J. Clement
Research lead covering internet and gaming
Gaming video content worldwide - Statistics & Facts
Video gaming is no longer just about playing games - gaming video content is another way for hungry audiences to consume more content and to interact with the wider gaming community. Whether it is streamers sharing their gaming activities during livestreams or content creators producing all kinds of videos such as Let’s Plays, game guides, or reviews, there is seemingly a short or long form video for every kind of game.
Many markets also have gaming video platforms specifically catering to their regional audiences and their preferences. China’s top eSports streaming app, Huya, has about 31 million monthly active users, followed by Douyu Live at 26.6 million MAU. Also, after Twitch’s exit from the Korean market at the end of 2023, AfreecaTV and new local platform Chzzk were ready and waiting to fill that void.
Broadcast in June 2024, the Nintendo Direct game showcase was the biggest video game showcase of the year so far, with an average minute audience (AMA) of 2.6 million. The Xbox Games Showcase and CoD: Black Ops 6 Direct ranked, reaching an average of 2.3 million viewers per minute. Gaming award ceremonies are also popular on livestreams – in the first four months of 2024, the Streamer Awards were the most watched video game award show, reaching a peak viewership of more than 645,000 viewers.
Overall, there are more ways to interact with video games available than ever before, and video content is a popular choice for gamers to interact even more with their favorite games and other gamers. Streamers and content creators can make a living from gaming video content, but it is a tough job as the market is already pretty crowded. In order to stand out from the masses, gaming influencers and creators have to find their niche, work hard at producing high-quality content, and, most importantly, connect with their audiences in a meaningful way.
Video content for game discovery
Many gamers flock to video platforms to check out gameplay and reviews of the latest game releases. A global survey in 2023 found that video reviews were the preferred channel for researching new video games before purchasing them in virtually every region. In the first quarter of 2024, users watched about 249 million hours of video content related to new game releases on Twitch. The rest of the available gaming content generated about 3.3 billion hours of watch time in the same period. Additionally, social video platforms have also been growing in their relevance for gaming video content – in 2023, Fortnite content on TikTok generated more than 2.9 billion viewers.What are the most popular video platforms for gamers?
When it comes to gaming content, livestreaming platform Twitch reigns supreme, and nine out of the top ten most watched content categories on the platform are related to video games. YouTube also has a sizable gaming community, with the most subscribed gaming content channels averaging around 47 million subscribers.Many markets also have gaming video platforms specifically catering to their regional audiences and their preferences. China’s top eSports streaming app, Huya, has about 31 million monthly active users, followed by Douyu Live at 26.6 million MAU. Also, after Twitch’s exit from the Korean market at the end of 2023, AfreecaTV and new local platform Chzzk were ready and waiting to fill that void.
Spotlight: industry showcases and events
In recent years, gaming conferences and developer showcases have undergone significant changes. Initially impacted by COVID-19, major gaming events were slow to recover their audiences, and the post-COVID industry tumult and general increase in cost have also added strain on in-person events. As such, livestreams of gaming conferences and events have become the norm and make these events more accessible to a wider gaming audience than ever.Broadcast in June 2024, the Nintendo Direct game showcase was the biggest video game showcase of the year so far, with an average minute audience (AMA) of 2.6 million. The Xbox Games Showcase and CoD: Black Ops 6 Direct ranked, reaching an average of 2.3 million viewers per minute. Gaming award ceremonies are also popular on livestreams – in the first four months of 2024, the Streamer Awards were the most watched video game award show, reaching a peak viewership of more than 645,000 viewers.
Overall, there are more ways to interact with video games available than ever before, and video content is a popular choice for gamers to interact even more with their favorite games and other gamers. Streamers and content creators can make a living from gaming video content, but it is a tough job as the market is already pretty crowded. In order to stand out from the masses, gaming influencers and creators have to find their niche, work hard at producing high-quality content, and, most importantly, connect with their audiences in a meaningful way.
