For years, Twitch has been the go-to platform for livestreaming, and new data shows it’s not slowing down. 82% of all streaming hours are spent on Twitch, according to a recent Streamlabs and Stream Hatchet analysis for Q3 2024. With the results of these analyses, Twitch continues to dominate the industry despite rivals like Kick and AfreecaTV gaining ground.

Kick gains traction but faces challenges

With major deals for streamers like xQc and Amouranth, Kick, a more recent platform that debuted in late 2022, has been making waves. Its growth is impressive — Kick’s watch time doubled year-over-year, hitting 533.9 million hours in Q3 2024. With programs like its Incentive Program, the platform is also enticing new streamers, increasing the number of hours streamed to almost eight million this quarter.

Kick has experienced challenges, though. In Q2 2023, there were over 500,000 unique channels; now, there are less than 400,000. The platform’s cultural issues and declining interest in exclusive streamer arrangements could be the cause of this drop.

Twitch’s strength lies in Its broad community

Twitch isn’t just winning in total hours streamed. Additionally, 85% of all unique streaming channels are hosted there. Although it controls the majority of streaming hours, its proportion of viewing time is lower at roughly 60%. In contrast to competitors like YouTube Gaming and Kick, where users are focused on the most popular streams, Twitch has a greater number of tiny creators.

“Twitch’s long tail of creators is similar to YouTube’s,” the report notes, highlighting the challenge of managing such a large and diverse community.

What’s next for streaming?

The streaming world is evolving quickly. Platforms like Rumble and AfreecaTV are gaining attention, while Twitch faces the challenge of keeping creators happy. As the report suggests, “The streaming landscape could look completely different a year from now.”

For now, Twitch leads, but all eyes are on how these platforms adapt in the coming years.

Featured image courtesy: Streamlabs and Stream Hatchet