Report: Facebook Gaming is the fastest growing streaming platform in Q3 2021

A new report by Stream Hatchet and Sideqik shows that Facebook Gaming is the fastest growing streaming platform in Q3 2021. Additionally, they've also had the highest growth by percentage over the past two years.

On general growth, the report shows that while streaming hours have slightly dipped this quarter, hours watched are far above what they were in 2020 with consistent growth.

It's possible that this slight dip is due to many businesses chancing to reopen in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but users are still consuming more video content than ever before, especially with the growth of 5G data networks. The release of new games in Q4 like Call of Duty Vanguard could also continue to drive streaming hours to record heights, not even including large-scale esports events.

Facebook Gaming is the most interesting of the "big three" streaming platforms right now, and its growth certainly shows that. In hours watched, they are already nipping at the heels of YouTube Gaming despite being generally memed upon by the wider streaming community.

The YoY Increase of 56^ is the largest in the western streaming platforms. Stream Hatchet's report suggests this is because of the growing mobile gaming community. In Q3, Facebook Gaming produced over 75% of the viewership for both PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

Additionally, Facebook Gaming has been making strides towards attracting streamers. In September, they expanded the ability to use music as background elements for those within the Level Up program, something that Twitch has struggled with in the wake of DMCA takedown notices.

Additionally, in July Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would be taking a 0% revenue split from streamers, a significant advantage over both Twitch and YouTube's significantly higher splits.

Twitch has been the industry leader in streaming and it doesn't seem like that's going to change anytime soon. With 18.5 billion hours watched in 2021, they've shown impressive growth over 2020.

However, Twitch's Q3 was a little slower than their Q2 with a -13% decline to 5.7 billion. This is still billions more than their closest competitor. They have more than double the amount of viewership they had in 2019 this year.

Twitch has been expanding its catalog far beyond just gaming, too. They've started to play host to things like the Olympics, and their Just Chatting section has shown consistent growth. This has led to some pushback from their more traditional and diehard users, but gaming sectors continue to show growth as well.

Twitch has a deal with the NFL upcoming in 2022 to broadcast Thursday Night Football exclusively for 10 years. Additionally, many games like League of Legends and CS:GO continue to shatter records.

As the streaming platform to beat, the others are going to have a hard time catching up, despite their own endemic userbases.

YouTube Gaming made huge strides in 2020 with a number of exclusive signings, including leagues like the Call of Duty League, Overwatch League, and other Activision Blizzard properties, not to mention streamers themselves. They've also made great strides on the YouTube Gaming platform itself. Despite this, they are down -12% Year Over Year in Hours Watched.

While YouTube made great growth in 2020 due to the pandemic, some of that growth may be falling off due to a return to more normalcy in real life with entertainment options reopening. However, they have signed DrLupo and TimtheTatMan as streamers exclusive to YouTube, so that could help reverse this slight downward trajectory.

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