Halfway through 2026, the state of streaming underlines just how dependent the category has become on big, personality-driven creators. Streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming were designed to showcase video games, but they’ve become a major spoke in the broader creator economy wheel. According to a Q1 2026 study from streaming software company Streamlabs and data analytics company Stream Hatchet, “Just Chatting” is now the most-watched category across the major streaming platforms. The non-gaming category, where streamers talk directly to viewers, has been boosted by creators who bring their audience with them for IRL streams,…
This is a curated summary. The full story was reported by Digiday.
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