Global live streaming viewership grew 6% year-over-year to 36.4B hours watched during 2025, nearly matching 2021’s pandemic-era peak
FRISCO, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / January 29, 2026 / Stream Hatchet, the leading provider of data analytics for the live streaming and gaming ecosystem and wholly-owned subsidiary of GameSquare Holdings (NASDAQ: GAME), (“GameSquare”, or the “Company”), has released its annual 2025 Live Streaming Trends Report. The report reveals key insights into the evolution of the global live streaming market across gaming, esports, and entertainment.
Access to the report is available at: https://streamhatchet.com/reports/2025-yearly-report-in-live-streaming-trends/
“2025 marked a turning point for live streaming, with growth increasingly driven by heightened competition, broader platform utilization, and more sophisticated, creator-led strategies,” said Justin Kenna, CEO of GameSquare. “While total viewership in 2025 nearly matched peak pandemic levels, the real story is the redistribution of attention. Enforcement actions, multistreaming, and esports-driven content are reshaping market share, while non-gaming formats are steadily expanding viewership. This report reinforces that live streaming has matured into a durable ecosystem with sustainable, long-term growth drivers that brands must actively position around.”
Key Insights from Stream Hatchet’s Annual 2025 Report:
Live streaming viewership surged in 2025, up 6% from 2024, generating 36.4B hours watched, nearly matching 2021’s pandemic-era peak of 37.1B hours watched.
Twitch’s market share dropped by 8.3% due to their mid-year viewbotting crackdown and competition from the other Top 3 platforms.
First-Person Shooters were the most popular gaming genre with 4.6B hours watched, helped by esports success from Counter Strike and VALORANT, plus extraction shooter demand for ARC Raiders and Escape from Tarkov.
Non-Gaming content is slowly asserting itself on Twitch: Just Chatting and IRL streams grew by 25% and 19%, respectively.
The share of Non-Gaming viewership grew to 22% on Twitch.
For more information on Stream Hatchet and insight into the esports and streaming markets, please visit their website at http://www.streamhatchet.com.
About GameSquare Holdings, Inc.
GameSquare (NASDAQ:GAME) is a cutting-edge media, entertainment, and technology company transforming how brands and publishers connect with Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and Millennial audiences. With a platform that spans award-winning creative services, advanced analytics, and FaZe Clan Esports, one of the most iconic gaming organizations, we operate one of the largest gaming media networks in North America. As a digital-native business, GameSquare provides brands with unparalleled access to world-class creators and talent, delivering authentic connections across gaming, esports, and youth culture. Complementing our operating strategy, GameSquare has developed an innovative treasury management program designed to generate yield and enhance capital efficiency, reinforcing our commitment to building a dynamic, high-performing media company at the intersection of culture, technology, and next-generation financial innovation.
To learn more, visit http://www.gamesquare.com.
About Stream Hatchet
Stream Hatchet delivers real-time, actionable insights into the gaming and live-streaming ecosystem across 16 platforms. From performance benchmarking to campaign ROI and influencer intelligence, Stream Hatchet empowers game publishers, brands, agencies, and tournament organizers with the industry’s most granular data and reporting tools.
For more information visit http://www.streamhatchet.com.
Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of the applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: the Company’s future performance, revenue, growth and profitability; and the performance of the live streaming market . These forward-looking statements are provided only to provide information currently available to us and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, assurance or definitive statement of fact or probability. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions which include, but are not limited to: the Company’s ability to grow their business and being able to execute on their business plans, the Company being able to complete and successfully integrate acquisitions, the Company being able to recognize and capitalize on opportunities and the Company continuing to attract qualified personnel to support its development requirements. These assumptions, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the Company’s ability to achieve its objectives, the Company successfully executing its growth strategy, the ability of the Company to obtain future financings or complete offerings on acceptable terms, failure to leverage the Company’s portfolio across entertainment and media platforms, dependence on the Company’s key personnel and general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. These risk factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect the Company which are discussed in the Company’s most recent MD&A. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. GameSquare assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.
Investor Relations
Andrew Berger
Phone: (216) 464-6400
Email: [email protected]
Media Relations
Chelsey Northern / The Untold
Phone: (254) 855-4028
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE: GameSquare Holdings, Inc.
