When it comes to the history of humanity and the different periods of development/events that shaped society as we see it today, the French played an important part in this journey and continue to do so. In fact, without their revolutions, philosophies, and inventions, we would not be where we are as a race today.
That same ability to be involved in things that matter and make a difference can be seen in the way French streamers have been at the forefront of pushing the content creation sphere over the past decade and more. Their roles in shaping the industry cannot be understated, profoundly impacting the growth and popularity of live streaming, particularly in the gaming and entertainment sectors.
These internet personalities have been crucial to promoting and furthering the cause of esports and video games with their involvement in these fields to various degrees. Some have become prominent professional esports athletes who have achieved so much during their careers before moving on to broadcasting, while others have taken up space in administration and operations, with many even owning esports teams and organizations.
Some good examples are Kamet0, who owns the popular League of Legends side, Karmine Corp. Then there’s ZeratoR, who runs the Valorant side, Mandatory, which has done pretty well for itself in the discipline’s French scene. The businessman also hosts one of the most popular tournaments in France, the ZrT Trackmania Cup 2022, which has made the game one of the most popular niche esports in the country.
There are more examples of such media personalities coming on board the esports sphere out of passion or a drive to succeed, reaching new heights in the process. This has only helped the industry grow as well, pushing the nation further in the video gaming lexicon and bringing in not only more viewers and fans but also more sponsors and investments.
There are also the socio-economic and political implications of being a streamer in a country as diverse as France. They have become celebrities in their own rights, meaning they have a say on how the public reacts and behaves, however small that clout might be. This has meant they have become important enough for high-ranking dignitaries to collaborate or associate with them for different activities.
In fact, in June last year, the country’s President Emmanuel Macron hosted French esports and gaming stars at the Elysee Palace. Some of the guests present were Kamet0, ZeratoR, two-time TI champion Ceb, and many others.
More than 150 people attended the event, including high-ranking officials like French Minister of Sports Rima Abdul Malak and Minister of Culture Amélie Oudéa-Castera. Macron congratulated the gamers on victories in international tournaments and spoke about the importance of the video game industry for the nation in general. He also expressed his desire to host world esports events in the country in parallel with the Olympic Games, which Paris will host in 2024.
With the meeting broadcast live on the YouTube channel of the Elysee Palace, on average, 4.3K people concurrently watched the 30-minute broadcast, with the peak audience exceeding 6.2K. Moreover, it was also rebroadcast by some Twitch streamers, with yassencore’s video becoming the most popular at 8.2K viewers.
This shows the appetite the video game-loving public has for their favorite gaming creators and the consequent power these personalities hold, which only continues to increase as the field becomes more mainstream. With that in mind, let us list the names of ten of the most popular names based on their follower count:
#10 — ZeratoR (1.52M followers)
ZeratoR, whose real name is Adrien Nougaret, is an entrepreneur, videographer, and owner of French esports side Mandatory, one of the leading teams in Valorant in the country. He is also the CEO of the indie video game development firm Unexpected Studio.
As a businessman, he has made some really smart choices that have seen him become successful in the esports scene. It helped that he specializes in video games and has played lots of games while also helping TrackMania esports become highly popular in France.
One reason for his fame on Twitch is that he has been running the popular yearly charity event Z Event since 2016, which consistently does good numbers. He also streams games of his Valorant team regularly, which has added to his popularity among esports fans.
#9 — Kamet0 (1.65M)
Kamel Kebir, also known as Kamet0, is a well-known personality in the French gaming and streaming community. He initially gained popularity as a streamer and content creator on Twitch, primarily focusing on League of Legends content.
The streamer's entertaining and engaging streaming style and his passion for gaming helped him amass a dedicated fan base. In 2020, Kamet0 ventured into esports by establishing Karmine Corp, an esports organization primarily focused on League of Legends.
Karmine Corp quickly made headlines by winning the French League of Legends Championship (LFL) in their debut split. They continued to achieve success, making a name for themselves in the European League of Legends scene, thanks in large part to their owner's leadership and entrepreneurial spirit.
#8 — Domingo (1.67M)
Domingo is a popular streamer and caster who shot to fame with his wins in two Call of Duty: Black Ops tournaments. Real name Pierre-Alexis Bizot, he then began broadcasting his League of Legends gameplays, resulting in his fame shooting through the roof.
This led to his hiring as a video game commentator for LoL at tournaments like the LCS and the LoL Worlds. Soon after, he announced the creation of the Stream Team, a collective group consisting of himself and a few of his friends.
He is also president of Domingo TV, a production company created around him and his content, which has helped him become even more famous among French viewers. Domingo is also known for his variety streams, which have become more common recently, and his ability to connect with audiences has made him a renowned name on Twitch.
#7 — Doigby (1.71M)
Doigby is a well-known content creator who gained popularity primarily through his gaming content, where he is known for his clips in shooter games. His engaging and energetic personality has endeared him to a large fan base.
Doigby's streams often feature gameplay commentary, entertaining reactions, and interactions with his audience. Doigby is known for his positive attitude and commitment to spreading positivity within the gaming community. He actively promotes mental health awareness and has been open about his own struggles, becoming an advocate for self-care and well-being among his viewers.
Aside from gaming, Doigby occasionally diversifies his content by exploring other games and engaging in real-life challenges or collaborations. His entertaining style and genuine connection with his audience have made him one of the most popular French streamers, with a significant following on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
#6 — TheKAIRI78 (1.77M)
TheKAIRI78, real name Jaouad Daouki, is a popular broadcaster residing in Paris. He is known for his Call of Duty, custom map zombie, and tasting videos, but became a star thanks to the various clips titled "My Twitter Account Block: Rant!!!" and "Pokémon Go: Shut your mouth now."
Having made his name in the COD community, he diversified to other genres and types of content. His series, Big Brother’s Advice, where he shares his opinions and guides younger individuals with family, emotional, or educational issues, has become quite popular.
The gaming creator has not been short of controversies, but that hasn't stopped him from generating content and accruing a loyal fanbase. He has also recently been playing a lot of Fortnite, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, and VALORANT, much to the satisfaction of his viewers.
#5 — LeBouseuh (1.95M)
LeBouseuh is a YouTube gamer, gaming commentator, and vlogger whose real name is Romain Goisbeau. He shot to fame thanks to his Clash Royale gameplay and Call of Duty gaming-related videos.
Soon after becoming a regularly visited name on Twitch, he began creating daily vlogs and reaction videos. Recently, the content creator has been busy playing games like Rocket League, Grand Theft Auto V, and Fortnite.
He was also a full-time videographer before getting into streaming full-time alongside his Team Crouton buddies. His YouTube channel is also pretty successful, and it was actually the launching pad for his gaming creation journey.
#4 — Locklear (2.01M)
Locklear is a broadcaster who is known for his gameplay videos and reactions to humorous or video game content. He rose to fame thanks to his Overwatch and Sea of Thieves clips before moving to other genres of video games.
His success as a broadcaster has allowed him to collaborate with the likes of Squeezie, Gotaga, Doigby, and AlphaCast. This also means he's a regular in the Z Event, a charity marathon involving many Twitch streamers.
Like many other colleagues, he has not been shorn of controversies, but Locklear continues to be a highly-favored name in his home country. It helps that his streaming style is pretty relaxed and humorous for his audiences.
#3 — aminematue (2.13M)
Aminematue is a content creator who rose to fame thanks to his AmineMaTue Twitter account, where he provided comedic commentary on football, current events, and music. He also became highly sought after for his Grand Theft Auto gameplay, which remains one of the highlights for his fans.
The internet star has also been playing a lot of GTA V RP, where he creates funny situations for the entertainment of his viewers. He is also known to regularly chat with his audience members, who have also been busy watching his occasional League of Legends gameplays.
Aminematue was also responsible for the Eleven All-Stars: France vs Spain football match last year which did 1.1 million Peak Viewers. He was also the most-watched French streamer from the event, which set a new record as the most popular French broadcast ever.
#2 — Gotaga (3.99M)
Gotaga, another entrepreneur and influencer, is the second most followed French streamer. He owns the club, Gentle Mates, which was recently founded, alongside two other leading broadcasters in their respective fields — Squeezie and Brawks.
The streamer, whose real name is Corentin Houssein, is also a former Call of Duty pro who currently works in the content creation team of Team Vitality. His skills in Activision's legendary shooter have given him a large fanbase not only in his native country but all over the world.
Interestingly, Gotaga is also a cameraman who owns a clothing line and co-founded the Scuf House alongside Prime at the end of 2018. What helped him cement himself in the minds of esports fans worldwide was when he became the first European to win ESPN’s worldwide influencer championship on Twitter in 2019, beating out 63 other e-sports personalities.
#1 — Squeezie (4.26M)
Squeezie, real name Lucas Hauchard, is one of the most influential streamers from France today. He is someone who made a name for himself by specializing in Let's Play commentaries and vlogs.
Having started off on YouTube, the online personality focused on video game testing, and this success made him the youngest Frenchman to gain over one million subscribers on the red platform at the tender age of 17. At one point, he also held the record for the most popular French broadcast on Twitch, when in October 2022, he hosted a 22-streamer race using Formula 4 cars, which did over 1M PV, along with 40,000 spectators at the track.
As mentioned earlier, Squeezie also co-runs the newly-former esports org, Gentle Mates, apart from being a pretty successful musician. Some of his most frequent games on the purple platform are Valorant and Among Us, and he continues to do numbers that befit his place atop such a coveted list.
***
Overall, French streamers have been instrumental in popularizing live streaming, fostering community engagement, influencing content formats, driving commercial opportunities, diversifying content, and achieving international recognition. Their contributions have significantly impacted the content creation industry and continue to shape its future.
Most followed French streamers
| Ranking
|
Streamer name
|
Followers
|
|---|---|---|
| 1
|
Squeezie
|
4.26M
|
| 2
|
Gotaga
|
3.99M
|
| 3
|
aminematue
|
2.13M
|
| 4
|
Locklear
|
2.01M
|
| 5
|
LeBouseuh
|
1.95M
|
| 6
|
TheKAIRI78
|
1.77M
|
| 7
|
Doigby
|
1.71M
|
| 8
|
Domingo
|
1.67M
|
| 9
|
Kamet0
|
1.65M
|
| 10
|
ZeratoR
|
1.52M
|
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