The most surprising popular games on Twitch

Summary

Smaller games can be successful on Twitch by word of mouth, leading to widespread popularity.
Dunes: Awakening puts players in survival challenges in the iconic dune universe.
Simple, unique game designs can attract a wide audience on Twitch, fueling the streaming response.

It's hard to dig deep into the world of the game without mentioning twitching. Live streaming has become an important part of people's online interaction with video games. Whether it's through watching competitive matches with other fans or enjoying popular streamer games through a collaborative game with friends, there's always something for everyone.

But despite fierce competition with some of the industry’s biggest names, there are many examples of games that violate expectations and find a larger audience than expected. Thanks to some useful word of mouth, many smaller games can have great success on the platform, and a single streamer picks up the game and explodes it into the stratosphere.

7 great games to stream on twitch

Some games seem to be great for streaming on Twitch. These are the best.

8

Dunes: Awakening

Open World Survival in the Iconic Universe

Peak viewing hours per month: 17.7 million (June 2025)
Peak audience: 190,931 (June 2025)

Dunes: Awakening Bringing a very popular movie/book franchise into the desert of Arrakis, only your own will to help them. Survival games have always been very popular, but the new champions that exploded in this way are impressive.

The game offers a lot in a seemingly empty world. Players deal with basic survival challenges such as thirst and hunger, while managing other obstacles, such as the infamous sandworm lurking on the surface of the dunes. It's an absolute explosion for any type of fans and has won many interesting encounters on the stream as well.

7

only!

Anger after anger until the end

Peak monthly hours of viewing: 32 million (June 2023)
Peak audience: 279,239 (June 2023)

only! The entire reason for the existence of a small category of games that are aptly named “Rage Games” is caused as much anger and frustration as possible. Players can achieve one goal: climb to the top of the map. However, this goal is much easier to say, because a wrong move can pull the player back after hours of progress and countless failures.

The most popular games on Twitch are explained

Twitch hosts a number of games that often compete for the platform’s highest audience attractions, with some titles dominating the most popular categories.

The reason why games are so popular on Twitch when they come out is the perfect combination of streaming reactions and simple game design. Any viewer can jump in and learn what is going on, and whenever the streamers miss the jump, the rage that comes with it is enough to bring a lot of laughter to everyone.

6

chess

Classic game for modern audiences

Peak monthly hours of viewing: 22 million (February 2021)
Peak audience: 370,111 (February 2021)

chess The era of video games has been under the test of time a long time ago, and recently discovered a revival in the form of live broadcasts. The initial small streamers showcase their skills and competitions, and only the best can quickly turn into a global phenomenon, a phenomenon that sees some of the biggest faces in the game.

Things are already big in the 2020s, attracting millions of viewers every month, as well as countless competitions for senior players and newbies that are just starting out. It may be one of the most widely recognizable games on Earth, but no one can predict how big it will become even compared to some of the well-known figures in the game.

5

Human phobia

Ghost Hunting is better

Peak viewing hours per month: 48.5 million (October 2020)
Peak audience: 253,155 (October 2020)

Human phobia It is the perfect cooperative game that brings players together in the most terrifying environments. Players play as ghost hunters, entering haunted houses and abandoned huts to find clues about specific ghosts that haunt the halls, with only a few cameras and basic tools to help them.

The convergence of horror and co-ops brings to the ideal streaming experience. Even after release, the game continues to attract thousands of viewers every month, once again proving that simple concepts can usually be the best.

4

peak

Cooperate to climb many comedy

Peak viewing hours per month: 3.4 million (June 2025)
Peak audience: 151,362 (June 2025)

peak It's an enchanting cooperative adventure, seeing players crawl through several different biomes to reach the summit above. What sets the game apart is the inclusion of multiple features, such as proximity to chat, which brings more fun and comedy to an already silly experience.

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The ability to group with four players and achieve common goals together makes playing the game a treat and watching it just as fun. Every step forward is a small part of the progress towards the end, which means players are encouraged to work together as much as possible.

3

Grand Theft Auto 5

Role-playing on another level

Peak viewing hours per month: 253 million (May 2021)
Peak audience: 1.1 million (May 2021)

GTA5 It has long been one of the most popular games on Earth, but its streaming popularity is far deeper than the game itself. The ability to play with others opens the door to role-playing servers, where players have characters that are not heavy on a variety of different ones, from taxi drivers to mob bosses, all maintaining the character of the entire stream.

This has led to a large number of streamers participating in large-scale servers, with personality and lively interactions all the time. With the release GTA6 Around the corner, there is no doubt that the sequel will have as much success in both gaming and ratings, and equally important.

2

Fortnite

From slow entry into cultural idol

Peak viewing hours per month: 151 million (July 2018)
Peak audience: 2.7 million (December 2023)

Fortnite It quickly rose to the gaming world, and few games can compete with the ratings that reach the peak of the game. A cartoon-like Grand Royal Shooter where players of all ages can jump right in and have a great time, the perfect blend of accessibility and fun makes it ideal for streaming success.

Many giants in the streaming world are able to leverage the incredible numbers of the game, the channels of millions of subscribers, and foster their entire careers on the back of a game. Since then, the game has remained very popular on Twitch and has been one of the top 10 champions many years after its release.

1

Between us

Simple and perfect timing

Peak viewing hours per month: 147 million (September 2020)
Peak audience: 774,280 (November 2020)

Between us It's a great game that starts with some trivial success, but it's largely thanks to the pandemic and a desire for group streaming content, the initial release was quickly overshadowed by a near-indestructible wave of success until today.

Get basic concepts from party games like the Mafia and use basic but recognizable aesthetics that blow up overnight, attracting more eyes than most other games on the website. Even though most of the waves have passed, it is still the midstream platform on the Twitch homepage.

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Peak swept through Twitch, and with the chaotic gameplay, it's easy to see why this standalone gem is probably one of Twitch's top co-op games this year.