Twitch, the popular live streaming platform, saw moderate growth in viewership numbers during the month of July. While the summer season typically experiences a slowdown in activity, there was still some notable activity on the platform.
The highlight of the month was the rise of streamer Ibai Llanos, who claimed the top spot on StreamElement’s list of the top 10 Twitch streamers. This was a significant achievement for Llanos, as it was his first time reaching this position in 2024. The key factor behind his success was his annual influencer boxing event, La Velada del Año, which took place on July 13. The event garnered a peak of 3.85 million concurrent viewers, according to Streams Charts. The star-studded event featured notable guests, including Will Smith as a headlining musical performer. As a result, the “Special Events” category on Twitch experienced a 15% increase in viewership, reaching 265 million hours watched in July, according to StreamElements’ own charts.
Doron Nir, CEO of StreamElements, commented on this development, stating, “While Twitch is still in search of its next big growth driver, Ibai’s influencer boxing tournament presented itself as a piece of the puzzle in July. This event broke Twitch’s concurrent viewership record and generated nearly three times as many hours as the second-place streamer. This success followed Kai Cenat’s record-setting stream in June, where he partnered with Kevin Hart. The combination of creative concepts, Twitch influencers, and Hollywood stars has proven to be an effective blueprint for growth.”
Twitch is also focusing on collaborative features to further enhance its growth strategy. By facilitating collaborations between streamers and celebrities, the platform aims to capture the attention of a wider audience and create more engaging content. This approach aligns with the recent success of events like Ibai’s boxing tournament and Kai Cenat’s stream with Kevin Hart. Twitch hopes to replicate this success with more frequency in the future.
Overall, while Twitch’s growth in July was not extraordinary, the platform demonstrated the potential for significant viewership numbers through the hosting of special events and collaborations. These endeavors can serve as a blueprint for driving future growth and expanding Twitch’s reach within the gaming community and beyond. As Twitch continues to explore new avenues for innovation, it remains an essential platform for both streamers and viewers alike.