Twitch offers a great alternative to YouTube for those who want to watch colorful personalities grind away in their favorite video games, but just like with YouTube, it can be easy to feel lost with the sheer volume of streamers available to choose from.
Without having a particular channel in mind when you head to the Twitch website or open the app, it can feel like an impossible task to settle on what to watch. Even with a particular game like Fortnite or Overwatch in mind, things only get moderately easier — there are thousands of different streamers to choose from. We have been watching streamers do their thing on Twitch for years, and we have found several that are entertaining and unique, providing an experience you’re not going to find if you click on the first channel you come across.
One thing you should know: In cultivating this list, we’ve left out some popular streamers who have made racist, sexist, anti-semitic, or otherwise hateful comments on Twitch or any other platform. We will continue to update the list as new streamers catch our eye, and/or should a controversy surrounding one of our choices come about.
For now, here are some of our favorite Twitch streamers broadcasting gameplay today.
Hutch
Hutch — real name Shaun Hutchinson — has been a staple in the gaming community for nearly a decade because of his mix of insightful commentary and absolutely ridiculous video game skills. Initially a Call of Duty player known for using the infamous “quick scope” technique to take out targets at close range, he has since diversified into another of different games. Most recently, he’s been caught up in the Fortnite craze (just like everyone else), and his outbursts of faux anger are the stuff of legend, but he still returns to the series that made him famous ever so often.
For more of Hutch from back in the day, check out the Machinima Respawn channel on YouTube. He served as an on-camera co-host for years alongside the laugh-prone SeaNanners and the legally insane Mr. Sark, and he occasionally streams with his old work buddies.
Dunkey
On the cult favorite videogamedunkey YouTube channel, host Jason Gastrow has earned a following for his unique and hilarious videos that show off weird and surprising moments in recent games. Gastrow also has a Twitch channel, but he’s a little more low-key on stream: He’s often accompanied by fiancée Leah, whose low-key attitude and quieter personality turns Gastrow into a more subdued version of himself. Recently, the two have been playing Mario games on the channel, with Leah often taking the lead while Gastrow interacts with viewers and gives her “tips,” with his thinly veiled sarcasm slowly bubbling to the surface. The two can also be found on Leah’s own YouTube channel, where she often forces Gastrow to eat disgusting (kind of) food kits called “Yummy Nummies.”
Pokimane
Pokimane, who just won a Shorty Award thanks to her meteoric rise on Twitch, originally focused her attention on League of Legends gameplay but has since picked up Fortnite. Her laidback but enthusiastic personality is perfectly suited to long-form streams, and she’s no slouch with a gun, either.
If you aren’t interested in video games but somehow still found your way to Twitch, Pokimane also livestreams real moments in her life, as well. These include everything from shopping for a cat to visiting foreign countries and even playing board games, as well as a recurring podcast. Her viewers’ comments are nearly always present on the screen during these moments, and she interacts with them frequently.
Kate Stark
Despite the recent Fortnite explosion on Twitch, there are still streamers who focus on PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, and Kate Stark is one of the best. She has a knack for headshots, but much of the fun in her streams comes from simply messing around in the game, such as trying to get a soda out of a vending machine — that didn’t work.
It’s isn’t PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds all the time, however. Stark has also played games like Far Cry 5 and Sea of Thieves in recent weeks and has even tried her hand at Fallout 4, taking well over an hour to create a horrifying monstrosity of a character that vaguely looks like Geralt from the Witcher series.
Rudeism
Most Twitch streamers make use of either a controller or a mouse-and-keyboard setup in order to play their games, but Rudeism isn’t like most Twitch streamers. He specializes in creating bizarre controllers for his games, often based on a particular theme from the game itself. He has played as Winston and Lúcio in Overwatch using bananas and an Airzooka, respectively, and even played through Dark Souls III using a dance pad. Perhaps the most ridiculous experiment he has tried was to play Civilization VI using six sieves and somehow making it work.
Rudeism doesn’t just stream his gameplay, but also the entire process he goes through to make his controllers. He has a relentlessly upbeat attitude and loves interacting with his viewers, and the inherent silliness of his designs isn’t lost on him. That being said, he’s always really good at playing games with his creations, often to the point where it’s easy to forget he isn’t using a traditional setup.
CohhCarnage
If you’re in the mood for no-nonsense gaming from a personality who won’t be filling your ears with expletives every few seconds, look no further than CohhCarnage. One of the most dedicated streamers on our list, he is typically live for several hours a day, playing the newest titles to hit the shelves as well as occasional classics. Whether you’re interested in role-playing games, platformers, or first-person shooters, there is a pretty good chance he will play something to suit your tastes in the near future. CohhCarnage isn’t a completely family-friendly channel, as the games he plays are often rated Mature and he lets a bad word slip on occasion, but you can be rest assured knowing he isn’t going to teach your kids any new ones.
YellowKillerBee
For those with younger children who need clean content on Twitch, YellowKillerBee is a great choice. She promotes her channel as a family-friendly environment where anyone can be comfortable watching, and her game selection reflects that. You often see her playing kid-approved games like Lego Harry Potter and Super Mario Sunshine, and she often attempts to speed-run the games, which should be amusing to parents sitting on the couch with their kids. She even goes back further in gaming history, choosing games from the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis in an attempt to break world records that other streamers ignore. How many other streams of Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse do you see on Twitch?
SpeedGaming
For a channel devoted to speed-runs, the appropriately named SpeedGaming has you covered with a ton of competitive videos from a variety of games, both old and new. Recently, tournaments have been held in games like Dark Souls and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, pitting players against each other as they race through the games with their total time constantly ticking up at the top of the screen. The games they play vary, with runs of both retro and contemporary titles, and the channel provides access to its brackets so you can see the standings in individual game tournaments.
