Twitch, the Amazon-owned video-streaming service that got its start with live video-gaming and esports, is expanding into other other verticals.
Why it matters: So many Silicon Valley social and video upstarts debut with a niche purpose, like Twitch with live-streaming esports or Discord with chatting about esports, but eventually broaden in scope as consumers find new uses for them.
The big picture: A growing portion of the hours watched on Twitch now comes from non-gaming categories like video blogging and ASMR videos.
- Just Chatting, the live vlogging category on Twitch, is close to becoming the second-most popular category on its top games chart, according to a Q4 report from StreamElements, a company that provides tools and resources for live video content creators.
Between the lines: Non-gaming Twitch stars are beginning to develop widespread prominence, while Twitch gamers are becoming celebrities in areas that transcend gaming, like music, art, and video blogging, per Wired.
What's next: Twitch still owns the vast majority of hours watched on live gaming platforms, but Facebook Gaming and Microsoft's Mixer are quickly growing.
Go deeper: Esports, the new social square
