Twitch had a difficult 2024. From staff layoffs to rumors of a Twitch “adpocalypse,” it has been a stressful time for the streaming app. To top off what was, by all accounts, a tough year, new data from StreamsCharts suggests that the platform has just had its lowest-viewing month in four years.
What Else Did StreamsCharts’ Stats Show?
The data shows that in December 2024, Twitch watched, in total, 1.58 billion hours of livestreamed content. Undoubtedly, this number is impressive, but contextually, it is less so. This is because it is the platform’s lowest viewer count since July 2020.
According to StreamsCharts, December saw an 11% decrease in total watch time in comparison to the average December on the platform. However, the metrics platform noted that December is a traditionally slower month for Twitch.
Other data released by the site suggests that overall, we shouldn’t be too worried about Twitch. The total number of streamers actually increased, while the amount of channels concurrently streaming also saw a significant rise compared to November.
Furthermore, as streamers broadened their horizons, they broadcast in a total of 42,300 different categories that month, the highest this figure has been since March.
Twitch is far from dead, even if it ended this year with less of a bang and more of a whimper. However, this does highlight the struggle in the streaming creative economy to retain audience attention.
Even the biggest sites have bad months. As more and more people turn to streaming as a possible job, you’ll need to do more to attract an audience. More creators are fighting for the same eyes than ever before.
