© Gage Skidmore
We all know that everyone loves playing video games. But over the years, we've also found that people love watching people play video games.
How we interact with media has changed – and that's very evident on Twitch. Users can interact with hosts, play together, talk together or just sit back and be amused by what they're watching. It takes gaming to a new level, one that's appreciated by many, as can be seen by the huge number of Twitch users. Spanning multiple categories, we look at the most-watched Twitch categories that take broadcasting to a new level.
#1 – let's talk on Just Chatting
With almost 3 billion hours watched, Just Chatting is still topping the charts. And with good reason. On this game it lets players do pretty much anything they want. From chatting to showing their swimming skills or just sleeping (okay, a bit creepy) – with so much to do and the need for conversation and interaction rising during pandemic times, Just Chatting is a great way to enable this.#2 – GTA V still going strong
With its online mode still keeping us entertained for so long, GTA V remains one of Rockstar Gaming's most popular games. And players keep coming back, entertaining with new skins and outrageous drive-bys and stunts. There are enough YouTube videos to show how GTA V is popular with loads of people, but even more so on Twitch.#3 – 136 million hours on League of Legends
League of Legends is one of the most popular online games available, so it's no wonder that it remains in the top three. As well as new players and viewers joining regularly, there are multiple eSports tournaments, such as Worlds 2021, which really ramps up the views – three million people tuned in to watch this tournament at the same time!#4 – Fortnite at number four
It doesn't need the crazy dance moves to remain popular (though it doesn't hurt) as Fortnite stays in the top ten. Unfortunately, it drops a few places due to all the competitions and tournaments held by its competitors. Even its Battle Royale couldn't save it from an 11% decline in viewers. Still, over 950 million hours viewed is pretty good.#5 – Valorant remains in place
Staying at the halfway point, Valorant still saw an increase in viewership. This was down to many things, but mainly the Valorant Champions Tour, the VCT 2021 Final and the fact that this game promotes the women's eSports scene. Factor in all of these, and the game, and its streams, are becoming more popular year on year.Intermission – best of the rest
There's nothing quite like breaking up a top ten list with a look at some of the other popular Twitch categories. And just outside the top ten is casino gaming and poker. These entertaining platforms give viewers an insight into online gaming, offer top tips and are popular to watch. This time next year, it should be breaking into the top ten.#6 – continuing with Minecraft
Ah, the fun blocky game still stays in the top ten. And doesn't look like it's going anywhere soon. It's got a huge following with kids and adults alike and is a Twitch favourite. There are various competitions, and as part of Twitch Rivals, Minecraft will remain a mainstay for a while.#7 – Call of Duty: Warzone shooting up the chart
This iteration of the popular COD games has been more welcomed than its Modern Warfare counterpart, with 843 million hours viewed. There are various community competitions held, and when new maps are released, there's a surge in viewing figures. Call of Duty goes hand-in-hand with online gaming. Just so happens that this version has the upper hand.#8 – going on the Counter-Strike Global Offensive
Even though it moved to eighth place, the hours watched increased almost by 10%. Again, various eSports competitions helped with this, as viewers came in their droves to watch. It just wasn't enough to beat some of the other games in the chart.#9 – Apex Legends gaining more hours
Popular in America and Japan, with some of Twitch's top streamers dedicating their time to the game, Apex Legends made its way into the top ten most popular Twitch categories. Over the years, viewership has risen, going up a hugely 114% in the last year alone!#10 – tournaments keep Dota 2 in the list
Thanks to the hugely popular International 10 event, which saw 2.7 million peak viewers, Dota 2 remains in the top ten Twitch list. The success of Team Spirit in these competitions helped the numbers rise; perhaps without them, Dota 2 might not have made the list.Recently, there's been a big rise in people wanting to see entertainment and in-real-life content, compared to the battlegrounds and shoot-ups. So that's why Just Chatting and GTA V still remain top of the list, giving you hours of entertainment. What's your favourite?
