At the height of the Covid 19 pandemic, video game streaming viewership was at record highs. From lockdowns and various restrictions, gaming broadcasts were attractive entertainment for those looking for something new to enjoy while at home. Fast forward to 2023, however, and those numbers are continuing to drop.
A new report featuring data from Stream Hatchet states that total viewership has fallen 16% year-over-year with 7.4 billion hours watched in Q1 2023 compared to 8.8 billion hours in Q1 2022.
The numbers, while ending a run of six straight quarters with a loss, are still far below the nearly 9 billion hours watched back in 2021.
As far as where viewers are watching video game streams, there have been some slight changes. Twitch has seen a 4% increase in market share from 70% to 74% year over year while YouTube has risen from 13% to 15%.
Facebook is the only major platform to see a decline in market share over the same time. In Q1 2022, Facebook held a 9% market share. In Q1 2023, that number fell to just 3%. The fall puts it behind South Korea’s Afreeca TV platform which increased from 3% to 4% year-over-year.
It’s not all bad news, though. According to the data, video game streaming viewership remains up by 46% compared to Q1 2020.
Has your streaming viewership changed over the last couple of years?
For more Insider Gaming, see the latest actions Nintendo has taken to limit the ability to emulate its games.
