Game Choice is a Strategic Decision
Streaming Fortnite to 3 viewers while 50,000 other streamers do the same isn't a content strategy—it's wishful thinking. Game selection is one of the highest-leverage decisions you'll make as a streamer. This guide uses viewership data to recommend categories that actually enable growth.
The Golden Ratio: Viewers to Streamers
The key metric is viewers-per-streamer in a category. High ratio = more discovery potential. Low ratio = oversaturated. Calculate it by dividing total category viewers by total live channels.
Ideal range: 5-20 viewers per channel. Below 5, the category is dead. Above 50, you're a needle in a haystack.
Top Growth Categories for 2026
1. Newer Releases (First 2 Weeks)
New games have high interest, low established streamers. The window is short—use it. Examples: upcoming AAA releases, early access hits.
Strategy: Monitor gaming news, be ready to stream day one.
2. Competitive Mid-Tier Games
Games with active esports scenes but not dominated by pros. Think Valorant alternatives, fighting games, strategy titles.
Strategy: Build skill, offer educational content.
3. Variety Gaming
The 'Variety' category lets you switch games without losing algorithmic momentum. Best for personality-driven streamers.
Strategy: Your personality is the content, games are secondary.
4. Retro/Nostalgia Gaming
Older games have dedicated audiences with less competition. Speedrunning, challenge runs, completionist content.
Strategy: Deep knowledge and unique angles required.
5. Simulation and Building Games
Cities Skylines, Planet Coaster, Factorio—these have engaged, older demographics that monetize well.
Strategy: Long-form content, project-based streaming.
Categories to Approach Carefully
Just Chatting: Massive audience but massive competition. Only works with established personality or external audience.
League of Legends/Fortnite/GTA V: Too saturated for small streamers. You need 500+ viewers to be visible.
The Visibility Problem in Any Category
Even in perfect categories, the cold start remains. You need initial viewers for the algorithm to test you with broader audiences.
This is where combining game strategy with visibility investment works. Using services like streamhub.shop (https://streamhub.shop/) to establish 20-30 concurrent viewers in a well-chosen category puts you on page 1 immediately. From there, попасть в рекомендации twitch becomes achievable because the algorithm has data to work with.
How to Test Categories
- Stream each potential category for 2 weeks
- Track: average viewers, follower gain, chat activity
- Compare metrics across categories
- Double down on winners
Seasonal Considerations
- Q1: Post-holiday slowdown, new year releases
- Q2: Spring releases, pre-summer lull
- Q3: Summer slump, indie season
- Q4: Holiday releases, peak viewership
The Bottom Line
Don't fight physics. Choose games where your viewer count makes you visible. Combine smart category selection with visibility investment for fastest results. The game matters more than you think.