Twitch has fundamentally changed how video games achieve popularity, often elevating titles to mainstream success through streamer-driven hype and word-of-mouth. A simple, unique concept or a compelling cooperative challenge can be all it takes for a game to capture a massive audience on the platform. From indie darlings to revived classics, here are eight games that became unexpectedly huge phenomena thanks to the power of livestreaming.
8. Dune: Awakening
Open-World Survival in an Iconic Universe
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 17.7 million (June 2025)
- Peak Viewers: 190,931 (June 2025)
Dune: Awakening immerses players in the harsh deserts of Arrakis, challenging them to endure its brutal environment. While survival games are a perennially popular genre, this title’s breakout success is impressive. The game combines basic survival mechanics like managing thirst and hunger with unique threats from the Dune universe, most notably the infamous Sandworms. This blend of familiar genre tropes with an iconic setting has created countless compelling encounters, making it a hit with both players and stream viewers.
7. Only Up!
Rage After Rage Until The End
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 32 million (June 2023)
- Peak Viewers: 279,239 (June 2023)
A prime example of a “rage game,” Only Up! is designed to be intensely frustrating. Players have a single goal: climb to the top of a sprawling, precarious map. However, the gameplay is punishing, as one wrong move can send a player plummeting back to the beginning, erasing hours of progress. This high-stakes design proved perfect for streaming; the objective was immediately understandable to any viewer, and the unfiltered frustration of streamers after a fall provided endless entertainment.
6. Chess
The Classic Game for a Modern Audience
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 22 million (Feb 2021)
- Peak Viewers: 370,111 (Feb 2021)
Though it has existed for centuries, Chess found a remarkable resurgence on Twitch. What began with a few streamers showcasing their skills in niche tournaments evolved into a global phenomenon, attracting some of the biggest names in streaming. During the 2020s, the game’s popularity exploded, drawing millions of viewers monthly for competitions catering to grandmasters and new players alike. No one could have predicted that one of the world’s oldest games would become a modern streaming giant, rivaling major video game releases.
5. Phasmophobia
Ghost Hunting Is Better Together
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 48.5 million (Oct 2020)
- Peak Viewers: 253,155 (Oct 2020)
Phasmophobia is a co-op horror game that tasks teams of players with investigating paranormal activity. As ghost hunters, players enter haunted locations to gather clues about the spirits within, using only basic equipment to aid them. This blend of cooperative teamwork and genuine terror created an ideal streaming experience, full of suspense and jump scares. Years after its release, the game maintains a strong viewership, proving that a simple, well-executed concept can have lasting appeal.
4. Peak
Cooperative Climbing With Plenty of Comedy
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 3.4 million (June 2025)
- Peak Viewers: 151,362 (June 2025)
Peak is a charming cooperative adventure where players must climb together through various biomes to reach a summit. The game’s unique appeal for streaming comes from features like proximity chat, which adds a layer of hilarious and chaotic interaction to the already challenging gameplay. The emphasis on four-player teamwork, where every small step forward is a shared victory, makes the game as entertaining to watch as it is to play.
3. Grand Theft Auto 5
Roleplay On Another Level
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 253 million (May 2021)
- Peak Viewers: 1.1 million (May 2021)
While Grand Theft Auto 5 has long been one of the world’s most popular games, its incredible longevity on Twitch is largely due to its dedicated roleplay (RP) servers. These fan-made mods allow streamers to embody various characters, from taxi drivers to crime lords, and create emergent narratives within large, interactive communities. This has transformed the game into a platform for collaborative storytelling, generating countless hours of unique and unpredictable content. With GTA 6 on the horizon, this trend is expected to continue with even greater success.
2. Fortnite
From a Slow Start Into a Cultural Icon
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 151 million (Jul 2018)
- Peak Viewers: 2.7 million (Dec 2023)
Fortnite rose rapidly to become a global gaming titan, achieving viewership numbers few other titles have ever matched. Its success was fueled by a perfect blend of accessibility and fun; the cartoony battle royale shooter allowed players of all ages to jump in and immediately have a good time. The game became a launchpad for some of the world’s biggest streamers, who built entire careers on its incredible popularity. Years later, Fortnite remains a consistent top-10 title on Twitch.
1. Among Us
Simple Yet Perfect Timing
- Peak Monthly Hours Watched: 147 million (Sep 2020)
- Peak Viewers: 774,280 (Nov 2020)
Among Us is a remarkable success story. After a modest initial release, the game exploded in popularity during the 2020 pandemic, fueled by a global demand for group-based online entertainment. By adapting the simple concept of party games like Mafia into an accessible video game format, Among Us became a viral sensation overnight. Lobbies filled with popular streamers collaborating and betraying one another drew massive audiences for months. While the initial wave has subsided, the game remains a mainstay on Twitch.
