Trends are everything on Twitch. Whenever a particular game or activity gets popular on the streaming platform, tons of streamers give it a try, hoping to expand their channel by attracting new viewers. These kinds of trends are where 2020's Among Us craze and the recent hot tub meta come from. At the same time, some things never go out of style on Twitch. For instance, although it's more than a decade old, Minecraft remains a beloved game that draws lots of viewers. Survival multiplayer servers (SMPs) run by Minecraft celebrities like Dream have found a lot of success in recent years, for instance.
While some SMPs involve established streamers, the Dream SMP has launched Twitch and YouTube careers for quite a few people, including Ranboo, Quackity, and Tommyinnit. While they're still often associated with Dream's server, they're very successful entertainers in their own right. No data proves that more concretely than a data analysis from Kapwing. Using Twitch's leaked income information, Kapwing has estimated that Ranboo earns the most money per hour streamed of all Twitch streamers, while Quackity and Tommyinnit hold second and third place respectively. That financial information proves that Minecraft streamers have a lot of power and influence in their hands.
The Implications of Twitch Income
According to the Twitch income numbers, not only is Ranboo the top Twitch earner, but it's not even close. Ranboo supposedly earns about $2,400 per hour while streaming, while Quackity earns $2,036 per hour and Tommyinnit earns $1,741 per hour. For comparison, Kapwing's analysis suggests that xQc only earns $1,068 per hour, even though xQc ran Twitch's most-viewed channel in 2021. These numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, since they're based on leaked data and don't include income from sources other than Twitch streams like brand deals. Nevertheless, the mere possibility that these young Minecraft streamers earn more money while streaming than Twitch stars like xQc, Pokimane, and Asmongold is staggering.
Every Twitch streamer's income is inherently linked to their popularity; bigger audiences mean more potential donations and subscriptions. Specific income numbers say a lot about the streamer's popularity with their fans, though. If Ranboo, Quackity, and Tommyinnit really are earning that much money every hour, then it's a clear sign of the fervent enthusiasm of their fans. These Minecraft streamers have incredibly loyal viewers who are eager to provide support. That kind of enthusiasm and loyalty gives the streamers a lot of potential influence on the greater Twitch community and the game industry.
Minecraft Streamers' Influence
Fans who are willing to spend so much money on Minecraft streamers may also be particularly likely to listen to that streamers' opinions, which puts a lot of power in their hands. These streamers could drum up vastly more interest in certain games by expressing their enthusiasm for it during a Twitch stream, or hugely help other Twitch streamers launch their careers by expressing support for that streamer. As a new generation of Twitch stars, Ranboo and his peers need to bear their influence in mind and use that influence wisely.
The power that current Minecraft streamers hold is particularly significant because many of them are so young. Ranboo, Quackity, and other Dream SMP members are mostly in their late teens or early 20s, having only started streaming a couple years ago. In other words, they all have many potential years of success ahead of them. Regardless of whether they keep Minecraft as their main game forever, these streamers belong to a new Twitch generation, and they've already got the potential to drastically change the streaming platform's landscape. All Twitch fans should keep an eye on the movements of these Minecraft streamers, because they might help Twitch move in new directions in the coming years.
Source: Kapwing
