As the live streaming industry continues to evolve, data from the Streamlabs Q3 2024 report provides a comprehensive overview of how the major platforms are doing in terms of viewer engagement, content creation and market share. From the continued dominance of Twitch to the meteoric rise of Kick and the resurgence of YouTube Gaming, the streaming world is experiencing shifts in audience preferences, creator dynamics, and competitive pressures.

Kick’s explosive growth

A newcomer to the livestreaming scene, Kick has experienced remarkable growth over the past year and has emerged as a serious competitor to more established platforms. In the third quarter of 2024, Kick streamed 7.79 million hours, a modest increase of about 31% from the previous quarter. However, when it comes to viewing hours, the platform has shown impressive growth, reaching over 533 million viewing hours in the third quarter of 2024. This represents an explosive growth of approximately 204% compared to the previous year.

What makes Kick’s growth particularly notable is the rapid increase in average concurrent viewers, which rose from 80,509 viewers in the second quarter of 2023 to 241,806 in the third quarter of 2024. This represents a staggering 200% growth, which highlights Kick’s ability to attract and retain a growing audience. Despite this impressive trajectory, the platform faces significant challenges as it enters a more competitive phase. As the company scales, Kick must continue to innovate, refine its content offerings and adjust its content moderation policies to ensure it doesn’t run into issues that could hinder its growth.

Twitch’s post-pandemic stabilization

Twitch, a longtime leader in livestreaming, has experienced some fluctuations in its metrics since the pandemic’s viewership spike. Q3 2024 data shows that Twitch remains the dominant force in the streaming world, with a whopping 211 million hours streamed, far ahead of its competitors. In terms of viewing hours, Twitch still has a big lead, with 5.14 billion viewing hours in Q3 2024, demonstrating the platform’s continued high engagement and loyal audience.

However, the post-pandemic era has introduced a period of stabilization for Twitch. After experiencing exponential growth during the pandemic lockdowns, Twitch has faced challenges in maintaining those record-breaking viewership numbers. While viewership remains strong, it has remained stable in recent months, with no significant increase or decrease in hours watched. The platform’s ability to maintain its vast collection of unique channels is another challenge, as the number of creators has fluctuated following a pandemic surge, but Twitch’s base of content creators still remains robust.

Twitch will have to continue to evolve to maintain its competitive advantage. Innovations in features, content diversity, and creator incentives are crucial to maintaining dominance in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

The resurgence of YouTube Gaming

YouTube Gaming, which has faced several ups and downs in recent years, is showing promising signs of revival. After a slow period following the initial pandemic wave, YouTube Gaming has made significant progress in hours streamed and viewership. In the third quarter of 2024, YouTube Gaming streamed 14.46 million hours, a major recovery from previous years. The platform’s recovery can be attributed to several factors, including its integration with the broader YouTube ecosystem and exclusive content offerings, which have contributed to renewed interest in the platform.

In terms of hours watched, YouTube Gaming logged 1.94 billion hours in Q3 2024, cementing its position as a formidable competitor to Twitch. The platform’s average concurrent viewership also shows resilience, with a slight decline in Q3 2024 to 879,868 viewers, but still significantly higher than previous years. Furthermore, the platform has experienced a sharp increase in the number of unique channels, reaching 723,096 in the third quarter of 2024, a remarkable 64% increase from the previous quarter.

The resurgence of YouTube Gaming highlights its strategic advantages, including its extensive reach within YouTube’s broader content ecosystem. As the platform continues to attract both new and established creators, it appears well-positioned to continue its upward trajectory in the live streaming space.

Facebook Gaming is facing a decline

Facebook Gaming, once seen as a major player in the livestreaming market, is experiencing a significant decline in key metrics. After an initial period of rapid growth, Facebook Gaming has seen a steady decline in hours watched, hours streamed and unique channels. In the third quarter of 2024, the platform recorded just 66.5 million hours watched, a dramatic drop from the peak of 1.29 billion hours in the third quarter of 2021. The number of hours streamed has also fallen significantly, from more than 20 million in the second quarter of 2021 to less than 500,000 hours in the third quarter. 2024.

The drop in Facebook Gaming’s numbers suggests the platform is struggling to maintain its user base and attract new streamers. One of the biggest challenges for Facebook Gaming is the difficulty of differentiating itself in a market dominated by Twitch and YouTube Gaming. While it initially benefited from integration with the Facebook ecosystem, it appears that streaming has not become a central part of Facebook’s offering. As more creators migrate to other platforms, Facebook Gaming may need to reassess its strategy to stay relevant in the competitive livestreaming space.

Steam’s constant presence

Best known for its gaming marketplace, Steam also plays a crucial role in the live streaming ecosystem. While not as dominant in terms of hours streamed or watched compared to Twitch or YouTube Gaming, Steam has a steady presence in the livestreaming market. In Q3 2024, Steam streamed 11.81 million hours and had an average concurrent viewership of approximately 69,263 viewers. The platform’s hours watched exceeded 137 million, which is a significant number compared to smaller players like Kick and Facebook Gaming.

While Steam’s growth trajectory isn’t as rapid as Kick or YouTube, its stability suggests it has carved out a reliable niche within the streaming ecosystem. However, challenges remain, especially for smaller creators on Steam, who may find it difficult to gain visibility in a crowded marketplace.

The competitive streaming landscape

The Q3 2024 data illustrates the highly competitive nature of the livestreaming market, with Twitch, YouTube Gaming, Kick and other platforms vying for position. While Twitch remains the clear leader in terms of hours watched and streamed, it faces increasing competition from newer platforms like Kick, which has made impressive strides in growth and engagement. YouTube Gaming is also showing a strong recovery, leveraging its integration with the broader YouTube platform and increasing its share of the streaming audience.

Despite the challenges, each platform strives to innovate and adapt to the changing preferences of viewers and creators. Twitch, for example, will need to continue developing its features and content offerings to keep up with new competitors, while Kick will need to face the challenges of scaling its platform and maintaining a positive community atmosphere. YouTube Gaming, which has regained momentum, will need to capitalize on growing viewership and continue to expand its roster of creators. Facebook Gaming, on the other hand, must find a way to reverse its decline and re-establish itself as a major player in the live streaming ecosystem.