Summary
- Smaller games can find success on Twitch through word of mouth, leading to massive popularity.
- Dune: Awakening immerses players in a survival challenge set in the iconic Dune universe.
- Simple, unique game designs can attract broad audiences on Twitch, fueling streamer reactions.
It's hard to delve deep into the world of gaming without mentioning Twitch. Livestreaming has become a huge part of how people interact with video games online. Whether through watching competitive tournaments with millions of other fans or enjoying a popular streamer play through a co-op game with their pals, there's always something for everyone.
But there are many examples of games that defied expectations and found a much bigger audience than anticipated, despite the steep competition with some of the big names in the industry. Many smaller games can find massive success on the platform thanks to some helpful word of mouth and a single streamer picking up the game and exploding it into the stratosphere.
8 Dune: Awakening
Open World Survival In An Iconic Universe
Dune: Awakening
- Released
- June 10, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Funcom
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Survival, MMO
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 17.7 million (June 2025)
- Peak Viewers: 190,931 (June 2025)
Dune: Awakening takes the extremely popular movie/book franchise and thrusts players straight into the deserts of Arrakis with nothing but their own will to survive to help them. Survival games have always been extremely popular, but for a brand-new title to break out in this way is more than impressive.
The game has a lot to offer in a seemingly empty world. Players navigate basic survival challenges like thirst and hunger, whilst also managing additional obstacles such as the infamous Sandworms that lurk beneath the surface of the dunes. It's an absolute blast for any fans of the genre and has made for plenty of interesting encounters on stream as well.
7 Only Up!
Rage After Rage Until The End
Only Up!
- Released
- May 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- SCKR Games, MoreMoto Games
- Platform(s)
- Windows
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 32 million (June 2023)
- Peak Viewers: 279,239 (June 2023)
Only Up! Belongs to a small category of games aptly named "rage games," whose entire reason for existing is to induce as much anger and frustration in players as possible. Players have a single goal to achieve: climb to the top of the map. But that goal is far easier said than done, given that one wrong move can set players back after hours of progress and countless fails.
The reason the game was so popular on Twitch when it came out was the perfect combination of streamer reactions and simplistic game design. Any viewer could jump in and understand what was happening, and any time the streamer missed a jump, the anger that ensued was more than enough to bring with it plenty of laughs for everyone.
6 Chess
The Classic Game For A Modern Audience
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 22 million (Feb 2021)
- Peak Viewers: 370,111 (Feb 2021)
Chess was around long before the days of video games, but has stood the test of time and recently found a resurgence in the form of livestreaming. What started out as small streamers showcasing their skills and tournaments for only the best quickly turned into a global phenomenon that saw some of the biggest faces in the game all getting in on the action.
During the 2020s, things have taken off in a big way, with the category bringing in millions of viewers every month and countless competitions both for high-ranking players and newbies just starting out. It might be one of the most widely recognizable games on the planet, but no one could have predicted how big it would become, even when compared to some of the biggest names in gaming.
5 Phasmophobia
Ghost Hunting Is Better Together
Phasmophobia
- Released
- October 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Use of Drugs, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Kinetic Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Puzzle
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 48.5 million (Oct 2020)
- Peak Viewers: 253,155 (Oct 2020)
Phasmophobia is the perfect co-op game that brings players together in the most horrific setting possible. Players play as ghost hunters, entering haunted houses and abandoned cabins in search of clues regarding the specific specters that are haunting the halls, with nothing but a few cameras and basic tools to help them.
The blend of horror and co-op made for the ideal streaming experience. Even years after it was released, the game continues to pull in tens of thousands of viewers every month, demonstrating once again that simple concepts can oftentimes be the best.
4 Peak
Cooperative Climbing With Plenty Of Comedy
PEAK
- Released
- June 16, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 3.4 million (June 2025)
- Peak Viewers: 151,362 (June 2025)
Peak is a charming cooperative adventure that sees players climbing through several different biomes in order to reach the summit above. What makes the game unique is the inclusion of several features, such as proximity chat, that bring additional levels of fun and comedy to an already silly experience.
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The ability to group up with four players and work together to reach a universal goal makes playing the game a treat, and watching it just as fun. Every step forward is a small movement of progress towards the end, which means that players are encouraged to work together whenever they can.
3 Grand Theft Auto 5
Roleplay On Another Level
Grand Theft Auto 5
- Released
- September 17, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar North
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 253 million (May 2021)
- Peak Viewers: 1.1 million (May 2021)
GTA5 has long been one of the most popular games on the planet, but the reasons for its streaming popularity go far deeper than just the game itself. The ability to play with others opened the door for roleplay servers where players take on a variety of different personas, ranging from taxi drivers to mob bosses, all staying in character throughout the stream.
This led to large groups of streamers all participating in massive servers full of personalities and hilarious interactions at every moment. With the release of GTA6 just around the corner, there is no doubt that the sequel will have just as much success and just as big of a following, both in the game and in terms of viewership.
2 Fortnite
From A Slow Start Into A Cultural Icon
Fortnite
- Released
- September 26, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen - Diverse Content: Discretion Advised, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Epic Games
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, Android, iOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 151 million (Jul 2018)
- Peak Viewers: 2.7 million (Dec 2023)
Fortnite quickly rose to the top of the gaming world, and very few games have ever been able to compete with the viewership numbers the game had at its peak. A cartoony battle royale shooter where players of all ages could jump in straight away and have an amazing time, it was the perfect blend of accessibility and fun, which made it the perfect candidate for streaming success.
Many giants of the streaming world were able to capitalize off of the game's incredible numbers, growing their channels by millions of subscribers and building entire careers off the back of a single game. Since then, the game is still extremely popular on Twitch and remains one of the top 10 titles consistently, many years after its release.
1 Among Us
Simple Yet Perfect Timing
Among Us
- Released
- June 5, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Mild Blood, Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- InnerSloth
- Genre(s)
- Party Game
- Platform(s)
- PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 147 million (Sep 2020)
- Peak Viewers: 774,280 (Nov 2020)
Among Us is a remarkable game that started with some modest success, but thanks largely to the pandemic and the desire for group-streamed content, that initial release was quickly overshadowed by a near-endless wave of success that continues to this day.
Taking the basic concept from party games like Mafia and using a basic but recognizable aesthetic, the game blew up overnight and drew more eyes than most other games on the site for many months. Although the wave has passed for the most part, it remains a mainstay on the front page of Twitch today.
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