Pokimane claims streaming is more “male-dominated” with rise of Kai Cenat & IShowSpeed

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As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but notice Pokimane’s recent observations about the changing landscape of Twitch. She’s spot on when she says that the streaming world seems to be tipping more towards male dominance in recent years. Her reference to the meteoric rise of streamers like Kai Cenat and IShowSpeed certainly underscores this point.

Kai Cenat went from being a well-known but specialized live streamer in the year 2021 to undoubtedly a prominent figure, landing endorsement contracts with McDonald’s and welcoming A-list celebrities onto his Twitch platform.

As a dedicated fan, there’s no denying that IShowSpeed stands out as the globally recognized streamer of the moment. He’s constantly jet-setting around the world, captivating audiences with his magnetic presence in every city he graces.

In the captivating world of the Colin and Samir podcast, I found myself engrossed as Pokimane shared her thoughts on the burgeoning fame of Kai and Speed. She made it clear that she adores their content and all they produce, but she sees their success as a reflection of the growing “male-centric” audience within our streaming community.

I’ve got to hand it to Kai and Speed; their skills are nothing short of mind-blowing! It’s amazing to watch them in action. And you know what strikes me? The evolution of our gaming community. Over the years, I’ve seen it transform, just like they have, becoming more diverse, more inclusive, and more awesome.

These two individuals are quite adventurous, always up to something exciting. From an analytical viewpoint, it’s captivating to compare the leading streamers, noting their shared traits, differences, and audience dynamics. Regrettably, there aren’t many prominent female streamers in the same league as [Kai and Speed] at this point.

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Pokimane went on to explain that this was a big shift from the Among Us era of streaming.

Pokimane says streaming is “male-dominated” again

Currently, the crowd tends to be predominantly younger males, which is impressive, yet I recall in 2020, there was a significantly greater female presence, not just in the audience but also among the rising and increasingly popular streamers.

“Who you see at the top can also, a lot of the time, reflect the viewers,” the streamer said.

When Colin inquired whether she thinks overall the internet leans more towards males these days, she responded affirmatively for the case of streaming platforms specifically.

Seven years ago, the streaming world was predominantly male-led. However, it achieved the greatest balance in 2020, and since then, it has leaned more towards male dominance once again.

It’s unclear whether their popularity or the recent change has contributed to Kai and Speed’s success; Pokimane didn’t specify either way.

In the top 20 most-followed streamers on Twitch, Pokimane is the only woman.

2024 found me, a gamer, observing that no woman was among the top 40 most-viewed streamers on Twitch; Ironmouse barely making it into the top 50 overall. However, three women – Ironmouse, mira, and Emiru – managed to crack the top 100 most-watched channels of that year, as reported by SullyGnome.

During the years 2020 and 2021, just a single female streamer managed to secure a spot in the top 100 most-watched on Twitch annually. In 2020, Pokimane ranked as the 63rd most popular overall, while in 2021, Amouranth was the sole woman in this elite group, placing at the 42nd position.

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2025-02-13 20:23