Prior to creating future goals, it is crucial to take a brief glance in the past. Over the past two years, streaming services' audience has seen considerable growth (i.e., since the start of the pandemic). Many fresh viewers showed up, eager to play games and read memes. Streamers started to adapt to the audience's changing needs since they are forward-thinking men, and they continue to do so today.
In this article, we'll look back on the past year in terms of patterns while offering some information, insight, and food for your mind.
INTERACTIVE IN “JUST CHATTING”
For the previous three years, Twitch has been dominated by the "Just Chatting" category. While everyone was at home in the spring of 2020 buying expensive masks, the streamers in this region began to detect a global surge in signs on all fronts. Since people lacked dialogue and a sense of community, the "Just Chatting" broadcasts were effectively created to combat loneliness. Nothing has altered after then; from May 2020 to December 2022, "Chatting" held the top spot for Twitch views and accounted for 14% of all platform indicators. On all streaming services, talk shows are quite popular, and this trend is not likely to change very soon. Trovo and YouTube aren't far behind. The peak audience for the category increased by 50% this year, despite the fact that "Just Chatting" only came in third place in the Portuguese-language streaming category (after GTA V and CS:GO).
A dramatic increase in competitiveness is often a result of the section's growing popularity. Previously, it was possible to have a pleasant conversation while gazing into the camera or to spend a long time watching television. You run the danger of getting a DMCA ban because the audience's expectations for the series have changed and escalated. Showmen who can entertain, improvise, and constantly keep their ears to the ground in search of fascinating happenings and fresh concepts will be the top streamers of "Chatting" in 2022.
For example, when the movie "Morbius" came out in March, major streamers jumped on the craze and made the tape the subject of conversation. The movie was so awful that it generated a lot of memes, and within a few days, everyone on "Just Chatting" was watching it and striving to post it as many times as they could before it was taken down for copyright violations.
What was popular in “Just Chatting” in 2022? Naturally, motionless video serves as the basis for the foundations. Most of the time, streamers watch and comment on other videos, turning their broadcast into a massive viewing party with a discussion of what is going on the screen. You can use everything you find on popular websites like YouTube and TikTok in your stream. The streamer needs to be well-rounded and aware of current affairs because not everyone in 2022 will be astounded by a video millionaire who became famous six months prior.
The content in the "Just Chatting" section appears to be static as a whole, yet there is actually a big living organism hidden under the appearance of visual stability. These types of streamers adjust daily to the viewpoints and preferences of the audience. The trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard was broadcast live on Twitch and YouTube in the summer of 2022, and it was also followed closely by xQc, Asmongold, and Ludwig. Everyone had been watching Mafia games and different quizzes up until that point.
The year 2022 shown that individuals favor listening to, debating, and reevaluating news from opinion leaders over from specialized sources. The release of a new game or a contentious YouTube video might suddenly be news or content.
“ALL CALM IN THE WESTERN FRONT” OR SAME OLD GAMING LOVE
Despite how popular "Chatting" may be, it will never be as popular as video games. League of Legends has a tight hold on the gaming and streaming industries, and not much has changed in this regard over time. However, strangely, only on Twitch (and mostly on English-language streams). Since multiple streaming services are favoring different projects, the first lines of the rankings rarely cross.
Following are the top 5 video games in the world as of 2022:
· Twitch: League of Legends, GTA V, VALORANT, CS:GO, Apex Legends;
· YouTube Gaming: Minecraft, Fortnite, Roblox, PUBG Mobile, GTA V;
· Trovo: GTA V, World of Tanks, Dota 2, CoD: Mobile, League of Legends.
Since it has always had its own route, the top games in the Russian-speaking region are often very different from those in other regions. Dota 2 and CS:GO were games that people enthusiastically watched on Twitch less regularly. Following them in the rankings are Hearthstone, Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia, GTA V, and League of Legends. The Russian-language section of Trovo was successfully taken over by Tanks (World of Tanks and World of Tanks), Escape from Tarkov, Dota 2, and, shockingly, Russian Fishing 4. Top games on YouTube Gaming include the same World of Tanks and PUBG Mobile, then Standoff 2, Dota 2, and CS:GO.
Although it is not very evident, there is a difference between the game ratings in the Portuguese-language Twitch streaming and the international ones. There, GTA V is in the lead and under pressure from CS:GO. The top five is completed by League of Legends, Fortnite, Vitality, and Vitality in that order. On Trovo, Call of Duty: Mobile is now in the lead. Nearly as many hours were spent watching League of Legends, VALORANT, and GTA V as Free Fire, which came in third. The most popular games on YouTube Gaming are now Free Fire, League of Legends, GTA V, Stumble Guys: Multiplayer Royale, and VALORANT.
The session competition projects often attract a ton of views, but significant releases shouldn't be disregarded. The bothersome ad is impossible to ignore, not even for "streamers of one game." God of War: Ragnarök, Overwatch 2, FIFA 23, Lost Ark, and Elden Ring were some of these video games in 2022. Overwatch 2's potential as a streaming competitor is still up in the air, despite FIFA and Lost Ark currently holding the middle positions on the list.
Small, meritorious businesses frequently fail in the shadow of the behemoth of the gaming industry. Do you remember how everyone was mesmerized by Fall Guys? Multi-game streamers like the guys from Just Chatting commonly play these games. In order to change up your conversational stream, focus on new and well-liked projects since their popularity is still high in 2022. Although Among Us continues to gain viewers, by the end of the year, shows like Pokémon Scarlet or Violet and Ark: Survival Evolved began to appear more frequently.
FRESH TRENDS
If you exclude the portion on pools, Jacuzzis, and other amenities that previously formed part of the "chatting," "Just Chatting" will be the sole non-gaming category in the Twitch top 10 for an incredibly long time. However, in the second half of 2022, a fresh trend emerged that was both polarizing and popular. We're talking about fake online casinos here. The Slots and Virtual Casino categories rose to the top as a result of the audience's rapid and ardent interest in these streams after a series of bans of unpleasant streamers and casinos. And they keep doing it in spite of ongoing conflicts and opposition from powerful opinion leaders.
It is difficult to predict how this trend will evolve; it is very possible that in 2023, just like with the same inflatable swimming pools, the saga will fizzle out. No one can be positive about this, though. Also bear in mind that, when it comes to such things, it is vital to always rely on the rules of the country in which you are located.
"Just Chatting" was discontinued for political conversations at the start of 2022. A debate was urgently needed, according to streamers and viewers, given the current state of the world. In the second half of the year, this category's popularity rapidly decreased, but occasionally you may still discover significant channels with respectable video online.
CREATIVITY, ARTS AND SPORTS
What options are for those who don't enjoy gaming, chatting, or spinning virtual roulette? Among the remaining subcategories of streaming platforms, the music category is in the lead. Karaoke, individual creativity, online radio, and even concerts by professional musicians—everything related to music has been covered. YouTube is without a doubt the market leader in the music industry, despite Twitch having a sizable fan base among content creators.
Also gradually switching from TV channels to streamers are traditional sports. A growing number of streams are willing to follow and discuss the most recent sporting events, even though Esports are still relatively unknown in our business. The majority of television stations' offices used to represent sports on YouTube in the past, but an increasing number of streamers are now airing exciting competitions from a variety of sports. For example, Ludwig and the chessboxing (in chessboxing combined fusion of mind and physical strength athlete). Needless to say, it is such a fun to watch!
The ASMR subcategory comes next. Even if these cozy, peaceful broadcasts have always had a devoted following, since 2021, there has been a noticeable surge in demand. In part due to the fact that "Hot tubs" streamers have relocated to this section, and in part due to the fact that viewers are increasingly seeking out relaxing activities.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2023?
As streaming platforms quickly transcend their cozy little world of games and anime, major opinion leaders are assuming the role of representatives for the most significant advancements from all fields. In 2023, this will dramatically expand. It is challenging to predict the precise patterns of idle conversation, but all it takes is one unique thought to make Twitch and the rest immediately intriguing and attractive to others.
The game industry does not intend to be idle either, since there are a lot of anticipated releases scheduled for the following year. The titles that will surely be streaming are Hogwarts Legacy (10.02), Atomic Heart (21.02), Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (17.03), Resident Evil 4 Remake (24.03), Diablo 4 (06.06), Final Fantasy XVI (22.06), and more. There haven't been any recent competitive games, and even the year before that only saw the debuts of Overwatch 2 and the new Call of Duty: Warzone. But there aren't any new, original ventures at all. We can only hope that the designers are simply hiding what they have already finished creating for us when they have recovered from the illness. Do not give up upon these wet fantasy hammers of yours even if they never occur.
Streaming is constantly about innovation and gauging audience preferences. Nobody is likely to watch you if your content is boring to everyone. Who says you can't be the first? All you need is to keep in mind that other day the one XoAeriel once had the wonderful idea to get a garland and an inflatable pool, and the rest is a history…
