Gamers reap millions from Twitch-fuelled river of record cash

Livestreaming via Twitch and YouTube, which lets gamers play in front of an audience and build a rapport with fans, has exploded this year. Advertising and promotional money is flooding into the industry like never before. — Dreamstime/TNS

When pandemic-fueled lockdowns led to a boom in streaming video games, millions of people suddenly saw a clearer path to turning their favourite waste of time into a career.

Livestreaming via Twitch and YouTube, which lets gamers play in front of an audience and build a rapport with fans, has exploded this year. Advertising and promotional money is flooding into the industry like never before. And companies such as Activision Blizzard Inc increasingly see themselves as the media giants of this era – with gamers as the new movie stars.