The Amazon-owned streaming giant Twitch has released its year-end report for 2024, and the numbers confirm its dominance in the gaming livestreaming world. With more than 15.6 billion hours of content watched globally, Twitch captured over 60% of the total gaming livestreaming audience, attracting more than 105 million average monthly viewers.
At the heart of Twitch’s blockbuster year is Grand Theft Auto V, which, more than a decade after its initial release, still holds the crown as the most-watched game in the world. In 2024 alone, GTA V pulled in over 1.4 billion hours watched and 25.8 million hours broadcast, setting the stage for the highly anticipated GTA VI.
The Top-Streamed Games in 2024
While GTA V earned its crown globally, other games also delivered strong performances. Riot Games’ League of Legends maintained its grip on the European scene, topping the charts in Germany and France and drawing in 1.19 billion hours globally.
Competitive shooters remained a powerhouse category, with Valorant, Fortnite, and Call of Duty all boasting impressive viewership numbers:
- Valorant: 804 million+ hours watched
- Fortnite: 539 million+ hours watched
- Call of Duty: 451 million+ hours watched
Meanwhile, Minecraft, a decade-long favourite sandbox game, continued its cross-generational appeal with 379 million+ hours watched - cementing its permanent place on the Twitch streaming charts.
GTA V is Already an Advertising Haven
The Rockstar team is well aware of the game’s popularity with both players and watchers, and wasted no time capitalising on its success. GTA V has some of the most creative in-game advertising, which, combined with its 1.4 billion Twitch watch hours, makes for high revenue.
Musicians can debut new songs on the GTA V radio, and companies can put real ads on in-game billboards around the city map. Rockstar has used GTA to spread awareness of Red Dead Redemption 2 multiple times — once with an unskippable loading screen, and also through cross-promotions with gameplay content as well as pre-order bonuses. It’s clear GTA V is making all the right moves to work successfully with advertisers.
VTubers Go Mainstream
One of the most notable trends in 2024 was the meteoric rise of VTubers—virtual avatars driven by real creators. Originating in Japan, this streaming format has now gone global, with 1.1 billion hours of VTuber content watched worldwide, a 10% increase year-on-year.
The EMEA region saw explosive growth, with a 57% year-over-year increase in watch time. The UK led the surge, with a staggering 200% increase in hours watched on British VTuber streams. In terms of overall popularity, the US, Japan, and the UK were the top three countries for VTuber viewership, with American creators broadcasting more than 15 million hours of virtual content.
Twitch Is at the Heart of Pop Culture
Beyond gaming, Twitch has continued to evolve into a cultural hub. Some of the platform’s biggest 2024 moments included Kai Cenat’s record-breaking 30-day Subathon, which brought in 727,694 subscribers and featured guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Druski, John Cena, and Kevin Hart.
Twitch has also influenced pop culture through language, with Sketch’s iconic catchphrase “What’s up, brother!” named Phrase of the Year, and Kai Cenat turning the word “Rizz” into a viral meme and Oxford University Press’s Word of the Year for 2023.
Twitch’s cultural footprint increased further with its involvement in high-profile events, such as:
- The record-breaking boxing event La Velada del Año, hosted by Spanish streamer Ibai, which peaked at 4.34 million concurrent viewers.
- The growth of the Baller League, a fast-paced six-a-side football tournament gaining traction in the US, UK, and Germany.
- Celebrity streamers, including Lizzo, Post Malone, and NFL players Travis Hunter, Ja'Marr Chase, and Shilo Sanders, who’ve used the platform to engage fans in a more personal, interactive way.
Looking Ahead
With a firm grasp on the livestreaming community and an expanding role in shaping internet culture, Twitch remains the go-to platform for gaming fans and streamers all over the world.
