In December 2019, a new type of streamer took over the Twitch platform. After the departures of Tyler “Ninja” Blevins and Michael “shroud” Grzesiek, there is a new star: the Canadian Félix “xQc” Lengyel was the most-watched streamer in November and December 2019. He is considered the streamer of the “TikTok” generation.
Who were the most-watched streamers in December 2019? Although the month is still ongoing, it is already clear who has won it:
- xQc ranks first with 7,937,221 hours watched
- Second place is taken by Fortnite streamer Tfue with 4,720,269 hours
- In third place is the LoL streamer Tyler1 with 3,566,091 hours
This is the second month in a row that xQc can win. He was already the most-watched streamer on Twitch in November 2019 and unseated Asmongold, who heavily benefited from the hype around WoW Classic.
Jump King and “Reactions” propel xQc to the top
How did xQc win the month? The 24-year-old xQc was previously an Overwatch professional but failed as an esports player due to his explosive temperament.
Currently, xQc is considered a variety streamer who plays new games or regularly engages with well-known online games like Overwatch or Fortnite.
In December 2019, xQc found a game that he could play for 48 hours: that was “Jump King”, a PC game from May 2019, a platformer.
Jump King seemed particularly well-received by xQc’s fans: when xQc “misjumped” here, he fell down several levels and shouted or got frustrated.
The triumph was all the greater when xQc was able to complete the game.
From failed Overwatch pro to Twitch star
What makes xQc appealing? xQc is not a streamer like the last top streamers on Twitch such as Ninja, shroud, or Tfue, who fully mastered a game and played it non-stop every month, entertaining their fans with a mix of personal skill and personality.
Often, xQc does not even play, but is in “Just Chatting”, browsing the internet, watching short clips, and reacting to them.
On reddit, xQc is teased for his manner of skipping every tutorial and then letting his chat explain to him how a game works.
Moreover, xQc has developed some somewhat odd speech patterns. He frequently says “Dude” in various forms. The Twitch streamer TSM Myth makes a fun of imitating xQc.
xQc had his big breakthrough 8 months ago, when he made fun of the “over-the-top stream setups” of other streamers. Here you can see his speech patterns and emphasis in full action.
Observers believe that xQc speaks to a young audience with his style of streaming, jumping from thing to thing and engaging heavily with the chat, especially the TikTok generation that constantly needs new stimuli.
On the Chinese app, videos are uploaded that last 3 to 15 seconds. This app and xQc apparently correspond to the current zeitgeist.
What’s behind it: In recent months, Asmongold has dominated Twitch due to the hype surrounding WoW Classic – in the months prior, games like Fortnite or Apex Legends were strong, benefiting Tfue, Ninja, and shroud.
Now in December, there was no major hype around any game – this is the opportunity for streamers who coincidentally meet the zeitgeist to rise to prominence. Currently, xQc seems to match this zeitgeist the best.
