- Engine Media/Torque Esports-owned gaming live stream data
analytics experts reveal 7.6 billion hours of content watched in
Q2, 2020 on Twitch, Facebook Gaming, YouTube Gaming and Mixer
– a record.
- 98 percent growth in total hours watched over the past
year
- Gaming streaming continues to thrive as a global
entertainment medium
- Riot Games' VALORANT title sets new records in
streaming
TORONTO, July 1, 2020 /CNW/ -- The dramatic growth of
gaming live streaming as an entertainment platform has been
highlighted in the latest report from Engine Media/Torque Esports'
(TSX-V: GAME) (OTCQB: MLLLF) gaming streaming data analytics
experts, Stream Hatchet.
Stream Hatchet's Q2 2020 Video Games Streaming Trends Report
issued today revealed that 7.6 billion hours of content was watched
in Q2 on the four big US-owned platforms – Twitch, YouTube Gaming,
Facebook Gaming, and Mixer.
This represents a 97.9 percent growth over the past 12 months
and a 56.9 percent growth from Q1 this year. The onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic coincides with the massive growth in the
streaming industry.
That growth, however, has not been enjoyed by all. Microsoft
recently announced it is closing its Mixer platform – leaving only
three major platforms in the streaming market.
While Twitch remains the dominant player in the gaming streaming
space, Facebook Gaming has enjoyed a 320 percent growth over the
past 12 months. Mixer viewership, however, decreased 5.83 percent
over the same period.
The key findings from the Stream Hatchet report not only
highlight the number of people who are now turning to gaming for
entertainment – but what they are watching and how they are
watching it.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the gaming
industry, and our latest numbers from the Stream Hatchet team show
incredible growth," Engine Media co-CEO, Darren Cox said.
"7.6 billion hours is an incredible amount of content being
watched – that adds up to 867,580 years of content! Three years
ago, the gaming streaming industry could have only dreamed of
numbers like this (2.4 billion hours in 2018). There has been
consistent growth for quite some time, but things have accelerated
massively in 2020.
"The great thing for the gaming industry is more and more people
are playing games, watching gaming and becoming very engaged.
Gaming was already a $156 billion
dollar industry, but that number is on the rise in
2020."
Other key highlights from the Stream Hatchet Q2 2020 report
include:
- Riot Games' record-breaking debut for VALORANT
- Fortnite streaming continues to grow
- Top streamers revealed for Q2
The VALORANT launch continues to set new records in the gaming
streaming space. The Riot Games title recorded three times more
viewership than competitor launches, and that trend has continued
across VALORANT'S first 90 days – logging more than 550 million
hours of content watched.
Fortnite was unable to match VALORANT in Q2 (560 m v 545 m in
hours watched), but the title has still enjoyed strong growth over
the past 12 months – up 26 percent.
The Stream Hatchet Q2 report revealed Twitch streamer "summit1g"
as the market leader, earning more than 49 million hours of content
watched in Q2 - a growth of 71 percent. However, high profile
streamers "Ninja" and "Shroud" have been unable to take advantage
of the growth in streaming after signing exclusive contracts with
Mixer last year – recording audience falls of 74 and 88 percent,
respectively.
Stream Hatchet measures gaming live streaming data across all
platforms and provides valuable data insight for esports teams,
gaming studios, and major brands invested in gaming.
"Gaming live streaming is now a massive entertainment business,
and our team at Stream Hatchet is able to analyze data to provide
the industry with audience insights that are a level of granular
insight well beyond what the broadcast, cable and movie industries
typically rely on," Engine Media Executive Chairman, Tom Rogers said.
"We're able to provide this insight to esports teams, gaming
studios, and brands involved in esports, and our Engine Media Inc.
group also relies on the data extensively as we continue to grow
our esports platforms.
"Whether it is our tournament and esports programming platform
UMG, our gaming studio Eden Games or
our teams behind the highly successful The Race All-Star Series and
World's Fastest Gamer racing gaming events – Stream Hatchet plays
an essential role in providing us with important data to measure
our success."
Today's Stream Hatchet 2020 Q2 report release coincided with the
revealing a new corporate identity for the Engine Media-owned
company which includes a new logo and updated website
The creation of Engine Media Inc. was confirmed in May when
Torque Esports Corp. (TSX-V: GAME) (OTCQB: MLLLF) completed its
acquisition of Frankly Inc. (TSX-V: TLK) (OTCQX: FRNKF)
("Frankly"), and WinView, Inc. ("WinView") – placing Engine Media
at the forefront of esports, gaming, news streaming and sports
gaming across multiple media platforms.
To date, the combined companies have clients comprised of more
than 1,200 television, print, and radio brands including CNN, ESPN,
Discovery / Eurosport, Fox, Vice, Newsweek, and Cumulus; dozens of
gaming and technology companies including EA, Activision, Blizzard,
Take2Interactive, Microsoft, Google, Twitch and Ubisoft; and have
connectivity into hundreds of millions of homes around the world
through their content, distribution, and platform.
About Engine Media Holdings, Inc.
Engine Media is focused on accelerating new, live, immersive
esports and interactive gaming experiences for consumers through
its partnerships with traditional and emerging media companies. The
company was formed through the combination of Torque Esports Corp.,
Frankly Inc., and WinView, Inc. and trades publicly under the
ticker symbol (TSX-V: GAME) (OTCQB: MLLLD). Engine Media will
generate revenue through a combination of: direct-to-consumer and
subscription fees; streaming technology and data SaaS-based
offerings; programmatic advertising and sponsorships; as well as
intellectual property licensing fees. To date, the combined
companies have clients comprised of more than 1,200 television,
print and radio brands including CNN, ESPN, Discovery / Eurosport,
Fox, Vice, Newsweek and Cumulus; dozens of gaming and technology
companies including EA, Activision, Blizzard, Take2Interactive,
Microsoft, Google, Twitch and Ubisoft; and have connectivity into
hundreds of millions of homes around the world through their
content, distribution and technology.
About Torque Esports
Torque Esports whose brands and
businesses include UMG, Stream Hatchet, Eden Games, IDEAS + CARS, The-Race.com, WTF1 and
Allinsports visit: www.torqueesport.com
About Frankly Media
Frankly and its wholly-owned
subsidiary Frankly Media, LLC, provides a complete suite of
solutions for streaming, VOD and advertising visit:
www.franklymedia.com
About WinView
WinView is a Silicon Valley-based company, pioneering second-screen
interactive TV which is pioneering mobile gaming and interactive
second screen viewing through its ownership and licensing of
intellectual property foundational patents visit:
www.winview.tv
Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information
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"forward-looking statements" (together, "forward-looking
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Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be
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"may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be
achieved. Forward-looking information contained in this news
release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the
Torque's filing of a listing application with NASDAQ and its plans
to file a Form 40-F with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission and any regulatory or other approvals required in
connection therewith, Torque's expectations for growth in its
operations and business and Torque's plans for submission of
resolutions for shareholder approval. In respect of the
forward-looking information contained herein, Torque has provided
such statements and information in reliance on certain assumptions
that management believed to be reasonable at the time, including
assumptions as to obtaining required regulatory approvals.
Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements stated herein to be materially
different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Actual
results could differ materially from those currently anticipated
due to a number of factors and risks. Accordingly, readers
should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information
contained in this news release.
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subject to change after such date. Torque does not assume any
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whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by us
or on our behalf, except as required by applicable law.
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SOURCE Torque Esports Corp.
