Gaming today is certainly what it was in the 1990s when it started to really emerge. Gamers and enthusiasts no longer need to sit in front of CRT TV screens, playing hard to access video games. Some of those from that era have earned the status of legendary, inspiring millions to play or create video games in modern times.
The recent technological development led to the boom in the gaming industry. Once a very narrow niche of entertainment now attracts millions around the world. Game developing companies invest enormous sums in the creation process of some of the most anticipated video games. The spread of the internet resulted in the presence of a fast-growing global online community and multiplayer games.
The increasing popularity of video games also contributed to the creation and development of online streaming services. Millions of people watch and stream gameplays on different platforms on a daily basis. It has become so profitable, that some accomplished gamers have managed to find success and earn a good living from it.
Twitch is the streaming platform from Amazon. It now is without a doubt the most successful and important such platform in the industry. Players and viewers spend millions of hours on the platform and all of them have different reasons for it. Some of them stream their own gaming experiences, while others try to improve their skills or watch others play just for the sake of entertainment. Twitch is also a great way for the community to hold discussions about different topics. That is where the hottest discussions around anticipated games and updates happen on the internet.
The platform is so popular that almost every internationally released game is streamed on it. Game developers are willing to pay enormous amounts to have their product placed among the most popular ones on Twitch. However, the ranking on the website is dependent on the popularity of different games. The list constantly changes as new games are released and further developed. However, with a little longer observation, it is clear that the game types remain more or less unchanged. Listed below, we have gathered some of the most frequently watched and demanded game type streams.
Besides video games, many other means of entertainment are actively streamed and watched on Twitch as well as other streaming services. One of the fastest-growing categories is online gambling. As more and more nations liberalize legislation in an attempt to support gambling platforms, they have started to attract more and more attention. Live casino games in Australia are some of the most popular around the world. Australia is leading the way globally in terms of online gambling and the industry is quickly becoming one of the biggest entertainment sectors in the country, attracting an increasing number of foreigners. As a result, streaming them is becoming more and more common in Australia and beyond.
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA)
MOBA, unsurprisingly, maintains its position as the most popular type of game to stream online. It initially started as a subgenre of real-time strategy games. In games that fall under the MOBA category, usually, one player controls one character, playing collectively with the rest of the team against the other team of players. The main goal is to destroy the most important building or facility on the side of the opposing team. Games are usually staged on general, unchanged maps, with them divided into two for both of the teams. Players are often assisted by automatically spawned computer bots, for instance, minions or creeps. Every character usually comes with a particular set of abilities. They are always different from each other and often are meant to be played in a certain way or within particular territories on the map. However, some MOBA games are different from the typical description.
Why are they so popular on streaming services? This question has a few answers. First off, some of the most well-known multiplayer games fall under this category. For example, League of Legends (LOL) has an active player base of roughly 80 million people every single month and is followed by 23,4 million on Twitch. Defense of the Ancients 2 (DOTA 2) is played by over 11 million monthly users. With these two along with the rest of MOBA games, it comes without a surprise that this category is the most popular on streaming services online. On the other hand, multiplayer ‘team-against-team’ games are a great source of entertainment even for those who do not play video games themselves at all.
First-person shooters (FPS)
In general, shooting games have come a long way to where they stand today. However, it is safe to say that they have always enjoyed a lot of attention. The main trait of first-person shooters is that the experience is received at first hand, through the eyes of the protagonist. Such games are based on guns or other types of weapons. It falls under the broader category of action games, which itself ranges from shooters to first-person space exploration.
Some of the early widely acclaimed FPS games are Counter-Strike and Call of Duty. They prepared a great base of players for the future games which we see today. With the advancement of technology, first-person shooters became more sophisticated featuring better graphics and broader maps. Multiplayers have also gained momentum within this niche and some of the most frequently streamed games today include Fortnite, Escape From Tarkov and Apex Legends.
Online gambling
Legislative changes in the field of gambling, particularly online casinos, have contributed to the increased popularity of such platforms. It now represents one of the most popular categories on Twitch and other streaming platforms. Channels related to this field have millions of followers as well as viewers each month.
Unsurprisingly, more popular subcategories within online gambling streaming are those that include several players. Such are card games, for example, poker, as viewers naturally find it more interesting to watch. However, slot games streaming channels are sparking interest in more and more people.
Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG)
This specific genre is the best example of how technological advancement and the further spread of the internet have dramatically shifted the industry. As the name of the category suggests, massively multiplayer online role-playing games are enjoyed by a greater number of people at the same time. In such games, players usually manage individual characters and interact with others on the same server. They are set in a whole variety of worlds and are considered to be quite adventurous.
A big number of people that can be present at any given time is a major contributor to the popularity of this game. Viewers enjoy multiplayer games with many involved at the same time. Hundreds of thousands follow the category on Twitch along with millions of viewers every single month. One of the most notable examples of MMORPG games is the legendary World of Warcraft released by Blizzard in 2004.
Sports
Last but not least, the list obviously includes the category of sports. Twitch allows sports streaming and many people enjoy it every day. There is no need to talk about the popularity of sports worldwide. However, streaming them on such online platforms has transformed the experience for many viewers. Streamers often use exclusive, descriptive commentary for a variety of sports they cover. This is the main factor why an increasing number of people choose to watch their favorite sports on Twitch over more traditional streaming services.
