As of August 2023, Twitch has just over 7.2 million active monthly streamers. For those who love content and their virtual communities, this is an overwhelmingly positive thing. More streamers equate to more content to watch, more gaming personalities to follow, and more communities to get involved with.
Still, even if they venture into XR or VR territory, many of these streamers stick to popular categories. That means that subscribers might feel like they’re bogged down with the same old content that revolves around highly competitive and popular games, including League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and Among Us. For those who enjoy mainstream hits, this isn’t a bad thing—but for those who want to explore new hits, it can be a bit draining.
Let’s focus on some of the lesser-known gaming categories on Twitch. If you’re a subscriber looking for something new, these games will offer you a brand-new way to engage with the platform. Alternatively, if you’re looking to strike out on your own and find a title to stream, consider starting out with one of these types of games.
Casino Games
Recently, Twitch updated its policy so that streamers are only allowed to stream casino games from fully registered casinos. That means that subscribers now have access to content that revolves around hits like roulette, slots, and blackjack. Let’s focus on the former for a moment.
Roulette is one of the world’s most popular casino games. It requires players to predict where a ball will land on a spinning wheel. They can guess a number or a color—or both. Though the game is based on chance (and is overseen by random number generators just like any video game), there’s a surprising amount of probability involved. That makes watching these types of streams highly intriguing, as it pulls back the curtain on historical and highly entertaining games like roulette.
Dating Simulations
Simulations, in general, are a great category to explore on Twitch. But there are two specific subgenres that we want to focus on. First up are dating simulations. These sims are usually highly social and text-based. They allow players to navigate a certain social situation and choose how to respond and interact with other characters.
Obviously, romance is the basis of the plot in these games. This offers tons of fodder for streamers and subscribers to interact around. Rather than split-second decision-making in FPS games, streamers are more likely to ask what subscribers want to see happen next. Plus, there are tons of sub-themes. For example, Doki Doki Literature Club includes a horror subplot that many don’t see coming, while others like Dream Daddy are about crafting the most datable dad in all the land.
City-Building Simulations
Dating simulations involve a lot of interaction—but city-building simulations take this gaming genre in a totally new direction. Here, it’s all about the details as players seek to build the most successful and efficient city. This requires them to manage resources, plan ahead, and take a close look at the finer details.
Once again, streamers are able to engage with their audiences and may even let them help with the planning process. The sheer range of sub-themes and titles is once again a positive aspect of these types of games. Cities: Skylines focuses on mass-order and mass-scale planning. Meanwhile, titles like Aven Colony allow players to imagine a metropolis on a foreign planet, working with limited resources.
Retro
So far, we’ve outlined three great examples of unique gaming genres to explore on Twitch—either as a streamer or a subscriber. Though we mentioned two simulations, dating and city planning are quite distinct. Lastly, we’d like to recommend another intriguing and unique game recommendation: retro titles.
Retro titles are innately appealing to many demographics. Older gamers will feel a sense of nostalgia and belonging, while younger gamers are likely to feel curiosity about the era of scrolling games. Keep in mind that even later console titles, starting with the Dream Cast and SNES, are clumped in with retro titles now. From Pokémon to Tetris to Space Invaders, there’s a retro game that will suit your needs.
