How to choose the best games to stream on Twitch

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Choosing a game for streaming on Twitch can be a challenging task, especially for beginner streamers with a small audience. Streams Charts has compiled a few tips to help you take the first step towards popularity in the live streaming industry.

What games to stream on Twitch?

If you never stream on Twitch before, firstly find out which games on the platform were the most popular in 2022. This will help you better understand the preferences of the platform's viewers and assess the competition between genres.

According to the analytics portal Streams Charts, the most popular game on Twitch in 2022 was League of Legends. It garnered 1.55 billion Hours Watched and had 3.1 million Peak Viewers (thanks to broadcasts of the 2022 World Championship).

Most popular games on Twitch in 2022:

1. League of Legends;

2. Grand Theft Auto V;

3. Valorant;

4. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive;

5. Apex Legends;

6. Fortnite;

7. Minecraft;

8. Dota 2;

9. Call of Duty: Warzone;

10. World of Warcraft.

As you can see, most of the positions in the ranking are occupied by esports disciplines and multiplayer titles. In the case of GTA V, the game skyrocket so high thanks to streams from roleplay servers. Elden Ring turned out to be the most popular story-driven game, occupying the 15th position in the ranking. Each of them is a good game to stream on Twitch.

It is worth separately mentioning the average number of channels in the sections. In 2022, the leaders in this category were Fortnite and Valorant, which are streamed on more than 5,000 channels on average daily. There are slightly fewer streamers in the sections for Apex Legends and League of Legends. It is important to understand that the more channels there are in a section, the higher the competition among streamers.

Another reliable way to learn audience preferences is to look at the list of the most popular Twitch streamers and find out which games they most frequently stream. Note that some streamers specialize not only in specific games, but also in entire genres, such as battle royales, team shooters, or RPGs.

What are the best games to stream on Twitch — multiplayer or story-driven?

Practically all games on Twitch can be conditionally divided into three categories — multiplayer-session games, story-driven games, and hybrid (mixed) games. Understanding each category will help you choose the right game for streaming.Loltyler1 play League of Legends / twitch.tv/loltyler1

Multiplayer-session games are invariably in high demand among viewers. The most popular of these are esports disciplines such as League of Legends, Dota 2, Apex Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Valorant, PUBG, and others. There are also a number of non-esports titles such as Among Us and Fall Guys.

Matches in these games last for a limited time, and each one is unique - heroes, maps, and participants are constantly changing. Losing in one match under certain circumstances, a streamer can win in the next match under different circumstances. All of this maintains intrigue and a high level of interest from viewers — they can give the streamer advice, and comment on their successes or failures.

The multiplayer factor also plays a big role, as it's always more interesting to watch a streamer who competes with live participants, rather than NPCs. Thanks to multiplayer, streamers can team up with other streamers for joint broadcasts or invite viewers from chat to their matches. This is an excellent way to communicate with your audience.

pashadizel play The Witcher 3 / twitch.tv/pashadizel 

Story-driven games are also in demand. Among the most popular titles are The Witcher 3, The Last of Us, Hogwarts Legacy, Elden Ring, and others. There are really a lot of them, as often weak graphics in old games were compensated by a good story.

There are several nuances when streaming story-driven games. Such games are better streamed when you already have a certain loyal audience that comes to your channel specifically because of you, not because of the content. It is important to understand that completing a story-driven game can take dozens of hours, and all this time you will have to maintain the viewer's interest at a high level. This can be done by the game itself if its plot is really well-developed. Otherwise, you will have to fully use your charisma and acting skills. Remember that the main task of a streamer is not to complete the game and/or win against opponents, but to entertain their audience.

Louuis play GTA V / twitch.tv/louuis 

In recent years, various "hybrid" types of games that combine elements of session games, multiplayer, and story have become popular in the streaming community. RP servers of Grand Theft Auto V, sandboxes like Minecraft or Roblox, and various survivor games fit well into this category. Often in such games, streamers play with other users, while the plot is created on the fly as the game progresses.

if you still ask yourself what games to stream, then look at this table:

Remember that all these distinctions are conditional. Many streamers of multiplayer session games often "distract themselves" by playing narrative games, especially if it is some big and long-awaited release like Hogwarts Legacy. No one will forbid you to experiment with genres either — find what you and your audience like.

Tips for choosing games for streaming

In the streaming industry, there are several triggers that cause a sharp increase in activity among streamers on platforms. Sometimes it is during these moments that unknown streamers "shoot", or become famous. You can predict these triggers to "ride the hype wave" and attract the first viewers to your channel. Here is a list of these triggers:

Release top multiplayer game. The release of a top title usually attracts the attention of almost all major streamers on the platform, even if they specialize in other genres. From a skill standpoint, at this moment all players and streamers are equal to each other, which means that your chances of competing with them are higher than usual. During the releases of Apex Legends, Valorant, and other similar games, many new streamers appeared who became popular because they were slightly more successful than others in the first few days after the game was released. Try to follow their example.

Big updates or seasonal events — all of these are also triggers for viewers. They may not watch streams of a game regularly, but if there is a big patch for League of Legends, a new hero in Dota 2, a map in PUBG, a new story DLC, etc., the viewer is likely to come and check out the novelties. Perhaps on your channel.

Drops for watching streams. Some developers use drops to advertise their games - that is, they allow streamers to give out cosmetic items for their games among viewers. Usually, becoming a participant in such a partnership program is not difficult, and viewers often go to channels with drops for free stuff. Use drops on your channel to attract an audience.

Choosing a game based on the region and age of viewers

When choosing a game to stream, it's important to understand that viewers in different regions have different interests and tastes. For example, viewers from Spain love Minecraft, in Indonesia, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is extremely popular, and in North America, many fans love Call of Duty. Take these nuances into account when planning the theme and schedule of your streams.

Mobile esports is very popular in some countries

This rule applies not only to titles but also to platforms. Twitch is considered a universal platform where all titles are actively streamed, but in some specific games, it has good competitors. For example, most fans of Garena Free Fire and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang are used to watching matches on YouTube, while fans of Age of Empire watch on Facebook Gaming. There are other examples as well. If you specialize in one of these games, you may want to consider changing platforms.

Before choosing a game, you should also understand the target audience for your streams. For example, streams of Roblox, Fortnite, or Minecraft will likely be more appealing to a younger audience. Games with a focus on a deep plot will be more appealing to older viewers. At the same time, there are popular niche titles with a loyal but small audience. For example, Euro Truck Simulator, various city-building simulators like Cities: Skylines, and so on. These are not very dynamic and fun games for viewing, but some viewers are specifically looking for this type of content.

Mistakes beginner streamers make when choosing games

Many beginner streamers mistakenly believe that if they start streaming the most popular game, they will immediately gain many viewers. In reality, this is a big misconception. The most popular game sections usually have thousands of streamers, and getting lost in the crowd is easy. With such high competition, it is unlikely that viewers will choose your channel. Don’t ask yourself what's the most popular game right now — better think about what unusual you can offer the audience.

Don't choose games that are too niche or exotic and that few people have heard of. Yes, there is a high chance that you will be the only streamer in that category, but such "loneliness" is not attractive to inexperienced viewers. After all, most people pay attention to what is popular among those around them.

You may think that these paragraphs contradict each other, but the point is to find a "golden mean" and choose a game that is both interesting and not too popular at the moment. Try story-driven games from 5-10 years ago that have already passed their peak of popularity but haven't yet become "retro." Nostalgia is a great hook for viewers. Someone will definitely take the bait.

Restrictions for streamers in different games

Some games have restrictions for streamers that can lead to channel bans. Such cases do not happen often, but it's better to know about them in advance.

Prohibition on broadcasting. Sometimes developers specifically prohibit streaming their games while they are in the early testing stages. Violating this rule can lead to a temporary channel block. The streamer himself is unlikely to ever be invited to beta testing. Respect the developers and do not violate this rule if it has been emphasized.

Copyrights. In their games, developers sometimes use musical compositions belonging to popular performers or bands. When you purchase a game, you also purchase the right to listen to these compositions, but this does not mean that you can broadcast them live. There have been cases where a popular song played in a streamer's game and the platform blocked their channel for alleged DMCA violation. To avoid such incidents, developers add a special "streamer mode" to their games, which can be activated in the settings. For example, such modes exist in GTA V, Cyberpunk 2077, and other popular games. Don't forget to turn it on before starting the broadcast!

Hacked games and unofficial servers. Some developers literally hunt down streamers who broadcast hacked games. They directly contact Twitch (and similar platforms) administrators to request banning a particular content creator for copyright infringement. For example, if a streamer plays on an unofficial server of a game like Lineage II, then the owners of the official server can ban them. After all, the streamer is taking away potential customers from them.

Fair Play Rules. All game developers are interested in ensuring that every user plays fairly, especially when it comes to multiplayer games like Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and so on. If you use prohibited programs or cheats that give an unfair advantage in matches, your game account may be banned. If you demonstrate such fraud on a live stream, the streaming service administration may also block your channel. Moreover, the channel ban can be given even faster than a ban on the game account. Remember that the streamer should set a good example for their viewers, not teach them to break the rules.

Dealing with NPCs. Usually, streamers know well that they should communicate politely with platform users - i.e. with other streamers or viewers. However, the same rules apply to non-playable characters, which streamers often need to remember. There are many cases when a streamer's channel was blocked due to excessive aggression or insults towards NPCs. The fact that they are not real people or animals does not matter much to the moderators. Try to keep your emotions under control when you stream games.

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