Twitch meta shifts as ASMR with TikTok leggings overtakes hot tub streams

The Twitch meta for increasing subscribers and followers is an ever-changing beast, but as we’ve seen already in 2021 with the hot tub trend, these changes in streaming behavior can go viral. In June, it appears to have shifted once again. 

The popularity of hot tub streams was a controversial subject earlier in 2021, with streamers stripping down to their bikinis to get more eyes on their broadcasts. Many channels did experience significant growth in that period, too, including IndieFoxx, XoAeriel, and Amouranth to name a few.

Twitch’s Just Chatting section was created for streamers to move away from video games and dabble with IRL broadcasts. Though, it was taken over by jacuzzi streams throughout April and May, with some viewers suggesting the content was worthy of a ban.

Conversely, the platform decided to open up a new beaches and pools category on May 21. They said: “While we have guidelines about sexually suggestive content, being found to be sexy by others is not against our rules, and Twitch will not take enforcement action against women, or anyone on our service, for their perceived attractiveness.”

ASMR takes over Hot Tub streams on Twitch

Many of the streamers that have jumped on the ASMR trend are also mixing it up with hot tub streams from time to time, though statistics in the last seven days do suggest there’s a much bigger shift at play here.

As seen below, in the last seven days – at the time of writing – the ASMR category has racked up over 2.1 million hours watched, while the hot tub section lags behind at 1.8 million hours. This is a significant drop from the hot tub category compared to previous weeks.

A massive factor in this change will presumably be so many high-profile personalities jumping on the trend, such as Amouranth who has 3.1 million followers alone.

Amouranth, Indiefoxx & others hop on ASMR trend

Just a month after the hot tub category was created, as Alinity previously predicted, the trend has fizzled out – and now seemingly replaced.

The ASMR category on Twitch has proven to be the next destination for many of the streamers that benefitted from the previous meta.

Now, they’re laying down while streaming in the famous TikTok leggings and “ear licking” their ASMR microphones. In some cases, a feature of the streams is to offer eye contact while licking the microphone for donations and subs.

In the case of Amouranth, she offers 30 seconds of licking for every subscriber and a sub-goal for outfit changes.

This is just one example of how streamers are using ASMR streams to grow their channels.

Indiefoxx, who has over 800,000 followers on her Twitch channel, is offering a similar sort of broadcast as well. Also wearing the TikTok leggings, she offers 20 seconds of licking for each sub, but with donation amounts leading to different things.

For example, $500 would be enough for her to write your name on her forehead, $250 for an add on social media, and $50 for your name to be written on her body. As seen on the screenshot below, too, this has been an extremely successful strategy – with over 9,000 people having followed her channel during that vod alone.

Many of the vods for these ear-licking ASMR streams are being deleted after they have been shown live, too, meaning viewers must be online while they’re live to keep up.

ASMR livestreams on Twitch have been popular for some time, and in that regard, there’s nothing new conceptually. That said, the addition of those uber-popular TikTok leggings and subscriber rewards for ear licking appears to be a winning formula.

Only time will tell if this trend takes on a life of its own as hot tub streams did, but it’s certainly got a similar feel to it.