Best Games To Stream On Twitch 2023

If you’re a new streamer looking for the best games to stream on Twitch in 2020, then you’ve come to the right place.

In this list, we’ll be highlighting the best games to start streaming right now to help grow your audience and put your channel on the map.

We have broadened our focus to include a mix of both popular games that appeal to wider audiences in addition to more niche titles with underserved communities hungry for content.

Make sure to check back as we’ll continue to update this list with new games in the future.

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How To Pick Which Game To Stream

Although there are many factors to consider when starting your streaming career, there are a handful of tips you should focus on when deciding which game to stream. Here are our recommendations:

• Pick a game you genuinely enjoy, are passionate about, and like to play. If you aren’t having fun, your audience will pick up on that and be less inclined to keep watching or return for future streams.
• Pay attention to your chat. If the game you’ve selected prevents you from engaging with your viewers, it may be time to switch to something else, at least until you’ve acquired a sizable audience.
• Use communities to grow your audience. There’s a good chance the game you’ve chosen has an existing fanbase that discusses and actively plays it. Take advantage of this by embedding yourself in the community through Twitch and platforms like Reddit and Discord.
• Pick a good time to stream. Different video games cater to different audiences, so knowing when to stream is just as important as which game. Websites like Twitch Strike and Twitch Tracker can help you determine the best time to go live and maximize your viewer count.

The Jackbox games are great for keeping viewers entertained since they allow you to play with a large group of people online. Additionally, many of them offer Twitch integration, meaning you can invite viewers to join your game while still preventing potential trolls from getting in.

It also happens to be one of the better channels for organic growth since viewers are more likely to stick around for your personality than the actual game. Lastly, you won’t ever find yourself pressed for content since Jackbox releases a new Party Pack every year. 

Since its launch in 2009, Minecraft has gone on to become one of the best-selling video games of all time. Considering how wide and far-reaching its appeal is, your channel will most likely benefit from streaming Minecraft in pretty much any capacity.

Much like the Jackbox games, you can set it up so viewers can join your game as you embark on hilarious adventures together. It’s also a relatively relaxing game with generally low stakes, meaning you’ll be able to focus most of your brainpower into engaging with viewers.

Dead by Daylight is one of the more niche titles on this list but has one of the most dedicated fanbases around. The game’s multiplayer-driven aspect lends itself to streaming since viewers will stick around to see how each round ends.

You can also set it up so you and your viewers can play together, preferably with you playing the role of the killer. If you’ve always wanted to check out Dead By Daylight or already have some experience under your belt, start making friends in the community and get the word out about your channel.

If you’re a big Nintendo fan or prefer slower-paced games that give you time to think, the latest entry in the Animal Crossing franchise may be the perfect title to start streaming. New Horizons is by far the most popular game in the series and has amassed a massive following since its release.

A large part of its appeal comes from how inclusive it is to just about every kind of gamer. Additionally, it features online multiplayer, allowing you to invite viewers to your island to hangout or set off for another player’s town. Like Minecraft, it’s a pretty relaxing game that doesn’t demand too much attention.

Among Us is currently one of the most streamed games, and its popularity has spilled over into popular culture. While its trending status means it has a higher saturation of channels streaming it, you’re still likely to rack up some viewers even if you’re just starting out.

Like Animal Crossing, it’s a fairly inclusive game that can be enjoyed regardless of your skill level. And since it supports online multiplayer with up to 10 people, you can invite viewers to join you for an old fashioned space ship murder party.

A few years back, Riot Games’ League of Legends became the most popular game on Twitch for some time, with a record-breaking 80 million hours streamed. This makes it a good candidate for streamers looking to grow their channel quickly since you’re almost guaranteed views. That is, assuming you meet specific requirements.

The first would be a desire to compete against other players since competitive PvP is the main focus of the game’s community. If you’ve already got that, then you’re going to want to brush up on the current Meta and get to practicing. Considering the competitive nature of the game, LoL viewers tend to have a lower tolerance for beginner mistakes.

Fortnite currently stands as the most streamed game on Twitch, making it a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you can be confident at least one person will pop in and check out your stream. However, due to the sheer number of Fortnite-related channels, it’s easy to get pushed to the bottom of the list, especially if you’re just getting started. 

That being said, there are still plenty of reasons why you should consider streaming Fortnite. It offers various modes outside of the popular Battle Royale, including custom games that allow you to add unique mechanics and objectives. Since it’s popular and free to play, viewers are more likely to want to join in on the fun as well.

The ever-popular Call of Duty is always a reliable go-to for streaming, especially if you’re naturally good at first-person shooters. Warzone is the franchise’s second attempt at rallying behind the popularity of battle royales and a mostly successful one at that.

Not only is it free-to-play, but it also features a ton of systems and objectives that make it perfect for streaming. The Gulag’s 1-v-1 battles to the death for a chance at respawning make for great unscripted content, and the ability to bring back teammates by spending cash at Buy Stations is a welcome addition that can help keep your squad in the fight.

If history has taught us anything, it’s that twitch audiences simply can’t get enough Counter-Strike. Released back in 2012, CS: GO is the fourth game in the series and is still going strong today.

While its appeal stems mostly from tight controls and satisfying gunplay, the variety of modes and opportunities to pull off insane comebacks make it perfect for streaming. Like many other titles on this list, CS: GO has a very active competitive scene, meaning there’s always a match to join or a viewer to gain.

The Grand Theft Auto V fanbase is about as big and diverse as they come considering the franchise’s legacy spans multiple generations of gamers. This makes it a good pick for anyone who’s a longtime fan of GTA or wants to stream a game that will attract a lot of viewers, especially if you’re playing online with other people.

There’s no shortage of ridiculous crimes, mini-games, or random shenanigans to explore throughout the open-world of Los Santos. If you can get viewers to join your game, you can start hosting special competitions for prizes or just blow everyone away with a well-placed grenade just for kicks.  

Spelunky’s run-based procedurally-generated design lends itself to streaming. Over the years, the original game experienced its fair share of viral moments. However, if you’re looking to attract other fans of the niche dungeon-crawler or indie games in general, you’re best bet is to start with the sequel released in 2020.

Spelunky 2 carries over many of the mechanics from the first while sporting improved visuals and a host of new characters, enemies, obstacles, traps, and treasures. There’s a lot of room to experiment and try different approaches from run-to-run, meaning you can turn to viewers for advice and let them influence what you do in the game.

In addition to Among Us, Phasmophobia is another popular game that’s currently very prevalent in the cultural gaming zeitgeist. The cooperative-driven ghost hunting game is an ideal pick for streaming since you’re almost guaranteed to get some hilarious moments while playing with friends or viewers.

Additionally, since it’s a new game, there’s a lot of room to grow within the community and get your name out there to other people who also love the game. While Phasmophobia may not have a ton of content to explore, you can use this to your advantage by streaming on days when there’s a big update or discussions where you and viewers list things you would like to see added in the future.

Riot Games makes a second appearance on this list with one of 2020’s biggest free-to-play releases, Valorant. The 5v5 tactical shooter draws inspiration from last decade’s best shooters while offering its own spin on tactical team-based gameplay.

It’s a visually-striking game with low PC spec requirements that’s a pleasure to watch in action, making it appealing to fans and viewers searching for a new game to watch. And since it’s still very early in its lifespan, there’s a lot of room to grow and make a name for yourself in the Valorant streaming community.

You’ve probably noticed this list is pretty heavy on Battle Royales, and for good reason. Their unscripted design and shrinking maps make for some of the best stream content around, especially when a group of skilled players competes in the same match. What separates Apex Legends from the rest is its shorter match times, which last roughly 10-20 minutes on average.

While Respawn Entertainment’s lofty goals of surpassing Epic’s Fortnite never came to fruition, the Apex Legends community is very active and one of the most consistent fanbases around. Additionally, the game has slowly been working its way up the Twitch charts, making it a solid choice for novice streamers.

Having recently gone free to play, Psyonix’s soccer-meets-fast cars mashup is more streamed today than ever before. A large part of this stems from Rocket League‘s close affiliation with the esports scene, which continues to rise in popularity year-to-year.

As one of the few games to offer cross-play support, the vehicular soccer game has amassed a large playerbase, many of which are likely to tune into a Rocket League stream. Despite its close proximity to esports, the game can still be enjoyed casually, making it great for viewer matchups.

Originally released in 2001, Runescape would go on to become one of the most recognized MMORPGs around, at one point holding the title for the most popular free-to-play game. Although it’s gone through several iterations over the years, the original Old School Runescape is still around today and surprisingly quite popular.

If you have an affinity for the game or always wanted to check out the classic RPG, your twitch channel may be the perfect platform to do so. Considering the high degree of cult status OSRS has attained coupled with its fanbase’s diversity and age range, you’re likely to draw a sizable audience while streaming.