The Best Games to Stream on Twitch for Growth in 2025 (Don’t Play Saturated Games!)

Finding the best games to stream on Twitch for growth is the single most important strategic decision a new streamer can make. You’ve done the hard work, followed our ultimate guide to starting a stream on Twitch, and your setup is ready. But if you hit “Go Live” on a saturated game like Valorant or Fortnite, you’ll likely stream to zero viewers. This guide explains the crucial strategy behind choosing the best games to stream on Twitch for growth, showing you how to find “sweet spot” categories where new viewers can actually discover you.

The “Sweet Spot” Strategy: Why You Shouldn’t Stream Saturated Games

Imagine Twitch is a giant library. The Fortnite section has 10,000 books (streamers), and they are all on one massive shelf. When a new person (a viewer) walks in, they will only ever see the books at eye level—the ones with millions of followers. Your book, as a new streamer, is on the bottom shelf, in the back, behind a pillar. No one will ever find you.

Now imagine the Stardew Valley section. It only has 100 books, and they’re all neatly displayed on a well-lit wall. It’s incredibly easy for a viewer to browse every single book and find a new one they like.

This is the core of our strategy. We need to find the categories with a healthy number of viewers but a low number of streamers. This is the “discoverability sweet spot.”

How to Find the Best Games to Stream on Twitch for Growth

Your goal is to become a detective. These methods are the key to finding the best games to stream on Twitch for growth because they rely on data, not just what’s popular. You are looking for games with a great viewer-to-channel ratio. Here’s how you find them.

Method 1: Use Twitch’s Browse Category Manually

This is the simplest way to start your research.

  1. Go to the Browse page on Twitch.
  2. In the top-right, sort the categories by “Viewers (High to Low).”
  3. Scroll down. Keep scrolling past the giants—League of Legends, VALORANT, GTA V, Fortnite, Counter-Strike.
  4. Start looking at the games in the 500 to 10,000 viewer range.
  5. Click on a game that looks interesting. Look at the number of viewers at the top and then scroll down. How many streamers have more than 10-15 viewers? If the entire first page is filled with big channels, move on. If you see channels with just a handful of viewers near the top, that’s a great sign.

Method 2: Use Twitch Analytics Tools

For a more data-driven approach, you can use a free third-party tool. TwitchTracker is an excellent resource.

  1. Go to their “Games” section.
  2. You will see a list with columns for “Viewers,” “Channels,” and “Viewer Ratio.”
  3. That “Viewer Ratio” column is pure gold. It divides the number of viewers by the number of channels. A higher ratio is better!
  4. Sort the list to find games with a high viewer ratio but a reasonable number of total viewers. A game with a 50.0 ratio and 5,000 viewers is a much better growth opportunity than a game with a 10.0 ratio and 200,000 viewers.

Categories of Games That Are Great for Growth in 2025

Instead of a list of specific games that will be outdated in three months, let’s focus on the types of games that consistently provide growth opportunities.

1. Thriving Indie Games

Indie games are often the holy grail for new streamers. They have incredibly passionate, non-toxic communities that are actively looking for new creators to watch. Games like HadesSlay the Spire, or the latest breakout hit on Steam have dedicated fanbases. Viewers in these categories are there for the game, not just one specific personality.

2. “Forever” Games with Deep Niches

These are games that have been around for years and will be around for years to come, but aren’t at the very top of the charts. They have dedicated players who love watching high-level or educational content.

  • Examples: Path of Exile, Warframe, Dead by Daylight, Deep Rock Galactic, The Binding of Isaac.
    Becoming a go-to expert in one of these niche communities is a powerful way to build a loyal following.

3. New Releases (The High-Risk, High-Reward Play)

Streaming a brand new, hyped-up game on launch day can be a huge opportunity. You can ride the wave of interest and be one of the first creators people find when they search for the game. The risk is that the hype might die down quickly, so be prepared to pivot if the game doesn’t have staying power.

The Final, Most Important Rule: Play What You Genuinely Love

All the strategy in the world doesn’t matter if you’re not having fun. While this guide gives you a framework for finding the best games to stream on Twitch for growth, viewers can tell when a streamer is bored. Your passion and energy are your greatest assets.

The ultimate goal is to find a game that sits at the intersection of three things:

  1. You genuinely love playing it.
  2. It has a discoverable “sweet spot” category on Twitch.
  3. It has a community you would be happy to be a part of.

Finding the best games to stream on Twitch for growth is a skill. Use these tools and strategies to do your research, but always let your authentic passion be the deciding factor. An excited streamer playing to 2 viewers is infinitely more entertaining than a bored streamer playing to 0.

Leave a Comment