GameSquare's Stream Hatchet Publishes Annual 2025 Live Streaming Trends Report
Rhea-AI Summary
GameSquare (NASDAQ: GAME) subsidiary Stream Hatchet published its 2025 Live Streaming Trends Report on January 29, 2026, reporting global live streaming viewership of 36.4B hours in 2025, up 6% year-over-year and nearing the 2021 peak of 37.1B hours.
The report highlights an 8.3% market-share decline for Twitch tied to mid-year enforcement and competition, growth in non-gaming formats (Just Chatting +25%, IRL +19%), and First-Person Shooters at 4.6B hours driven by esports titles.
Positive
- Twitch Just Chatting viewership grew 25%
- Twitch IRL viewership grew 19%
- First-Person Shooters reached 4.6B hours watched
Negative
- Twitch market share declined by 8.3% amid mid-year enforcement and competition
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
GAME fell 4.73% with light volume while several peers were also negative (e.g., MYPS -10.97%, GDC -8.66%, GMGI -3.31%), but scanner data did not flag a coordinated sector move and one peer (SNAL) was slightly positive.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 21 | Partnership renewal | Positive | +2.5% | Multi-year Dairy MAX renewal with strong engagement metrics in Fortnite activations. |
| Jan 20 | Leadership change | Positive | -5.6% | Appointment of Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer and internal promotion. |
| Jan 16 | Conference participation | Neutral | -1.0% | Management presenting and meeting investors at Sequire Investor Summit 2026. |
| Jan 06 | Share repurchase | Positive | +0.6% | Announcement of 543,057-share repurchase and remaining buyback authorization. |
| Dec 12 | Share repurchase | Positive | -5.1% | 1,038,787-share buyback and update on total repurchases since October 2025. |
Recent news has produced mixed reactions: share repurchases and partnerships have sometimes been rewarded, but leadership and capital-return updates have also seen notable selloffs.
Over the last few months, GAME has highlighted leadership changes, capital returns, and brand partnerships. On Jan 6, 2026, a share repurchase announcement saw a modest +0.57% move, while a larger buyback on Dec 12, 2025 coincided with a -5.06% reaction. A renewed Dairy MAX partnership on Jan 21, 2026 led to a +2.52% move, but a senior commercial hire on Jan 20, 2026 was followed by a -5.58% decline. Today’s industry-focused report fits within this stream of brand and ecosystem updates.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement underscores the scale and maturation of live streaming, with 2025 viewership reaching 36.4B hours, up 6% year-over-year and close to the 2021 peak of 37.1B hours. The report points to shifts such as Twitch’s share decline, growth in non-gaming formats to 22% of viewership, and strength in FPS content. For GAME, investors may track how these durable trends translate into analytics demand, new brand relationships, and revenue growth over time.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Global live streaming viewership grew
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% and19% , 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 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 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 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: ir@gamesquare.com
Media Relations
Chelsey Northern / The Untold
Phone: (254) 855-4028
Email: pr@gamesquare.com
SOURCE: GameSquare Holdings, Inc.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
FAQ
What did Stream Hatchet report about 2025 global live streaming hours for GAME's Stream Hatchet report?
How did Twitch perform in Stream Hatchet's 2025 report and what does it mean for GAME (GAME)?
Which gaming genres led viewership in 2025 according to Stream Hatchet's report (GAME)?
How much did non-gaming formats grow on Twitch in 2025 in Stream Hatchet's findings (GAME)?
Where can investors access Stream Hatchet's full 2025 Live Streaming Trends Report referenced by GAME (GAME)?
