Dexerto’s best streamers of 2022 on Twitch and YouTube

2022 has been a turbulent year for streaming, but there were a lot of exceptional broadcasters that kept us entertained throughout. We’ve picked out our ten best streamers in 2022, starring on both Twitch and YouTube.

As the world opened up again this year, people headed outside more and spent less time watching, with Twitch total viewership down. However, that didn’t stop some incredible streaming talents have breakout years.

The battle between purple and red for streaming supremacy raged on too, as more big names departed Twitch for YouTube livestreaming.

Amazon’s Twitch platform may still be the top dog for gaming streams and more, but YouTube is certainly not relenting in its pursuit of the crown. But, the real stars of the show are the streamers themselves. Here are the 10 best this year.

Note: We have a separate list for the best Vtubers of 2022 here!

10. Tarik

When tarik stepped away from professional CS:GO to focus on streaming, he took on the mammoth task that most former pros have failed – to grow as a streamer outside of playing professionally.

Not only has tarik succeeded, he has done much better than any before him, except for shroud. He was the 10th most-watched streamer on Twitch this year, and has become the go-to co-stream for professional Valorant – often pulling more viewers than the main broadcast.

9. Nadia

YouTube: Nadia

In January, Nadia averaged 118 viewers on her streams. In November, she averaged almost 6,000. It is one of the most remarkable and rapid rises in Twitch history, and, it has been achieved in spite of, or even thanks to, a tsunami of hate directed toward her.

Many in the Warzone community have labeled her a cheater despite there being no evidence to support the claim. Instead, viewers have just been latching on to any “suspicious” clips they could find to support their convictions. But rather than trying to fight it, Nadia embraced it, and despite never being in the spotlight before summer 2022, has handled it like a streaming veteran.

8. Ibai

Twitch: Ibai

Ibai is probably as close to a bona fide mainstream celebrity as a streamer gets, post-Ninja. Now an icon not only in Spain but around the world, his streaming rise has him rubbing shoulders with the likes of Messi.

In 2022, Ibai held massive events, breaking the Twitch peak viewership record with his La Velada Del Año II event, reaching over 3.3 million viewers. Also now running his own esports org, KOI, 2023 could be an even bigger year for the Spaniard.

7. QTCinderella

Instagram: QTCinderella

Just like many others on this list, QTCinderella is a doer. Much more than just streaming, she has pioneered and run a number of events that are set to be staples in the space.

From the Streamer Awards to Sh*tcamp (drama notwithstanding), QT made it clear this year that much like her partner Ludwig, she wants to help push the envelope in the streaming world.

6. CDawgVA

In terms of remarkable achievements this year in streaming, CDawgVA can throw down with the best of them, as he completed his 500 mile bike ride across Japan in the name of charity.

Already well-known in the anime community, CDawg’s content reached an even broader audience thanks to this long charity stream. In total, he raised $316,000 for an immune deficiency foundation,

5. iShowSpeed

IShowSpeed

To get the obvious out of the way, iShowSpeed has been involved in a lot of controversy this year. From a viral sexist clip to accusations of racism, he has faced backlash over a number of issues.

But, Speed has also risen to be by far the most popular YouTube streamer, possibly the biggest streamer on any platform and has done so at age 17. His streaming exploits have seen him travel the world, attend the World Cup, feature on Sky TV in the UK, steal the show at the Sidemen Charity Event, and just become an internet sensation. Love him or hate him, iShowSpeed is here to stay.

4. Ludwig

YouTube: Ludwig

Moving to YouTube at the end of 2021 was a bold move for Ludwig. He was just about becoming the new face of Twitch after his subathon exploits and had the world at his feet. But, it’s now clear that his ambitions with YouTube made a lot of sense.

Eventually, Ludwig plans to cut down on streaming, and is putting a lot of his time and energy into his production skills, such as xQc’s game show. In 2022, Ludwig has made a lot of progress on his goals to expand the streaming landscape far beyond chatting in his bedroom.

3. xQc

Twitch: xQc

While it’s true that xQc didn’t have an exceptional year by his standards, what is exceptional is how long he has maintained his spot as the most-watched streamer on Twitch. Streaming is typically cyclical, with new names overtaking the old ones every couple of years.

xQc’s undeniably entertaining personality continues to ensure he is always at the nucleus of any conversation in streaming. In 2022, he maintained his position at the top of Twitch, with over 230 million hours watched – almost 70 million more than second-placed Gaules.

2. DylanburnsTV

Dylan Burns may not have the viewership numbers to compete with others on this list, but it’s also important to recognize those streamers who have made a profound contribution to streaming, and none more so than this channel.

Burns has spent much of his streaming hours this year on the ground in Ukraine, getting first hand knowledge of the situation there following Russia’s invasion in February.

This has included interviews with citizens there, sharing their stories of how war is affecting their lives. Much of it is a first for Twitch, and shows what is possible for streaming in war time.

1. Kai Cenat

Topping the list of the best streamers of 2022 is none other than Kai Cenat. In his breakout year, he become the most-subscribed to channel on Twitch, in spite of what he believes was a lack of acknowledgment from the platform itself.

His streams have featured countless celebrities making guest appearances, and many memorable moments. He has dealt with the downsides of being a big streamer too, such as swatting and even racism. Regardless, 2022 has been Kai’s year, and he will be hoping to carry this momentum into 2023.