a much better chance of attraction attention from the existing fanbase.
14. Rust Viewership Exploded 1,226% Year-Over-Year From December 2020 to January 2021
Survival sandbox title Rust enjoyed a entirely unexpected viewership explosion in early 2021 thanks to some high-profile streamers trying it out. Coming off December 2020, the next month Rust received 1,226% more hours watched as interest skyrocketed.
Height of its January 2021 hype, Rust reached peaks of 1.4 million viewers tuning into twitch along with over 3,200 channels broadcasting the gritty game. Interest has tapered off significantly since then but it remains an example of how sudden viral popularity shifts can randomly emerge on Twitch.
15. Apex Legends Nearly Reached Its Viewership Record Again in August 2021
Battle royale sensation Apex Legends from Electronic Arts received overwhelming interest and praise when it launched in early 2019. Hype has cooled somewhat since then but the game maintains a loyal audience. Last summer Apex Legends got close to its original explosion once more.
In August 2021 Apex Legends on Twitch rallied up around 125,000 average viewers which stands as its second highest viewership total behind the March 2019 peak of 218,000. For a game several years into its lifespan now that demonstrates Apex’s staying power as a streaming favorite.
16. Just 1.3 Million Followers Separate the Top 2 Most Followed Games on Twitch
Taking a big picture look at overall followers instead of viewers, Fortnite commands a lead of tens of millions over the rest of the field as noted. But a tight race for second place persists between Grand Theft Auto V and its online extension GTA Online.
Currently, only about 1.3 million followers separate second place GTA Online and third place GTA V out of all games on the platform. Whichever Grand Theft Auto category ultimately claims the silver medal, Rockstar’s blockbuster open world series continues charming audiences years after initial release.
17. The Top 5 Most Streamed Games on Twitch Remain Close Competition
While certain breakout games like Fortnite, League of Legends and GTA V have emerged as juggernauts on Twitch over the years, the second tier of most streamed titles continues to see fierce competition. A handful of games routinely switch spots right behind the big leaders when it comes to total air time.
As of summer 2022, these five rivals constantly trade places: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Apex Legends, Dota 2, Escape from Tarkov, and VALORANT. No game has pulled clearly ahead of the pack as they all land fairly close together at between 130-170 million hours streamed lifetime. Their matchup races will likely continue for seasons to come.
18. Twitch Viewership Records Keep Getting Broken Yearly by Top Games
Lastly, while a few titles clearly dominate the Twitch charts currently, past trends show viewership records continually get left in the dust over time. Each year brings new games aiming for streaming glory, updates to existing major titles, as well as general platforms growth helping boost metrics.
For example, back in 2018 League of Legends set a Twitch record with 205 million total viewers across platforms for its World Championship series. Yet as noted, just a few years later in 2021 it managed to drive over 3 million live concurrent viewers for a new peak. Other top titles routinely set consecutive annual records as interest compounds.
Key Takeaways: Twitch Games With Momentum in 2024
● Open world crime adventure series Grand Theft Auto, mainly the fifth entry (GTA V), continues demonstrating essentially unprecedented longevity both in raw sales as well as Twitch viewership thanks to its GTA Online mode. It was both the most watched game as well as most streamed overall at points in the past year.
● Competitive multiplayer battle arena title League of Legends has accrued essentially insurmountable leads when it comes to total hours watched historically on Twitch along with peak viewership achieved. Its esports ecosystem helps ensure Twitch records keep getting smashed yearly.
● While interest has settled down from its former peak, Fortnite interest remains impressively stable relative to past gaming crazes. Its sheer number of cumulative channels and followers is unmatched and individual stream events continue driving huge milestones.
● Other competitive games like VALORANT, Apex Legends, CS:GO, Dota 2, and Escape from Tarkov battle for viewership in the second Twitch viewership tier, with the rankings often switching around month-to-month between these core titles as updates and tournaments dictate trends.
From legacy classics like Minecraft to brand new breakout indie releases getting streamer buzz like vampire survivor Vampire Survivors, Twitch’s scope has expanded enormously in recent years. Expect more usage and viewership records continually get topped as both platforms and games evolve.
