Live-streaming has never been this cool

It’s entertaining, it’s interactive and people are hanging out more than ever on Twitch streamings to watch their gamers play and compete, to watch sports broadcasts, or just their favorite internet person commenting on the hot topics of the moment. Yep, live streaming has reached unprecedented records. With 30 million daily active users, 140 million monthly active users, and 9.2 active streamers every month, Twitch is the leading live streaming gaming platform in the world. 

What is Twitch? 

Just a brief recap: Twitch was launched in 2011 as a live-streaming platform where users could stream their gaming sessions. In 2014 Twitch was acquired by Amazon and multiplied its users year after year. 

Today, you can find all sorts of content on Twitch: from gaming streamings to sports broadcasts, music, cooking, and arts. There’s literally something for everyone. 

However, not everyone streaming on Twitch is a successful streamer. Being successful as a streamer implies many things: talent, experience, skills, charisma, etc… But there are streamers who are followed by millions of people, count millions of viewers per streaming, and even earn millions of dollars from the platform. They are the top Twitch streamers. Here below, we’ve put together a list of the top 20 Twitch streamers of 2022 (as of May 2022). These are the streamers who have the most followers on the platform. 

Find out all about them: who they are, what they stream, and how Twitch streamers make money. 

Top 20 Twitch streamers of 2022

1. NINJA

User name: NINJA 

No of followers: 18,220,854

Streams: Fortnite, League of Legends, Just Chatting, Valorant

Country: USA

Who is NINJA?

Richard Blevins is an American professional gamer and Twitch’s no 1 streamer. He grew up in Chicago and decided to become a professional gamer right after graduating high school. In 2009 he began playing Halo 3 professionally and in 2011 started streaming. In 2017 he started playing Fortnite Battle Royale which was the beginning of his way to success. 

In 2018 Ninja teamed up with Canadian musician Drake to play Fortnite and the streaming broke all known records at that time. It registered 628k concurrent viewers and broke all records for the most viewers on someone’s stream. This record also won him a Shorty award for the best streamer of the year. 

He now has well over 18 million followers, making him today’s Twitch no. 1 streamer.

Why follow NINJA?

 Ok, so this is what makes him stand out from the crowd and make people come back for more.

First of all, he plays Fortnite, a worldwide phenomenon. This is one of the most popular online video games in the history of gaming. And because NINJA has been playing Fortnite for so many years and gathered billions of views on Twitch, YouTube, and other gaming platforms, Epic Games (the company that owns Fortnite) decided to create a NINJA skin. 

If you’re into fighting, shooting, and weapons testing, then you may want to watch NINJA play. You know what they say: learn from the best! 

Secondly, NINJA is such an incredibly funny guy with a great personality. I’d say he’s a natural-born entertainer and that’s a must-have asset in the streaming industry. I can assure you won’t be bored watching him play!  

This is why you might not like NINJA.

It’s hard to imagine someone might not like NINJA. But, if you’re not into fighting and you prefer strategy games, or maybe just some racing, then NINJA won’t impress you. So, keep reading! There are lots of Twitch streamers to choose from. 

2. AuronPlay

User name: AuronPlay

No of followers: 12,745,402

Streams: Grand Theft Auto V, Minecraft, Little Nightmares, Rocket League, Just Chatting

Country: Spain 

Who is AuronPlay?

Raúl Álvarez Genes is a Spanish Twitch streamer, YouTuber and comedian. He’s been in the Twitch race since 2019 and has a 12 million followers base. If you’re wondering what’s with this name, he got his name (Auron) from a character in the video game Final Fantasy X. 

Apart from playing video games and streaming, Alvarez also wrote several autobiographical books which you can find on Amazon if you want to know more about his life. 

On Twitch he is best known for playing Grand Theft Auto V, but you’ll find him also playing games like Minecraft, Little Nightmares, Rocket League, or Just Chatting. 

Why follow AuronPlay?

If you speak Spanish and you’re also a fan of cool cars and racing, then this is your man. His main game is Grand Theft Auto V, a video game that combines adrenaline with the unique feeling of driving exclusive series cars, and living life on the edge in a mad and ruthless city. 

AuronPlay’s massive following on Twitch makes him an attractive option for agencies looking to engage with large audiences. To handle such a vast presence effectively, many agencies opt for specialized social media management software for agencies.

Many people follow AuronPlay for his playing style but also for his entertaining comments. He’s a funny guy with strong opinions on…almost any topic. You’ll find him talking about the latest technology in gaming and the next day just commenting on something like Johnny Depp’s and Amber Heard’s defamation trial. 

He’s also a well-known comedian in the Spanish-speaking world and he even had a series of funny videos. 

This is why you might not like AuronPlay.

First of all, if Spanish is no different than Chinese to you, then you won’t be able to understand Auron’s jokes and comments. 

Secondly, don’t follow AuronPlay if you’re on Twitch for sports games, fighting, or shooting. Grand Theft Auto V may be a state-of-the-art video game but it’s not for everyone. 

3. Rubius

User name: Rubius

No of followers: 11,874,654

Streams: Grand Theft Auto V, Fortnite, Rust, World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Just Chatting

Country: Spain

Who is Rubius?

Ruben Doblas Gundersen is a Spanish-Norwegian Twitch streamer and YouTuber with the third most followed Twitch channel in the world. He was one of the first people to create a YouTube channel, back in 2006, when the platform was launched. He began uploading montages of the video games he was playing at the time. By 2012 his channel became the most subscribed Spanish channel on Youtube with 200,000 followers, making him one of the top twitch streamers. 

In 2014 he published El Libro Troll (The Troll book), a very controversial book. In 2018 he uploaded on Youtube a documentary about himself called  De Rubén a Rubius: un viaje de un Virtual Hero (From Ruben to Rubius: the journey of a virtual hero.). And the same year he decided to move to Twitch and keep his YouTube channel with a community of 30 million subscribers as a second job. 

Why follow Rubius?

Follow this man if you’re familiar with the Spanish language and you prefer a mixture of video games and a witty voice-over. His content on Twitch is primarily about gaming but he also streams sketches and vlogs. While other streamers may be funny, his trademark is sarcasm. His unique sense of humor makes people come back for more witty comments. 

I’d say that his success is also due to his authenticity. Although he’s one of the top 3 most successful streamers on Twitch, he did not create a character as other vloggers did, but instead just acts naturally. 

The New York Times wrote that “in the videos, it is always clear that he lives between two dimensions, that of the screen with its massive audience and that of his room (in a hotel when he travels), his cat and his friends. This double reality leads in The Troll Book, the comics, and the anime series”.^[121

This is why you might not like Rubius.

If you’re on Twitch for the games and not for the talk, don’t follow Rubius.

Don’t follow him if you want more in-depth reviews and comments on a specific video game or video game type. 

4. Tfue

User name: Tfue 

No of followers: 11,031,169

Streams: Grand Theft Auto V, Valorant, Fortnite, Cyberpunk 2077, Rust, Just Chatting

Country: USA

Who is Tfue?

Turney Tenney is an American Twitch and Youtube streamer. He started playing Halo when he was 12 and soon broke world records. A few years later he got serious about gaming, playing video games like Call of Duty and Destiny and streaming his sessions on YouTube. 

Turner was homeschooled which allowed him a flexible schedule and the possibility to practice more gaming in his spare time. 

Although he was doing pretty well as a gamer, earning money from his streamings, his follower base started to grow when he began playing Fortnite. Today he is a professional Fortnite gamer. 

Why follow Tfue? 

If you’re a Fortnite fan, you need to follow Tfue. Although NINJA is the most popular Fortnite player, Tfue is considered by many to be the best Fortnite player. 

He doesn’t care too much about his image or money. He is a simple guy with a huge talent for gaming. 

This is why you might not like Tfue. 

Don’t follow Tfue if you’re not into Fortnite. 

Don’t follow him if you want some more spice to the game, like someone who plays but also makes jokes on the side. With Tfue, you won’t get the entertaining experience you get while watching NINJA playing, but in quiet time, you’ll learn some precious gaming tricks.  

Tfue is serious and focused on playing. Not for everyone. 

5. xQcOW

User name: xQcOW

No of followers: 10,794,116

Streams: Overwatch, Call of duty: Warzone, Grand Theft Auto V, Apex Legends, Just Chatting, Fortnite

Country: Canada

Who is xQcOW?

Felix Lengyel is a Twitch streamer from Canada. His Twitch name is a mix of many things: x stands for the last letter of his name, Qc stands for Quebec (his home province) and OW, which he added later, stands for Overwatch, as a response to having his account suspended in 2018. 

xQcOW has been playing video games since childhood and theScore esports named him “a product of the internet age, a kid who became famous online.”

He got into esports professionally in 2016 when he played in Overwatch’s League inaugural season for the Dallas Fuel. After leaving Overwatch, he focused on his career as a Twitch streamer and gathered more than 10 million followers, although he was banned multiple times for his behavior (anger, featuring sexual videos, language). 

In spite of his eccentric personality, xQcOW was the best paid Twitch streamer in 2020 and had the most-watched feed in 2021.  

Why follow xQcOW?

Follow him for his gaming skills, if you want to keep an eye on the world’s best players. He is online streaming 24/7, playing everything from Grand Theft Auto V to Fortnite and talking about everything that’s hot in the moment. You will definitely find out many gaming tricks and tips. 

This is why you might not like xQcOW.

While he may be talented and competitive, he’s also aggressive and out of control. Once you start watching him play you should brace yourself for what’s to come: rage, dirty language, swearing, etc..

He’s an eccentric person and it’s up to you to decide if watching him play is worth the while. 

6. Ibai

User name: Ibai 

No of followers: 10,251,479

Streams: FIFA 22, Grand Theft Auto V, Special Events. Sports, Just Chatting

Country: Spain

Who is Ibai?

Ibai Llanos Garatea is an internet celebrity, a top 20 Twitch streamer, and YouTube personality, based in Spain. With more than 10 million subscribers, he’s in the 6th position on Twitch. 

He’s a two-time winner of the “Streamer of the Year” award by the Esports Awards, after winning (2020 and 2021), and he also won 4 Esland Awards in 2021. That same year, Forbes included Ibai on their list of the most influential people of Spain in the world. 

He started his career in 2014 in League of Legends. Two years later, he began working as a broadcaster for the LVP (Orange Super League). In 2019, he became the host of a late-night show for the Ubeat network called “Hoy no se sale” and in 2020 he left everything to become a content creator for the G2 esports team. Currently, he is a full-time Twitch streamer. 

In 2021 he started his “Charlando traquilamente” (Calmly chatting) series on Twitch, where he interviews personalities from all branches and from all over the world. Here are just a few of his guests: Gerard Pique, Ronaldinho, Sergio Ramos, Ed Sheeran, Nicky Jam, Rauw Alejandro, and others. 

Why follow Ibai?

Many of Ibai’s followers would tell you to watch his streamings because of the top celebrities that he interviews. He’s got connections to the A-list sports celebrities and many of them prefer him over mainstream media sports broadcasters because they understand Ibai’s unique position and his valuable community of 10 million followers. 

For example, when Lionel Messi left FC Barcelona in 2021, after a two decades stint, he decided to offer his first post-departure interview, not to some famous TV broadcaster, but to Ibai Llanos. More, Ibai was even invited to Messi’s intimate farewell party at his Barcelona home, joining stars like Sergio Aguero and Shakira. I guess that says everything. 

Another reason why people follow Ibai on Twitch is that he streams live football games and other sports events and offers his comments over the video. It seems that his commentaries are very well appreciated by his followers, who prefer to watch his streamings rather than the classic TV broadcastings. 

This is why you might not like Ibai.

Well, don’t follow him if you’re on Twitch strictly for the gaming. As you can see, there are many other streamers who play video games 24/7. Ibai is currently positioning himself as something different. Though on Twitch, he created new categories of content dedicated to sports: sports games broadcasting streamings, sports talk shows, and celebrity interviews.

Don’t follow him if you don’t like him, his opinions, and his sports celebrity commentator status. Some may find his know-it-all attitude a bit arrogant.

7. Shroud

User name: Shroud

No of followers: 10,082,845

Streams: Counter Strike, Valorant, Mortal Kombat, Rust, Just Chatting, Cyberpunk 2077

Country: Canada

Who is Shroud?

Michael Grzesiek is a Twitch streamer and YouTube personality from Canada. He started his career as a professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player in 2014 and 4 years later he moved to Twitch. On Twitch he opted for a diverse set of games and managed to build an impressive community of 10 million followers. 

In spite of his success on Twitch, in 2021 he decided to leave the platform for Microsoft’s gaming platform, the Mixer. But the latter was eventually closed by Microsoft and Shroud moved back to Twitch. 

Why follow Shroud?

Shroud has been on the esports rollercoaster, he‘s played them all, and he is now a full-grown game player. His streamings are educative gaming sessions,  everyone can learn from his vast experience. 

And apart from being such an incredible gamer, there’s another reason why Shroud is so successful on Twitch and that’s because he has a fantastic relationship with his fans. 

This is why you might not like Shroud.

I can’t find any reason why anyone wouldn’t want to watch his streamings other than having a different set of favorite games. So, if you’re into Fortnite or Grand Theft Auto, don’t follow Shroud. 

8. TheGrefg

User name: TheGrefg

No of followers: 9,872,133

Streams: Fortnite, Clash Royale, Rust, Sports, Special Events, Just Chatting

Country: Spain

Who is Grefg?

David Martinez is a Twitch streamer from Spain who holds the record for the most concurrent viewers online for a streaming: 2.5 million viewers (January 2021).

Though he’s a popular streamer he was banned twice on Twitch for his behavior. 

Grefg started out at 14, has founded an esports team, written two books, and starred in a TV show. He’s got a great personality and his enthusiasm for gaming is contagious. 

Why follow Grefg?

Follow him for incredible gaming + an entertaining experience. He’s positive, funny, smart, and entertaining. 

This is why you might not like Grefg.

Obviously, you won’t be able to watch his streamings if you don’t understand Spanish. 

Don’t follow him if you’re looking for more gaming and less talk. 

9. Pokimane

User name: Pokimane

No of followers: 9,154,531

Streams: League of Legends, Fortnite, Valorant, Rust, Just Chatting

Country: Canada 

Who is Pokimane?

Surprise, surprise, there’s also a girl among the top 20 Twitch streamers of 2022! 

Imane Anys is a Moroccan-Canadian internet personality, Twitch streamer, and YouTube vlogger from Canada. Her name is a combination of Pokemon + Imane (her name).

 Her channel is the 9th most followed Twitch channel and the most followed female channel on Twitch with more than 9 million followers. 

She created her Twitch account back in 2013 and started playing League of Legends and Fortnite. In 2017 she was already on Twitch’s list of most followed channels, winning a Shorty Award for the best Twitch streamer. 

As the years passed, and her community of followers became more numerous, she decided to stream more real-life moments and talks and less gaming. 

Apart from streaming on Twitch, she had a cameo appearance in the 2021 film Free Guy and in Bella Poarch’s music video for her song “Inferno”. 

In 2021 she announced that she co-owns EVO (Evolution Championship Series), the biggest fighting game tournament in the world, an annual event that attracts fans and competitors from all across the world. 

Why follow Pokimane?

If you’re on Twitch but you’re looking for diverse content, Pokimane is a great choice. She streams gaming but also real-life moments, and talks on various hot topics. For example, she streamed Johhny Depp’s and Amber Heard’s trial and commented on their arguments. 

She’s very interested in her community, and she connects with her fans on a daily basis.

She’s cute, friendly, and funny. A nice person to listen to. 

This is why you might not like Pokimane.

If you’re looking for adrenaline and competitiveness, you may want to follow some other streamers. 

10. Sodapoppin

User name: sodapoppin

No of followers: 8,779,928

Streams: World of Warcraft, Evil Dead: The Game, Just Chatting, 

Country: USA 

Who is sodapoppin?

Thomas Chance Morris is an American internet personality and Twitch streamer from Texas, US. He began playing video games in his early childhood and in 2009 started creating and uploading videos on YouTube.

He began streaming his World of Warcraft gaming sessions on Xfire first, then he migrated to Twitch. In just a few years he had already built a huge community of followers, he was earning $250 a day from donations on Twitch, and so he decided to drop out of high school. 

Then, for a  period of time, sodapoppin streamed gambling blackjack on casino websites, or playing poker, winning and losing thousands of dollars with his followers watching him. Eventually, he returned to streaming gaming. 

Recently, he has been temporarily banned twice by Twitch which determined him to lose motivation in streaming. 

Why follow sodapoppin?

He’s a veteran of streaming video games, he has been streaming since the very beginning of Twitch, so there’s a lot to see and learn in his gaming. 

Follow him if you’re looking to learn new skills.

This is why you might not like sodapoppin.

 I’d say he’s the geek type of gamer: incredible gaming but no entertainment. 

11. Juansguarnizo

User name: juansguarnizo

No of followers: 8,088,271

Streams: Grand Theft Auto V, God of War, Just Chatting, Valorant, FIFA 22

Country: Mexico

Who is juansguarnizo?

Juan Sebastian Guarnizo is a variety streamer on Twitch and YouTuber, born in Colombia and based in Colombia. He has been streaming on Twitch since 2016, gathering a follower base of 8 million people. 

He is married to YouTuber Ari Gameplays since 2019. 

His streamings are addressing the Spanish-speaking world. 

Why follow juansguarnizo?

Follow him for diverse content on Twitch, all in Spanish. He streams gaming but also talks about real-life and hot topics. 

This is why you might not like juansguarnizo.

He’s a variety streamer. Don’t follow this man if you’re looking for someone who is specialized in a certain game or game type. 

12. Myth

User name: Myth 

No of followers: 7,436,026

Streams: Fortnite, Overwatch, Minecraft, Rust, Call of Duty: Modern warcraft, Just Chatting 

Country: USA

Who is Myth?

Ali Kabbani is an American Twitch player and professional Fortnite Battle Royale player. He started streaming on Twitch in 2016 a game called Paragon, but his popularity grew bigger only when he switched to Fortnite Battle Royale. 

Recently he has signed a contract with gaming firm Loaded, which states that the company will assist Myth in creating new and exciting content to grow his brand. 

So the future is looking bright for Mr. Myth. 

Why follow Myth?

He is a variety streamer but also a professional Fortnite Battle Royale player, so there’s a lot to see in his streamings. He is fun and dynamic and always fun to watch because he’s deeply passionate about gaming.

This is why you might not like Myth.

Like all variety streamers, he streams all types of content, from real-life moments to comments on various topics. If that’s boring to you, and you’d rather spend your time watching gaming, go follow some other streamers, but keep an eye on this guy too. 

13. Heelmike

User name: Heelmike

No of followers: 7,404,038

Streams: Fortnite, Just Chatting 

Country: USA

Who is Heelmike?

Heelmike is a famous Twitch streamer and YouTube personality, from USA. His name is unknown yet, although he is very popular and followed by millions of fans. 

He created his Twitch channel in 2018 and streamed Fortnite Battle Royale along with gambling and Just chatting sessions. Actually, today, the main attraction of his channel is the Just Chatting session and the reason for that is that they are extremely…hot. These sessions usually include gambling and sexy girls. The atmosphere looks more like a late-night party than that of a gaming streaming. 

Heelmike’s Twitch description says it all: “I’m not being cocky. It’s just confidence.” 

Why follow Heelmike?

Well, what can I say? Follow him if you want to see those girls in panties. 

This is why you might not like Heelmike. 

The content he streams can be labeled as vulgar and toxic by many. 

14. Tommyinnit

User name: Tommyinnit

No of followers: 7,137,816

Streams: Minecraft, Just Chatting 

Country: UK

Who is tommyinnit?

Thomas Simons is a popular Twitch streamer from UK. He created his Twitch channel in 2018 and he mainly streams Minecraft and Just Chatting sessions. 

In 2021 he broke two records on Twitch (and he’s even listed in the Guinness World Records list): one for the most followed Minecraft channel and the second one for the most viewers of a Minecraft gameplay live on a Twitch stream. 

Why follow tommyinnit?

He’s a great Minecraft player and a funny guy. Follow him if you like his British humor and watch his streamings whenever you’re in the mood for a gag. 

This is why you might not like tommyinnit.

British humor has a limited audience. Skip the guy if you don’t relate to the jokes on the island. 

15. TimTheTatman 

User name: TimTheTatman 

No of followers: 7,015,574

Streams: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, Fortnite, and World of Warcraft

Country: USA 

Who is TimTheTatman ?

Timothy John Betar is a Twitch streamer and YouTuber from New York, USA. He began streaming on Twitch in 2012  games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, Fortnite, and World of Warcraft. 

Although he amassed 7 million followers on Twitch, he decided to leave the gaming platform in September 2021 and move to YouTube Gaming, for exclusive streaming. 

16. NICKMERCS

User name: NICKMERCKS 

No of followers: 6,481,963

Streams: Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, Fortnite 

Country: USA 

Who is NICKMERCS?

Nicholas Kolcheff is a famous Twitch streamer, YouTuber, and co-owner of the FaZe Clan. He lives in the USA. 

He started playing video games in 2000 (Gears of War), then 10 years later began streaming on Justin.tv. He created his Twitch channel only in 2014 and started streaming Fornite, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty: Warzone. 

Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, he was exposed to sports from early childhood and took over a hypermasculine and winner-takes-all attitude. It’s this attitude that earned him so many followers on Twitch making him one of today’s top Twitch streamers. 

Why follow NICKMERCS?

Watch his streamings if you’re looking for the real-deal game player. He is 

competitive and aggressive, he will skyrocket your adrenaline level and take you on a rollercoaster of emotions while winning game after game. 

This is why you might not like NICKMERCS.

He will yell and shout, at times, use ******* words and you might wish you were somewhere else. 

17. Summit1g

User name: Summit1g

No of followers: 6,092,665

Streams: Grand Theft Auto V, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Escape From Tarkov, Cyberpunk2077

Country: USA 

Who is Summit1g?

Jaryd Rusell Lazar is an American Twitch player and former professional Counter Strike: Global Offensive player. 

He began streaming on twitch in 2011 CS:GO and Warzone, before there was no Twitch culture or stars. Because he was so passionate about gaming, and specifically about Counter Strike, people started following him and watching his streamings. He admits that he’s just a simple guy playing games and that he never did anything special to create amazing content. He believes people who relate to him will follow him, naturally. 

Why follow Summit1g?

He’s an esports veteran, a guy who grew up at the same time with the gaming industry. He’s a versed gamer and you might learn many new things. 

This is why you might not like Summit1g.

He’s a great player but he lacks charisma. 

18. Riot Games

User name: Riot Games

No of followers: 6,144,181

Streams: League of Legends

Country: USA 

Who is Riot Games?

This is the official Twitch channel of Riot Games, the company that created the worldwide phenomenon, League of Legends. 

Riot Games was founded in 2006 and in 2009 they launched League of Legends. The game is today’s most played PC game and was from the very beginning a key driver in the development of esports competitions around the world. 

Riot Games’ portfolio includes: Teamfight Tactics, Legends of Runettera, VALORANT, and League of Legends: Wild Rift. 

Riot Games organize each year the League of Legends World Championship, which features qualified esports teams from 12 international leagues. The LoL World Championship is the most widely viewed and followed esport tournament, and it’s among the largest and most popular gaming and sporting events in the world. 

Why follow Riot Games?

If you’re a fan of League of Legends, go ahead and follow this channel. 

This is why you might not like Riot Games.

This channel only streams Riot Games’ portfolio games and you won’t find any of the stars of gaming playing in their streams. However, they do have good players from around the world. 

19. Dream

User name: Dream  

No of followers: 5,975,105

Streams: Minecraft 

Country: USA 

Who is Dream?

This is an exclusive Minecraft Twitch channel. Though the channel has almost 6 million followers, the identity of the player is not known at the moment. 

This is why you might not like Dream.

The channel only streams Minecraft. 

20. AdinRoss

User name: AdinRoss 

No of followers: 

Streams: NBA 2K, GTA, Just Chatting

Country: USA

Who is AdinRoss?

Adin Ross is a Twitch streamer and YouTuber from the USA. He created his Twitch channel in 2019 and became very popular for streaming games like NBA 2K and GTA as well as Just Chatting sessions where he invited other broadcasters to join in. 

Though he had more than 5 million followers, he hasn’t streamed since April 19th, 2022, as he got an indefinite ban from Twitch for “hateful conduct”. 

All right, we’re done with the top 20 Twitch streamers of 2022. I hope you’ve found some Twitch streamers to follow in this list. Get busy and game on!