With over 5 million video games in existence, the options before you as a streamer are more vast and complicated than ever before.
How could you possibly filter through every genre? Every type of game?
You want to make the most strategic choice for your channel, but the endless possibilities before you render this an almost impossible task.
To make matters worse, some streamers are telling you to choose from the most popular games on Twitch, while others are claiming that underground games with high viewerships are the way to go.
So how do you determine what the best game to stream on Twitch is for you?
The frustratingly short answer: rinse and repeat.
The good news is that there’s some strategy behind all the rinsing to help you make the best gaming choices for your channel.
We’ll start with the top list of games to stream on Twitch. Then, we’ll move on to more specialized strategies at the end.
What are the Top Games to Stream on Twitch?
In my opinion, there are no “best” games to stream on Twitch.
What works for one streamer (or even the majority), may not work for everyone. “Top” simply refers to the popularity of the games, which might help increase your viewership.
Strategically speaking, streaming games from this list can be useful because of their already established audiences.
While it’s true that there are more streamers to compete with, you’re guaranteed at least somewhat of a viewer foundation due to these games’ high view counts.
However, the increased competition will be the death of a streamer without a strategy.
In order to compete with bigger channels, you’ll need a quirk or gimmick to help you stand out.
It could be skill, commentary, or aesthetic—whatever the case if you decide to stream a game from the list, you’ll need to think through your approach as an individual channel to appeal to viewers.
Now that we’ve defined the purpose behind this list, let’s go over the top five most viewed games on Twitch.
Note: These numbers are accurate for the date of this article being written in 2022. For more recent information, check SullyGnome.
1. League of Legends
League of Legends is a team-based online battle arena game where two teams of five fight to destroy the enemy Nexus.
The appeal? LoL is completely free (excluding purchasing skins), sports a diverse character choice of over 130, and requires critical skill and battle strategy to succeed.
With an average view count of 219,474 and 3,400 active channels, LoL consistently brings in the largest audience on Twitch.
Its recent popularity could also be due to the release of Arcane, an LoL based TV show on Netflix.
As with most of the games on this list, LoL is notorious for its overly competitive—at times toxic—fan base.
Streamers who take on this game should go in with thick skin and guns blazing.
Price: Free
Console: Online
Skills: Teamwork, Strategy, Tactical Play, Mousework
Difficulty: Hard
2. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
With an average viewership of 177,229, CS:GO ranks #2 on this list as one of the most popular competitive FPS games of all time.
Its popularity comes from its highly immersive, highly skill-based gameplay and map selection.
Additionally, CS:GO flaunts an impressive number of events and tournaments that consistently draw in a massive viewership.
If you’re looking to stream CS:GO and grow as a channel, you’ll need to be highly skilled.
This fanbase is mainly on the hunt for strategic and thrilling gameplay from its streamers.
Price: Free
Console: Online, Xbox
Skills: Mousework, Keyboard Control, Communication, Teamwork
Difficulty: Hard
3. Grand Theft Auto V
GTA V is an action-adventure, mission-based game featuring both a linear storyline and a free-roam map.
The popularity of this game stems from its quality visuals, backstory, and updates that remain frequent to this day.
Because of GTA V’s extensive details and playing styles, it’s a great game to explore with an audience on Twitch.
GTA Online is more optimized for Twitch, though.
The good news is this game isn’t necessarily skill-based—if you’re looking for a more easygoing game to stream, GTA V/Online might be suited to you.
Price: Free
Console: Online
Skills: Mousework, Keyboard Control, Mission-Based Comprehension
Difficulty: Intermediate
4. Valorant
Speaking of skill-based games, Valorant—a free, first-person tactical shooter—takes #4 on the list.
It shares a creator with League of Legends: Riot.
With half a billion plays after its initial release in 2020, Valorant continues to grow in popularity, especially among the Twitch community, with an average of 130,000 viewers.
Similar to the other games on this list, Valorant’s rise to fame is due to its rich graphics, competitive playstyle, and community-centered creators that target fans with frequent updates to the game.
Though Valorant can be fun, its mechanics are intense and fast-paced.
You’ll need some practice before you dive into serious playthroughs on stream.
Price: Free
Console: Online
Skills: Teamwork, Player Accuracy, Reaction Time, Strategy
Difficulty: Hard
5. Apex Legends
The final game on this list is none other than Apex Legends: a team-based Battle Royale shooter featuring 18 unique Legends.
Apex is currently in its 13th season, “Survivor,” and sports an average viewership of 115,000.
Also notable is its impressive collection of big streamers like Ninja, Shroud, and Dr. Lupo.
Again, this game requires skill.
Its large fanbase means plenty of streaming competition, so make sure you’ve got a handle on its mechanics before you jump in.
Price: Free
Console: Online, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.
Skills: Teamwork, Player Accuracy, Mouse Control
Difficulty: Hard
Now you’re familiar with some of the “best” games to stream on Twitch.
Just remember: if you do decide to stream a highly ranked game, there are thousands of other channels to compete with.
You’ll need a targeted marketing strategy to help you stand out.
In this next section, we’ll hone in on what that strategy might look like—along with a process to help you determine which game is right for you.
How to Determine the Best Games for YOU to Stream on Twitch
There are two basic methods to gain headway on Twitch: streaming games with more viewers and more competition, or streaming games with fewer viewers and less competition.
I would argue that regardless of which method you choose, selecting a game that’s most suited to you and your resources is more crucial for growing an audience.
Let’s take a look at a step-by-step process to help you determine what that game might be.
1. Your Skill-Set
First, consider your specific skill-set as a streamer.
What do you bring to the table? And I’m not just talking about your gaming skill-set—what are your best assets as a person?
Maybe you’ve got a killer sense of humor that audiences would love to watch in a shooter game.
Maybe you have a lot of heart that would shine in a story-based RPG.
Maybe your features are best showcased in something other than gaming, like cooking streams or reacting to videos on the Internet.
After all, the “Just Chatting” category is ranked first in average viewers right now.
Put some thought into what environment your personality thrives in. And do consider practical gaming skills—those are important too.
The goal is to choose a game that highlights your best qualities as a creator.
Remember: the product you’re trying to sell to your audience here is you.
2. Resources
Realistically, you may not be able to stream games that require a powerful computer.
Many of the games in the list above require a computer with at least 8GB of RAM, an Intel Core i5-4670 processor, and an ability to stream at an FPS of 1080p 60 FPS.
And those are just the minimum specs.
Do some research on your specific computer to ensure you’ll be able to stream the game you want to play properly.
Additionally, consider the webcam you’re using, lighting, etc.
If you don’t have an ideal set-up for a camera, you might want to choose a game you feel can go without. Or, you might do a stream without playing a game at all if your computer doesn’t have the specs to support it.
3. Time
On average, you’ll want to stream at least two to three hours at a time.
But if you’re streaming a game that requires longer play-time to achieve certain goals, or that features lengthy storylines, you’ll want to make sure you set aside enough time to complete them.
The reality may be that you just don’t have enough time during the day to stream more than two hours.
If this is the case, you might try streaming a game that can be stopped more liberally.
Instead of a competitive multiplayer, try a free-roam game that can be played however best suits your time.
You just want to avoid having to stop abruptly, or letting your streams interfere with the commitments you’ve made in your personal life.
4. Category
Narrowing down your choices to a specific category can help you feel out the right game.
You’ll want to consider everything we’ve talked about so far: time, resources, personality, and your unique skill-set.
Then, pick a category that reflects your particular situation.
An RPG might be best suited to a streamer with great commentating skills, a flexible streaming schedule, and a skill-set equipped for a non-competition-based game.
On the other hand, a shooter would work for a streamer with hilarious come-backs, considerable dexterity/accuracy skills, and a computer with good specs.
You might even try streaming something other than games.
As previously mentioned, the “Just Chatting” category is doing significantly well right now.
Maybe you’d like to try IRL challenges or topics to help you stand out.
Some streamers use Twitch as a platform to express their knowledge, opinions, or beliefs on a subject they know a lot about.
Experiment with different categories until you find the one that compliments your abilities as a streamer.
5. Fun
The most important part of choosing a game is that you have fun with it.
No one wants to watch a streamer who’s clearly just chosen a game that’s popular, or one that they think will draw in more viewers.
It’s inauthentic, and your audience will see right through it.
Instead, choose a game that you enjoy playing the most.
Disregard how popular—or not popular—a game might be and choose a game based on your own interests.
After all, you’ll most likely be playing this game a lot.
You’ll want it to be something you can stomach for more than a stream or two. And, ideally, you’ll want to play a game that you’re good at.
Viewers love streamers with plenty of passion and skill to go around.
What Should I Stream on Twitch?
The answer to this question ultimately depends on your approach to Twitch in general.
Are you willing to fight it out with the competition for a popular game?
Would you rather stream a lesser-known option and build an audience from the ground up?
However you decide to stream, the most important choice you’ll make as a streamer isn’t the game you play.
It’s the choice to dedicate yourself, enjoy yourself, and make the most out of the career you’ve chosen.
Audiences are drawn to authenticity as passion. So long as you love what you’re doing, they’ll love what you’re doing, too.
And if you’re still looking for more tips, be sure to check out our article on how to get more viewers.
Good luck!
Savannah Sellers is a content creator who started a successful Twitch stream and TikTok channel from scratch as a personal project under the name flarity_.