Is Twitch Still Worth Using in 2025?
Last Updated on March 5, 2025 by Michael Brockbank
Twitch has been around for quite some time. For years, it has been the go-to platform for live streaming for gamers as well as various other kinds of content creators. But is it worth using in 2025 to build your gaming brand?
Although riddled with a slew of controversies, not to mention the greedy practices of Amazon, there is still quite a bit Twitch can offer in terms of building a gaming-focused audience.
Well, unless you’re playing games from a hot tub. In which case, your fans care less about the game and more about the view. But that’s a rant for another day.
8 Pros and Cons of Starting a Twitch Channel
A Popular Platform
Twitch is currently the most popular live-streaming platform on the Internet. On any given day, there are more than 2.5 million viewers watching various streamers. Although this doesn’t guarantee any of them will be watching you, it does show how many people still watch Twitch.
Unfortunately, popularity also means increased competition for viewership, which I’ll go over in a second. But if you have a unique shtick and are able to keep your viewers entertained, you can grab some of that 2.5 million regardless of when you stream.
Setup Is Easy
Creating a Twitch channel doesn’t take a lot of effort. The hardest part is figuring out your streaming software. Most will use OBS Studio, but there are plenty of options to choose from such as Streamlabs Desktop or XSplit.
Technically, all you would need is streaming software and a game you wish to play. However, a web cam, microphone, and other elements will help you get more out of the experience. It really depends on how far you want to take your channel.
Recommended to Viewers
Viewers are able to sort streams according to what’s recommended for them from Twitch. It’s based on the type of streams viewers watch most. This is helpful to get smaller channels in front of more people.
Nowadays, you’ll see channels with maybe 10 viewers sitting next to one with tens of thousands. Of course, that also depends on whether the viewer decides to sort by relevance or popularity. Nonetheless, it’s not as hard to get a few viewers as it was 10 years ago.
Multistreaming
In 2023, Twitch opened the platform for multistreaming. Well, except for those who have exclusive contracts. This means you can stream to Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook all at the same time if you wish. This vastly increases your audience.
While multistreaming can help you reach more people and potentially make more money, it does come with a caveat. You’ll need a decent Internet connection as well as a newer computer system to process video for multiple platforms.
A way around this is to use online systems like Streamyard that will share the video for you. However, those multistreaming systems come with a price tag if you want to get the most out of them.
Customization and Integrations
You can design your stream’s homepage in several ways to better fit your purpose and audience. This includes adding panels for a stream countdown schedule, merch displays, charity links, and much more.
Twitch has an ever-growing library of extensions you can use to make your channel unique to your stream and your target viewer. You can easily spend hours customizing the channel to fit your needs.
Blog Embedding
Although it can be a bit of a chore to get the stream to show up correctly, you can embed your channel in a blog if you have one. This lets you show your stream to those who may not know you have a Twitch channel but like your blog post content.
Plus, blogging can act as cross-promotional content for your channel and vice-versa.
If it wasn’t for our live stream embedded on this website, we wouldn’t have hit affiliated status. The blog generates quite a few views and watch time for the channel. Or, at least it did back in the day.
I haven’t been able to verify if this is still true today, but the embed played a huge role in hitting the numbers to become Twitch affiliates a few years back.
Extreme Levels of Competition
As I mentioned earlier, popularity equals competition for viewership. Because Twitch is so popular, it’s estimated that thousands of new channels are created every day to cash in on the gaming niche.
Although many of those channels will fail relatively quickly, it still means you have an endless barrage of competition to outperform.
Don’t assume that you can start streaming today and quit your day job tomorrow. You have to establish quite an audience before you will start to see that “mad Twitch money” roll into your bank account.
Negative Stigma
It’s no secret that Twitch has dealt with a large number of controversies, especially since Amazon bought it. And a lot of folks don’t want to be associated with the negative impression that is observed in the news. But if you think about it, all streaming services have some kind of negative stigma to them.
In reality, the negativity that comes from bad press doesn’t really impact streamers much. Well, outside of advertisers pulling revenue or Amazon screwing streamers out of income.
Despite the negativity, we still stream on Twitch – kind of.
Slow to Build an Audience
Building up an audience on platforms like Twitch centers around playing the long game. You can’t assume that you’ll become an instant success, and it could take literal years to pull in enough to even consider quitting your full-time job.
When it comes to Twitch, it’s the streamer’s personality that keeps folks watching. Sure, the title of the game helps. But it’s those who stand out and offer an entertaining element or exude charisma are who wind up performing the best on the platform.
Look at Amouranth, for example. Despite having the personality of wet paper, she’s still a top streamer because of…well…let’s say, visual appeal. This is aside from the fact that she was one of many who made hot tub streams a thing on Twitch.
In reality, don’t expect to rake in those ad dollars from day one. It’s a long, slow, trudge up that virtual hill.
10 Tips to Get the Most Out of Twitch
For most gamers, the pros of Twitch outweigh the cons. The only real drawback to streaming is how long it can take to build up an audience. However, there are things you can do to improve your chances of getting your channel seen and watched.
To get the most out of Twitch, you can:
- Be Consistent
Having a consistent streaming schedule keeps regular viewers coming back. If they know when you’ll be on, fans will tune in. - Interact with Viewers
Most people who watch streamers, regardless of platform, are there to interact. Engage them and make your viewers part of the show. - Promote (Market) Your Channel
While some might find you by chance on the Twitch app, it’s always best to spend time promoting your channel elsewhere. - Cross-Platform with YouTube
Use YouTube to help promote your Twitch channel while potentially building an audience there as well. Diversify your gaming. - Customize Your Channel’s Homepage
Your channel’s page should offer as much of a unique experience as you do while streaming. Take time to develop it well. - Create a Discord Server
Discord is often used by streamers to give their audience another way to engage. Consider setting one up for your channel. - Theme Your Streams
Theme streams often perform well while increasing engagement. I often use Halloween and Christmas overlays during the holidays. - Run Contests and Giveaways
Everyone loves freebies. See if you can acquire a sponsorship or find something perfect to give to your audience. - Consider Multistreaming
While it can be a pain to set up, multistreams can hit several streaming platforms at once to expand your viewership. - Consider Collaborations
Collaborations can help share an audience while offering something fun for viewers. Perhaps host a friendly competition or co-op game with another streamer.
You may have noticed that I didn’t mention setting up merch to sell. That’s because as a beginner, the odds are incredibly high that you won’t sell anything. It takes a relatively large audience to really make any meaningful amount of money from merch.
Although there is nothing wrong with setting up a merch store through Streamlabs or Fourthwall as soon as you start streaming, don’t expect to make a lot of sales. I’m not saying this as a discouragement but more of an expectation.
It’s hyper-rare for a new channel to make a single sale from a merchandising platform right from the jump.
What Games Are You Playing On Twitch?
A lot of experts say that you should play popular games on Twitch if you want to grow fast. But what if you don’t like the popular games? Then, you’ll need to bring a personality that resonates with your target viewer.
There’s no doubt that certain games will attract a specific audience. Just don’t be surprised if you jump from Minecraft to Madden 2025 and see a drop in viewership. Some people won’t care what you play as they’re watching you, not necessarily the game. On the other side of that coin, a lot of people like watching specific types of gameplay.
So, it all comes down to the type of viewer you want to engage and what you’re bringing to the table. In any case, Twitch is still a viable platform for streaming in 2025. That is until the next major controversy that winds up killing the platform.
Not to mention what Amazon has planned for the future of gaming. So, who knows what will happen?
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