GameSquare's Stream Hatchet Publishes 2023 Yearly Report
- Esports viewership increased by 9% in 2023 to 2.5 billion hours watched, marking a 92% increase since 2019.
- Q1 and Q2 of 2023 saw record-breaking viewership numbers, with Q2 being the second-highest quarter of all time at 678 million hours watched.
- Weekly average viewership dropped by only 3.3% in 2023 compared to a 13.8% drop in 2022, surpassing 2020 levels by 4 million hours.
- Kick emerged as a new Western platform in March 2023, surpassing AfreecaTV and Facebook to claim the #3 spot for Q3 and Q4.
- Simulcasting on multiple platforms led to a 100% increase in average minute audience for creators in 2023, indicating a potential audience reach expansion.
- Top games live-streamed in 2023 included Grand Theft Auto, League of Legends, Valorant, Minecraft, and Fortnite.
- Top streamers and female streamers in 2023 featured a mix of popular names like ibai, PaulinhoLOKObr, rivers_gg, and Valkyrae.
- None.
The steady 9% increase in esports viewership in 2023, as reported, indicates a robust growth trajectory for the industry. This consistent rise, particularly the 92% increase since 2019, underscores the sector's resilience and its burgeoning appeal among global audiences. The diversification of content, with non-gaming categories gaining traction, exemplifies a widening consumer base and evolving viewer preferences.
The advent of new platforms like Kick, which has overtaken established players such as Facebook in terms of viewership, highlights the dynamic nature of the live-streaming landscape. Platform competition can drive innovation and improved user experiences, potentially benefiting the entire ecosystem. Moreover, the success of simulcasting, doubling average minute audiences for creators, suggests that content creators are effectively leveraging multiple channels to amplify their reach without fragmenting their viewership.
For businesses and investors, these trends could signal opportunities for strategic partnerships, advertising and content creation. The performance of top games and streamers provides valuable insights into consumer engagement and preferences, which can inform targeted marketing and investment decisions. The data also suggests that investments in emerging platforms and technologies that enhance viewer interaction and community building could yield significant returns.
The reported figures reflect positively on the financial prospects of companies operating within the esports and live-streaming sectors. GameSquare Holdings, through its subsidiary Stream Hatchet, is positioned to capitalize on this growth, potentially translating into increased revenue streams from analytics services and strategic consulting. The company's NASDAQ and TSXV listings could see increased investor interest as a result of these industry tailwinds.
For the stock market, the performance metrics of new entrants like Kick and the sustained popularity of leading games can influence the valuation of related companies. As live-streaming platforms vie for market share, their financial performance and user engagement metrics become critical indicators for investors. The shift in platform dominance, such as Facebook's decline, may also prompt a reassessment of investment strategies in the tech and media sectors.
Long-term implications for stakeholders include the potential for diversification into new content areas and the monetization of burgeoning viewer segments. However, the competitive landscape necessitates continuous innovation and adaptation, with potential risks associated with market saturation and changing consumer tastes.
The 2023 Yearly Trends Report sheds light on the significant role of esports within the broader context of entertainment and media. The report's insights into the performance of various live-streaming platforms and content categories provide a nuanced understanding of the industry's direction. The sustained growth in viewership, especially in the face of a post-pandemic normalization, suggests that esports has successfully transitioned from a niche to a mainstream entertainment option.
The implications for the esports industry are multifaceted. On one hand, the increase in viewership secures a stronger bargaining position for esports organizations when negotiating sponsorships and media rights deals. On the other hand, it necessitates a strategic approach to content diversification and audience engagement to maintain growth. The industry must also be mindful of the potential for market saturation, as an influx of new players and content could dilute individual brand value.
Understanding the dynamics of platform competition and content preferences is crucial for stakeholders looking to maximize their impact within the esports ecosystem. The rise of 'Just Chatting' streams and non-gaming content on platforms like Kick indicates a shift towards more lifestyle-oriented programming, which could open new revenue streams and partnership opportunities for esports entities.
Esports viewership continues steady rise, growing
Simulcasting shows promise with
FRISCO, TX / ACCESSWIRE / February 15, 2024 / Stream Hatchet, a streaming analytics and business intelligence platform and wholly-owned subsidiary of GameSquare Holdings (NASDAQ:GAME)(TSXV:GAME), ("GameSquare", or the "Company"), has published its Yearly Live-Streaming Trends Report for 2023.
Stream Hatchet's latest report offers an in-depth analysis culminating the biggest trends, stories, and insights from the live-streaming and video games industry. As one of the top sources in entertainment and a go-to resource for media, Stream Hatchet works with a consortium of industry-leading analysts and business leaders to provide expert insight on identifying key trends and projections for the future of gaming and esports.
"Continued annual growth in esports live-streaming since 2019 reflects expanding adoption of esports as a form of media and entertainment, while the overall live-streaming market continues to normalize after a spike in viewership in 2020 associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe 2024 will continue to show growth in esports live-streaming as a result of the growth in co-streaming channels, new worlds being developed in popular games, and massive new game launches expected to occur throughout the year," said Justin Kenna, CEO of GameSquare.
Key takeaways from the 2023 Yearly Trends Report include:
- Esports viewership continued to climb in 2023, up
9% from 2022 to 2.5 billion hours watched. This continues a yearly trend of increasing viewership and since 2019, esports viewership is up92% .- Q1 and Q2 of 2023 were the greatest of their respective quarters ever for esports viewership, with Q2 the second-highest quarter of all time at 678 million hours watched.
- In 2023, live streaming's weekly average viewership dropped just
3.3% year-over-year - a notable recovery from the13.8% drop in 2022. However, the weekly average surpasses that of 2020 by an additional 4 million hours. - In March of 2023, Kick burst onto the scene as a new Western platform, with a huge catering to non-gaming categories. This catapulted Kick ahead of both AfreecaTV and Facebook into #3 for both Q3 and Q4. Consequently, Facebook bids farewell to its standing as the third most-recognized Western platform.
- Just Chatting continues to dominate the non-gaming side of live-streaming, and has also sparked popularity on Kick where it generated 260 million hours watched in 2023.
- For the several creators Stream Hatchet analyzed who began simulcasting in 2023, their average minute audience while simulcasting on multiple platforms increased
100% on average.- This indicates that multi-platform concurrent streaming doesn't seem to split audiences, but rather increases the overall audience reach for the streamer.
- Top Games live-streamed in 2023 include: Grand Theft Auto, League of Legends, Valorant, Minecraft, and Fortnite.
- Top steamers in 2023 include: ibai, PaulinhoLOKObr, KaiCenant, AdinRoss, and auronplay
- Top female streamers in 2023 include: rivers_gg, Emiru, JenFoxxx, Valkyrae, and Kyedae
For more information on Stream Hatchet and insight into the esports and streaming markets, please visit their website at www.streamhatchet.com.
About GameSquare Holdings, Inc.
GameSquare Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:GAME)(TSXV:GAME) is a vertically integrated, digital media, entertainment and technology company that connects global brands with gaming and youth culture audiences. GameSquare's end-to-end platform includes GCN, a digital media company focused on gaming and esports audiences, Cut+Sew (Zoned), a gaming and lifestyle marketing agency, USA, Code Red Esports Ltd., a UK based esports talent agency, Complexity Gaming, a leading esports organization, Fourth Frame Studios, a creative production studio, Mission Supply, a merchandise and consumer products business, Frankly Media, programmatic advertising, Stream Hatchet, live streaming analytics, and Sideqik a social influencer marketing platform. www.gamesquare.com
Forward-Looking Information
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Corporate Contact
Lou Schwartz, President
Phone: (216) 464-6400
Email: ir@gamesquare.com
Investor Relations
Andrew Berger
Phone: (216) 464-6400
Email: ir@gamesquare.com
Media Relations
Chelsey Northern / The Untold
Phone: (254) 855-4028
Email: pr@gamesquare.com
SOURCE: GameSquare Holdings, Inc.
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