Twitch viewership takes another hit as rival Kick reaches huge milestone

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In the second quarter of 2025, Twitch suffered another setback when its competitor, Kick, achieved a significant achievement by exceeding one billion hours of viewership for the first time.

Based on recent figures from StreamsCharts, it’s reported that the collective hours watched across all livestreaming platforms amounted to approximately 29.61 billion hours in the last quarter. This figure represents a minimal decrease of 0.6% compared to the previous quarter. Although the overall livestreaming industry maintains its stability, Twitch appears to be experiencing a decline in dominance.

On YouTube Live, a strong position was maintained, accounting for more than half (50%) of the total watch time across all platforms, equaling the 14.83 billion hours viewed in Q1.

However, it was Kick that experienced significant growth, with viewership increasing by 28.1% compared to the previous quarter. This surge was driven by popular streamers, rising interest in gaming content, and a packed football entertainment schedule. As a result, Kick’s market share expanded to 3.74%, marking its best performance since its launch.

In the recent quarter, Twitch experienced its third consecutive drop, as indicated by StreamCharts. This decline was due to decreases in both the average number of channels and viewers on the Amazon-owned platform, resulting in fewer hours being watched. Additionally, Twitch’s market share fell by an additional 0.9% during Q2.

Twitch opened the door for Kick’s success

The ascension of Kick has been accompanied by a downturn for Twitch. A key reason contributing to Twitch’s struggle could be the emergence of multistreaming.

Following the removal of its exclusivity policy, significant content creators have been broadcasting simultaneously across multiple platforms. SteamsCharts cites Brazilian sensation Gaules as an illustration. Previously exclusive to Twitch, he commenced streaming on YouTube in mid-2024. At the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, his YouTube audience nearly doubled his Twitch following. Instead of a surge in total viewership, it merely divided.

Bijan Tehrani, a co-founder of Kick, highlighted the occasion with subtle criticism directed towards Twitch for previously banning his fellow co-founder, Ed Craven.

Three years back, Twitch banned my partner’s account and drastically cut into our creator revenue shares. In defiance, we introduced Kick, a platform that many scoffed at, claiming it would never stand a chance against Twitch. Fast-forward to today, and Kick has surpassed the 25% market share against Twitch for the very first time.

Three years back, Twitch banned my partner’s account and drastically cut into our creator revenue shares. In defiance, we introduced @KickStreaming, an idea that initially drew skepticism and jokes, with many doubting its potential to rival Twitch.

Fast-forward to today, KickStreaming has surpassed the 25% market share against Twitch for the first time, silencing those initial naysayers. It’s a triumph we proudly celebrate as gamers and entrepreneurs alike.

— Bijan Tehrani (@BijanTehrani) July 10, 2025

Kick’s growth has been significantly boosted by high-caliber talent. The platform managed to secure Asmongold, who is Twitch’s top North American streamer. Due to his cross-platform approach, he became the most-viewed content creator globally in Q2 2025.

Given YouTube’s consistent performance and Kick’s rapid growth, Twitch is under growing tension to keep its skilled personnel and maintain its viewer base.

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2025-07-11 22:18