Global Live Streaming Viewership Hits Record High in Q2 2025, Twitch Loses Market Share

GameSquare's Stream Hatchet reports a 5% YoY growth in global live streaming viewership to 9.1 billion hours in Q2 2025. YouTube Gaming achieved record viewership at 2.2 billion hours, while Twitch's market share fell to 54%. Kick's market share increased by 5.5% to 11%. Esports viewership rose by 6% to 729 million hours despite 37% fewer tournaments.

GameSquare's subsidiary, Stream Hatchet, has released its Q2 2025 Live Streaming Trends Report, highlighting significant growth in the streaming industry. According to the report, global live streaming viewership reached 9.1 billion hours watched in Q2 2025, marking a 5% year-over-year increase and the highest quarterly level since 2021 [1].

Key insights from the report include:

- YouTube Gaming: Achieved record viewership of 2.2 billion hours watched, maintaining its position as a dominant platform in the live streaming market [1].
- Twitch: Saw its market share decline by 4.6% to 54%, indicating a shift in audience preferences [1].
- Kick: Experienced a 5.5% increase in market share, growing to almost 11% of the streaming market [1].
- Esports: Despite hosting 37% fewer tournaments compared to Q2 2024, viewership increased by 6% to 729 million hours watched. Viewership was evenly distributed between co-streaming and official esports channels, reflecting a growing preference for creator-driven content [1].

Justin Kenna, CEO of GameSquare, commented on the report, stating, "The Q2 2025 report from Stream Hatchet underscores the continued growth of live streaming as a dominant force in media consumption. These insights highlight how audiences are shifting toward interactive, creator-led content experiences that offer greater engagement than traditional formats" [2].

The report also emphasizes the importance of data analytics in understanding and capitalizing on market trends. Stream Hatchet provides real-time, actionable insights into the gaming and live-streaming ecosystem across 16 platforms, empowering game publishers, brands, agencies, and tournament organizers with the industry's most granular data and reporting tools [2].

References:
[1] https://www.stocktitan.net/news/GAME/game-square-s-stream-hatchet-publishes-2025-q2-live-streaming-trends-gx4d7ax9eqtk.html
[2] https://www.morningstar.com/news/accesswire/1054346msn/gamesquares-stream-hatchet-publishes-2025-q2-live-streaming-trends-report