Fortnite
Most Popular Games to Stream
An entry that will be a surprise to literally no-one, Fortnite takes the top spot for most average viewers on Twitch. With an impressive 130,406 average viewers, the arcade battle royale shooter continues to dominate. It’s incredible when you think of where the game was just a years or so ago. At launch, Fortnite was a completely different experience, offering up its now very niche Save the World mode as its main attraction. The addition of the battle royale mechanic we now hold as standard catapulted it to being the biggest game on the planet, beating out the seemingly unbeatable PUBG in the process.
It’s a great game to stream, with almost 120,000 streamers doing so currently. With streamers like Ninja, Shroud and summit1g managing to appeal to even mainstream audiences, Fortnite really is the most popular game even outside gaming at this point. It’s pretty easy to get into but difficult to master, making it a perfect game if you’re looking to stream.
League of Legends
Most Popular Games to Stream
League of Legends has been a staple for streamers since day one, still managing to bring in huge numbers almost nine years after launch. It takes second place in terms of average viewers, bringing in 115,240. The game has less than half the number of streamers that Fortnite does, sitting at a still respectable 54, 578. It’s clearly still popular, and is a great choice for those looking to stream something that isn’t a battle royale game.
Competition is tough though, given how complex and technical the game can get. The consistent updates and content drops make dedicating your streaming time to it very worthwhile indeed, bringing in a slight increase in numbers each time a new skin is dropped. League of Legends has remained so popular for good reason because, once you understand the basics of what’s going on, it becomes an absolute joy to watch. It never really stops being engrossing either, given how tactical the gameplay can be at times, and it is definitely worth trying out if you’re a streamer.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Most Popular Games to Stream
Despite having some of its thunder stolen by Fortnite, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds remains a great game for those looking to stream. The game brings in an average viewer count of 66,995, and still has a very active streaming community. It actually has more streamers than League of Legends, boasting 67,374 active streamers to date. It’s a much slower game to stream, but definitely makes up for it in suspense and drama.
Matches can last a long time, but following a player as they slowly creep further and further towards victory is always a thrill to behold. There’s a high level of skill associated with the game as well, so technically sound streamers tend to rise to the top. The game is set to receive a new map, which means it will likely see a surge in Twitch viewers, so it’s a good a time as any to get in on the action.
Counter Strike: Global Offensive
Most Popular Games to Stream
For a six year old shooter, Counter Strike: Global Offensive is doing remarkably well in terms of Twitch viewers. The military shooter boasts an average viewer count of 53,495, and has a total of 36,638 streamers. The game is the fourth in the Counter Strike series, and continues the iconic Terrorists vs. Counter-Terrorists dynamic that makes the game so much fun to play. CS:GO is another example of a popular game which takes an incredible amount of skill to master. It has a healthy esports scene around it too. Major events are held every year, with prize funds upwards of $750 million.
It’s a great option for skilled FPS streamers to consider, as there is still such a great community behind it.
Dota 2
Most Popular Games to Stream
Dota 2 sees two teams of five players defending their own base across a map. It has a steep learning curve, given the complexities of how the game’s playable heroes interact with each other. The game clearly has a huge audience too, as evidenced by its average viewer count of 51,475. The game’s steaming community is mostly based around its esports scene, which is still going strong in 2018. There are far fewer active streamers than the likes of League of Legends though, with a total of 12,123.
The game is still incredibly popular, with Valve releasing updates and new content to it regularly. There’s also a spin-off game on the way called Artifact, which is a card-based competitive strategy game.
Hearthstone
Most Popular Games to Stream
Blizzard’s World of Warcraft spin-off Hearthstone is one of the most popular games you can stream right now. It’s narrowly beaten out by Dota 2, but its 46,766 average viewer figure certainly isn’t anything to be scoffed at. Its dynamic card-based action is popular with streamers too, with there being a total of 16,314 of them actively showing off their gameplay on Twitch. The game is a great one to stream, given how devoted and active its fan base is. It has served as an entry point into card-based games for many gamers, drawing from the huge community behind World of Warcraft.
Hearthstone features cross-platform play across PC and mobile devices, making it an extremely accessible game. It has recently become very popular as an esport, something which has only helped bring the game to even more people. Hearthstone shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, so continues to be a hugely popular game for streamers.
Overwatch
Most Popular Games to Stream
Overwatch has been a huge success for Blizzard, managing to dominate the hero-shooter genre and spawn a feverishly devoted community who are as much into the game’s characters as the game itself. Unsurprisingly, Overwatch is also a massively popular game to stream, bringing in an average of 43,182 viewers. There are 46,347 total streamers, showing that there is definitely still a healthy appetite for the game.
Numbers tend to peak when new characters are added in, or when big esports events take place. Overwatch has its own esports league, the OWL, which goes a long way to maintaining its popularity. Blizzard has proven that they intend to support the game for a very long time, something which makes it a fantastic game to stream.
World of Warcraft
Most Popular Games to Stream
Some may be surprised that a game as old as World of Warcraft ranks so high in terms of streaming popularity. Thanks to continued support and a creative and fervid player community though, it’s actually not surprising at all. The game boasts 17,712 in average viewers, with 22,321 total streamers at the time of writing. 2018 is set to be a big year for the game, with a huge expansion planned for release in August. The launch of Battle for Azeroth will no doubt see a surge in viewers, given that it is set to add four new allied races, new raids, dungeons, and increase the level cap.
You’d be hard pressed to find a game that can go toe to toe with World of Warcraft in terms of longevity, making it one of the most popular games to stream in 2018.
Grand Theft Auto V
Most Popular Games to Stream
Grand Theft Auto V continues to draw in a lot of viewers in 2018. The game is a sales juggernaut, recently highlighted as the most lucrative entertainment product of all time, beating out not just its gaming competitors, but that of film, TV, books and music too. Over 90 million copies have been sold worldwide, largely thanks to its consistently updated online component. Given its versatility, Grand Theft Auto V streams are both popular and extremely varied. Some choose to purely stream races. Others will stream community hangouts and sporting events.
Grand Theft Auto V has an average viewer count of 16,512, with 16,259 actively streaming the game. With Red Dead Redemption primed for release later this year, now is a great time to jump into GTA: Online before a large swath of the community moves over. There’s been a dizzying amount of new content since launch, which has no doubt helped keep this now five year-old game alive.
Sea of Thieves
Most Popular Games to Stream
Sea of Thieves is a great example of a game that was designed to be streamed. It’s just as fun to watch as it is to play, offering up a whimsical pirate setting with plenty of dark humor and wacky encounters. Missions are simple and the control scheme easy to grasp, making it perfect for those looking to team up with friends of varying abilities. Sea of Thieves’ viewer count has definitely dropped off a lot since launch, but it still brings in average viewers of 14,525.
Sea of Thieves is very much still a work in progress but what is there is definitely a great starting point. Views will likely pick up when the major expansion, The Hungering Deep, is released later this year, which brings new missions, ships and loot.
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