Publishers today have a role that is more than just putting out a game and providing regular updates to keep it relevant and exciting for fans. These companies also have the work of publicity, organizing events and tournaments, and contributing to the ever-growing catalog of streaming content that users love to lap up.
Most viewed game publishers on Twitch in 2023
| Place | Name | Hours Watched |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Riot Games
|
2.5B HW
|
| #2 | Rockstar Games
|
1.3B HW
|
| #3 | Valve
|
1.2B HW
|
| #4 | Blizzard Entertainment
|
1.1B HW
|
| #5 | Electronic Arts
|
884.1M HW
|
With the success of games and their esports segments, publishers also become brands capable of attracting viewers during any event. In that regard, seeing which video game company has accrued the most watch time across the year provides a glimpse into how well their products have performed. Hence, here are the top five such names by Hours Watched and their most viewed game so far in 2023.
#5 – Electronic Arts (884.1M HW)
This American video game company known for its legendary franchises like Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims, Madden NFL, Battlefield, and FIFA/EA Sports FC has been providing fans with cutting-edge action since 1982. This has helped Electronic Arts become one of the most recognizable video game developers on the planet, with its tagline — EA Games, challenge everything — especially building a cherished place in the hearts of gamers across the world.
Its most-watched title is Apex Legends on 395.7M HW, around 44.8% of its overall total. The other titles under its wing that have done really well are EA Sports FC 24, released a few months back, The Sims 4, and FIFA 23.
#4 – Blizzard Entertainment (1.1B HW)
The American video game developer and publisher who gave the world Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft is fourth on this leaderboard. These franchises have attained mythical proportions among fans worldwide, making this company one of the most followed across countries and continents.
World of Warcraft is its most viewed game with 429M HW, constituting 38.6% of its total watch time on the purple platform this year. Other titles that have kept fans and streamers busy include Diablo IV, one of the most anticipated and successful releases of 2023, Overwatch 2, and Hearthstone.
#3 – Valve (1.2B HW)
The first name among the podium entrants is Valve, who had a hugely mixed 2023 spearheaded by the release of Counter-Strike 2 — a long-awaited move — and the farewell of the beloved CS:GO. This was a move years in the making, with fans of the decades-old shooter franchise demanding changes to a game that they felt had stagnated in terms of in-game quality due to unsatisfactory updates and changes from the developer.
Expectedly, CS:GO was its most-watched game with 670M HW or 52.6% of its total watch time. Dota 2 also saw a major 12 months, with its ultimate competition, The International 2023, seeing less than ideal numbers having already lost its USP thanks to a significant reduction in the prize money. Left 4 Dead 2, another cult classic from the American firm, was the next-best game in terms of watch time across, although it, too, has long lost the sheen that made it so popular when it came out in 2009.
#2 – Rockstar Games (1.3B HW)
Another publisher and developer that saw quite a lot of changes across 2023 was Rockstar Games, who ended the year with the biggest news of them all in the form of the long-awaited announcement and first trailer for the newest title in the much-loved Grand Theft Auto series, GTA VI.
Of course, GTA V and its Online component — led by the various famous RP servers — have still managed to retain a huge player base. The game attracted 1.2B HW, almost 98% of the total Hours Watches share, keeping the American video game publisher very much in the public consciousness. Unsurprisingly, the next most viewed game on the Amazon-owned streaming service for this publisher is Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which remains a special game to many despite being released more than two decades back.
#1 – Riot Games (2.5B HW)
The undoubted leader among publishers for 2023 when it comes to any metric — let alone Hours Watched — is Riot Games. It almost doubled the watch time of the next-best entry on Twitch and has been running high on the backs of the successes of games like League of Legends and Valorant.
The MOBA had a fantastic year, continuing its reign as the king of esports and creating industry records along the way. It is the most viewed game on the platform this year, taking up just over 50% of its publisher's overall watch time share over.
Meanwhile, the shooter has continued its remarkable rise since being released during the pandemic and has become one of the world's foremost esports offerings. A special mention must go to Teamfight Tactics, released four years ago but showing no signs of slowing down as it continues to maintain a niche space in the video game verse.
This has been a landmark year for video games, with many highly-anticipated releases materializing and more new ones announced to come out in 2024. For now, fans can rest easy knowing the future is as bright as ever and that the esports industry is showing indications of a major boom in the near future.
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