Reports
Q1 2026 Live Streaming Trends Report
Discover the Data Shaping the Future of Live Streaming
Our latest quarterly report offers a detailed look into the past and current state of the video game live-streaming market, and its relevance to the popularity of live-streaming platforms, game publisher IP, popular media, and creators. Key takeaways include:
What You'll Discover
New TikTok Live Data
Stream Hatchet now officially includes TikTok Live data for every quarter. And in Q1 2026, TikTok Live accounted for almost half of all live-streaming viewership… though it did drop while other platforms rose from Q4 2025
Viewership Increase
- Quarterly live-streaming viewership hit 17B hours watched, but excluding TikTok Live it basically held steady with a 0.2% increase from Q4 2025
Events Showcase
The events bringing in the most viewership included the Kings League World Cup Nations with a massive 2.2M peak viewers and game showcases like Sony’s State of Play for February with a 2.1M peak
Top Games in Live Streaming
- Among gaming mainstays, World of Warcraft surged with the Midnight expansion release while Fortnite backslid as Extraction Shooters rose. New releases Resident Evil Requiem and Crimson Desert soared
How This Report Helps you
- Identify where to invest in platforms and regions by seeing which platforms (Twitch, YouTube, Kick, TikTok Live) and markets (US, LATAM, SEA, MENA) are growing.
- Benchmark game and genre performance (launches, retention, top titles) to inform marketing beats, content roadmaps, and go/no‑go decisions around updates or new releases.
- Plan event and esports strategy by studying which tournaments, creator‑led leagues, and showcase formats actually drive peak viewership and hours watched.
- Shape creator and brand partnerships using the sections on top streamers, VTubers, non‑gaming categories, and “most discussed brands” to choose the right talent and verticals.
Expert Strategy. Winning Campaigns. Scalable Results.
Partner with Stream Hatchet for the expert support and tracking you need to lead the market.
