Before the Internet, video games were a different matter. Either go to the arcade to play your favorite games with your friends, or get together in your basement to see which of you was the best of the lot.
But with the advent of the Internet and the expansion of the gaming industry, video games have become one of the most widely distributed, most lucrative and most viewed elements of the content pyramid. The wild successes of video games over the past two decades, during which some of them have eclipsed Hollywood figures, are not surprising.
Now, video game streaming is a bona fide job for many, with millions of gamers streaming their favorite games to a plethora of young fans.
The Twitch Revolution
It was clear in the early years of YouTube's arrival that some of the most viewed content on the site was gamers playing their favorite games. So it was no surprise when Twitch popped up a few years later and quickly became one of the most visited sites on the internet.
Currently averaging nearly 3 million views per day and hosting over 160 unique channels, Twitch is currently the de facto standard for streamers. These numbers are expected to increase exponentially in the future, so stay updated on the platform.
Besides live streaming video games, Twitch users also stream eSports competitions, music performances, bedtime stories, and other creative content.
If you love Twitch or are considering becoming a streamer, you should do some research and find out who the top performing streamers are. And if you have a particular streamer whose streams you enjoy, you might also want to know how many subscribers the streamer has.
Subscribers and subscribers on Twitch are two different things
Before I tell you how to find out a streamer's subscriber count, you should understand that subscribers and subscribers on Twitch are two different things. Following a streamer will add the streamer to your follow list and display the channel on your page when you open Twitch.
On the other hand, subscribing to a channel on Twitch means you can invest financially in the streamer. You can do this by making a monthly donation to the streamer for channel upkeep.
There are three subscription tiers as of this writing, and half of the money you spend on the subscription goes to the streamer. The other half goes to Twitch. In return, subscribers receive premium benefits such as special emoticons, personalized badges, access to exclusive chat rooms, among others.
Twitch subscriptions are the main way streamers make money on the platform.
How to know how many subscribers a Twitch streamer has
External resources like the Twitch Tracker seem to work for subscribers, where you can find a list of the most subscribed Twitch streamers. The streamer with the most subscribers is at the top of the list. At the time of writing, Ludwig was the most popular streamer of the month with over 200 active subscribers, while Ninja was the most popular streamer with over 000 million followers. Clicking on the streamer's profile will give you more detailed stats.
Take it with a pinch of salt
Even if you believe external sources like the Twitch Tracker or Twitch stats are accurate, there's no way to verify the information. There is little transparency about how these sites collect their data. But the overwhelming consensus seems to be that, while not entirely accurate, these sites provide good ballpark numbers – at least for major streamers.
Can you see how many followers someone has on Twitch?
While you can't know the exact number of followers a popular streamer has on Twitch, Twitch Tracker can help you get a general idea.
However, if there is a specific streamer that is not extremely popular, it can be difficult to get the exact number of subscribers. This is because Twitch does not provide this data directly. Only the subscriber count is available on the streamer's profile page. This is because Twitch wants to protect streamers' earnings details and keep them private.
Did this help you decide?
If you want to subscribe to a particular channel that you like, you should definitely do so. It's not just a token of appreciation, but a tangible reward that keeps streamers going. However, remember that subscription is optional and you don't need to pay to follow your favorite streamers.
On the other hand, if you want to create your own profile, keep in mind that the best way to gain followers is to have quality content. After all, anyone willing to pay to watch your broadcasts will only do so if your content is worth paying for.
Don't worry, just follow and subscribe!
In a nutshell, there's hardly any real way to know the exact subscriber count of a particular streamer. Outside resources can help, but be warned that the numbers may not be completely accurate.
If, however, you know of a way to find out your favorite Twitch streamer's subscriber count, we'd love to hear about your method. Have your say on Twitch streaming, earnings, and more!
