Key Takeaways
- Category choice directly impacts discoverability - Your stream only appears when viewers browse your selected category, making this decision crucial for growth.
- Mid-sized categories offer the best growth potential - Games with 1,000-10,000 viewers provide enough audience without overwhelming competition.
- Viewer-to-streamer ratio matters more than raw numbers - A category with 5,000 viewers and 100 streamers beats one with 50,000 viewers and 5,000 streamers.
- Consistency builds audience - Focusing on 2-3 related categories helps retain viewers better than constantly switching games.
- New releases offer temporary opportunities - Launch windows provide high discoverability before categories become saturated.
Choosing the right category on Twitch is one of the most impactful decisions you'll make as a streamer. Your category determines who sees your stream, how much competition you face, and ultimately how discoverable you are to potential new viewers. Yet many streamers choose games purely based on personal preference without considering the strategic implications.
According to TwitchTracker statistics, Twitch hosts over 9 million unique streamers per month across thousands of categories. Understanding how to navigate this landscape strategically can mean the difference between growing your channel and streaming to an empty chat for years.
Understanding Twitch Categories
Twitch categories (also called "games" or "directories") are the primary way viewers discover new streams. When someone browses Twitch, they typically start by selecting a category that interests them, then scroll through the available streams sorted by viewer count.
How Categories Work
- Stream placement: Your stream appears in the category you select, sorted by viewer count (highest to lowest)
- Browse page visibility: Viewers see streams as thumbnails with titles when browsing categories
- Category switching: You can change categories at any time during your stream
- Multiple categories: You can only be in one category at a time (unlike tags)
- Custom categories: Anyone can create a new category, but it takes time to build searchability
Category Types
| Category Type | Examples | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Fortnite, Minecraft, Valorant | Largest category type, highly competitive |
| Just Chatting | Talk shows, reactions, IRL | Largest single category, personality-driven |
| Creative | Art, Music, Software & Game Dev | Niche but dedicated audiences |
| IRL | Travel, Food & Drink, Fitness | Growing categories with mobile streaming |
| Sports | Sports, Pool, Poker, Chess | Event-driven spikes, dedicated communities |
The Discoverability Problem
Twitch's browse page sorts streams by viewer count, creating a significant visibility challenge for small streamers. In large categories, small channels are effectively invisible because they appear so far down the list that most viewers never scroll to them.
The Scroll Threshold Problem
Research from SullyGnome suggests that most viewers don't scroll past the first 20-30 streams when browsing a category. If you're streaming with 5 viewers in a category where the 30th stream has 500 viewers, you're essentially invisible to organic browse traffic.
This doesn't mean growth is impossible in large categories - it just means your growth will come from other sources (social media, raids, collaborations) rather than organic browse discovery.
Factors Affecting Category Visibility
- Your viewer count: Determines your position in the category listing
- Total category viewers: More viewers means more potential discoverers
- Number of streamers: More competition means lower placement
- Viewer-to-streamer ratio: The key metric for growth potential
- Category volatility: Some categories spike during events or releases
The Category Selection Framework
Choosing the right category requires balancing multiple factors. The goal is finding categories where you can realistically appear high enough to be seen by browsing viewers while still having enough total audience to grow.
The Sweet Spot Formula
Your ideal category is one where:
- You would appear in the top 20-30 streams based on your typical viewer count
- The category has at least 1,000+ total viewers (enough audience to grow)
- The viewer-to-streamer ratio is 10:1 or better (e.g., 5,000 viewers / 500 streamers)
- You genuinely enjoy the content (sustainability matters)
Category Size Breakdown
| Category Size | Total Viewers | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiny | <500 | High visibility, tight community | Limited audience ceiling |
| Small | 500-2,000 | Good visibility, dedicated viewers | Smaller potential audience |
| Medium | 2,000-10,000 | Best balance for growth | Moderate competition |
| Large | 10,000-50,000 | Large audience potential | High competition, low visibility for small streamers |
| Massive | 50,000+ | Huge audience exists | Nearly impossible organic discovery |
Analyzing Categories with Data
Don't guess which categories to stream - use data. Several free tools provide detailed category analytics that can inform your decisions.
Essential Analysis Tools
- SullyGnome: Comprehensive category statistics, viewer trends, streamer counts, and historical data. The go-to tool for category research.
- TwitchTracker: Real-time category data, viewership trends, and streamer statistics. Great for current snapshots.
- Streams Charts: Category comparisons, peak viewer analysis, and esports/event tracking.
Key Metrics to Analyze
- Average viewers: Total category viewership during your typical streaming hours
- Average channels live: How many streamers you're competing against
- Viewer-to-channel ratio: Total viewers divided by live channels (higher is better)
- Peak vs off-peak: How viewership changes throughout the day
- Trend direction: Is the category growing, stable, or declining?
- Top streamer concentration: Do a few streamers hold most viewers, or is it distributed?
How to Research a Category
- Check SullyGnome: Look up the game and review the past 30 days of data
- Note peak times: When does the category have the most viewers?
- Calculate your placement: With your typical viewer count, where would you rank?
- Browse the category: Actually scroll through and see who's streaming
- Check at your stream time: Category dynamics change throughout the day
Saturated vs Undersaturated Games
Understanding category saturation is critical for growth strategy. A saturated category has too many streamers relative to viewers, while an undersaturated category has favorable viewer-to-streamer ratios.
Signs of a Saturated Category
- Viewer-to-streamer ratio below 5:1
- You need 100+ viewers to appear on the first page
- Dominated by a few massive streamers (top 5 hold 80%+ of viewers)
- Many small streamers with 0-5 viewers at the bottom
- Examples: Fortnite, League of Legends, Valorant, Just Chatting
Signs of an Undersaturated Category
- Viewer-to-streamer ratio above 20:1
- Few streamers live despite decent viewership
- You could rank in top 10-20 with moderate viewer count
- Viewers appear hungry for content options
- Often: older games, niche titles, new releases before saturation
Category Opportunity Examples
Here's how the same viewer count performs differently across categories:
| Your Viewers | Fortnite (Saturated) | Mid-Size Indie (Balanced) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 viewers | Position ~500+ | Position ~10-20 |
| 50 viewers | Position ~100+ | Position ~3-5 |
| 100 viewers | Position ~50+ | Position ~1-3 |
Strategic Category Approaches
Different strategies work for different goals and channel sizes. Here are proven approaches to category selection.
The Niche Domination Strategy
Focus on becoming the go-to streamer for a specific game or category.
- Best for: Streamers who love specific games and want dedicated communities
- How it works: Stream the same game consistently, become known for it
- Pros: High retention, loyal community, expert positioning
- Cons: Limited audience ceiling, risk if game declines
- Example: Becoming the top Stardew Valley or Factorio streamer
The New Release Strategy
Capitalize on new game releases when categories are temporarily undersaturated.
- Best for: Variety streamers who enjoy trying new games
- How it works: Stream new releases on launch day/week before saturation
- Pros: High discoverability windows, excited audiences
- Cons: Requires constant game purchases, viewers may not stick around
- Tip: Focus on games that match your brand, not every release
The Adjacent Category Strategy
Stream games related to popular titles but with less competition.
- Best for: Streamers who enjoy popular genres but want growth
- How it works: Instead of Fortnite, stream smaller battle royales. Instead of LoL, stream similar MOBAs.
- Pros: Viewers interested in the genre may discover you
- Cons: Some adjacent categories have their own saturation issues
The Retro/Classic Strategy
Stream older games with dedicated but smaller communities.
- Best for: Streamers who enjoy classic games and nostalgic audiences
- How it works: Stream retro games, classic titles, or games with dedicated fanbases
- Pros: Highly engaged communities, less competition, unique positioning
- Cons: Smaller total audience, may require specific knowledge
Just Chatting and Non-Gaming Categories
Just Chatting is Twitch's largest category by viewership, but it operates differently than gaming categories. Success here depends more on personality and content hooks than category strategy.
Just Chatting Realities
- Extreme saturation: Thousands of streamers live at any time
- Personality-driven: Your content is YOU, not a game
- External traffic matters: Most Just Chatting success comes from outside Twitch
- Niche within niche: Specific content hooks (reactions, podcasts, specific topics) can help
- Tags are crucial: Use relevant tags to help viewers find you
For more on tags, see our Stream Titles & Tags Guide.
Creative Categories
Categories like Art, Music, and Software Development have unique dynamics:
- Skill showcase: Viewers watch for the craft, not just personality
- Lower saturation: Generally better viewer-to-streamer ratios than gaming
- Longer watch times: Creative content often has viewers staying longer
- Commission opportunities: Direct monetization through work requests
Timing and Category Dynamics
Category conditions change throughout the day, week, and during events. Understanding these patterns helps you stream at optimal times.
Daily Patterns
- Morning (6am-12pm): Lower viewership but also fewer streamers - better ratios
- Afternoon (12pm-6pm): Growing viewership, moderate competition
- Evening (6pm-12am): Peak viewership but highest competition
- Late Night (12am-6am): Declining viewership, fewer streamers, niche opportunities
For schedule optimization, try our Stream Schedule Analyzer.
Event-Based Changes
- Game updates: Major patches/seasons spike category viewership temporarily
- Esports events: Tournaments can bring massive viewers to a category
- Drops campaigns: Twitch Drops events dramatically increase category traffic
- Streamer events: Big streamers can temporarily dominate a category
Category Strategy by Channel Size
Your optimal category strategy changes as your channel grows. What works at 5 viewers won't work at 500.
Pre-Affiliate (0-50 followers, 0-3 avg viewers)
- Focus: Small categories where you can be visible
- Target: Categories with 500-2,000 total viewers
- Goal: Build initial community, hit Affiliate requirements
- Tip: Consistency matters more than category hopping
New Affiliate (50-200 followers, 3-10 avg viewers)
- Focus: Medium categories with growth potential
- Target: Categories with 2,000-10,000 total viewers
- Goal: Grow consistent viewership, build subscriber base
- Tip: Start establishing your niche identity
See our Best Extensions for Small Streamers for tools to boost engagement.
Growing Streamer (200+ followers, 10-50 avg viewers)
- Focus: Larger categories become viable
- Target: Categories with 10,000-50,000 total viewers
- Goal: Scale viewership, work toward Partner
- Tip: Your community follows you, so experimentation is safer
Established Streamer (50+ avg viewers)
- Focus: Almost any category can work
- Target: Play what you enjoy or what builds your brand
- Goal: Maintain and grow community, maximize monetization
- Tip: Your name recognition matters more than category strategy
Common Category Mistakes
Many streamers sabotage their growth with these common category errors.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Only streaming popular games: "I'll play Fortnite because that's where the viewers are" - but you'll never be seen
- Constant category switching: Playing a different game every stream prevents building audience
- Ignoring the data: Not checking category metrics before committing to games
- Wrong category selection: Streaming "Just Chatting" while playing a game, or selecting the wrong game
- Following big streamers: Streaming what your favorite streamer plays (their success doesn't transfer)
- Chasing trends blindly: Playing viral games you don't enjoy because they're popular
- Not updating category: Forgetting to change category when switching games
Building a Multi-Category Strategy
Most successful streamers don't stick to one category forever. A thoughtful multi-category approach can combine the benefits of focus and variety.
The 70-20-10 Approach
- 70% Main Category: Your primary game/content that you're known for
- 20% Related Categories: Similar games that appeal to your audience
- 10% Experiments: New releases, variety days, or testing new content
This balance maintains your identity while keeping content fresh and allowing for growth opportunities.
Variety Streaming Considerations
If you want to be a variety streamer:
- Your personality is the product: Viewers follow you, not the game
- Growth is slower: Harder to build game-specific audiences
- Communicate clearly: Tell viewers what to expect in your schedule
- Find thematic threads: "Horror games" or "Indie games" provides some consistency
- Lean into new releases: Variety streamers benefit most from launch day streams
Using Tags with Categories
Tags complement your category selection by helping viewers filter within categories. While category choice determines WHERE you appear, tags help the RIGHT viewers find you.
Tag Strategy Basics
- Always use language tags: "English" is the most filtered tag
- Describe your content: "First Playthrough," "Speedrun," "Competitive"
- Community tags matter: "Vtuber," "LGBTQIA+," "Cozy" attract specific audiences
- Maximum 5 tags: Choose the most relevant ones
For comprehensive tag guidance, see our Stream Titles & Tags Guide.
Measuring Category Success
Track metrics to understand which categories work best for your channel.
Key Metrics to Track
- New followers per stream: Which categories bring new audience?
- Average viewers: Do certain categories perform better?
- Chat activity: Where is engagement highest?
- Subscriber conversions: Which content drives monetization?
- Viewer retention: Where do viewers stay longest?
Use Twitch Analytics to track these metrics across different streams.
Conclusion
Category selection is one of the most strategically important decisions you'll make as a streamer. The right category can accelerate your growth by putting you in front of the right viewers, while the wrong category can leave you invisible despite great content.
The key principles to remember: prioritize viewer-to-streamer ratios over raw viewership numbers, aim to appear in the top 20-30 streams of your chosen category, maintain consistency to build audience, and use data tools like SullyGnome and TwitchTracker to inform your decisions.
Most importantly, balance strategy with enjoyment. Streaming in optimal categories won't help if you burn out from playing games you don't enjoy. Find the intersection of strategic opportunity and genuine interest, and you'll build a sustainable streaming career.
Related Resources
- Stream Titles & Tags Guide - Optimize discoverability within categories
- Affiliate vs Partner Guide - Milestone requirements explained
- Twitch Analytics Guide - Track your category performance
- Stream Schedule Analyzer - Find optimal streaming times
- Stream Growth Calculator - Project your channel growth
