VTubers like Kuzuha and Kanae are trending as male creators continue to dominate the streaming industry

The latest swath of data from the streaming industry confirms a truth that many creators already knew: If you want to become a star on a platform like Twitch or YouTube Gaming, it helps to be male.

According to a new report from Stream Hatchet, 99 of the top 100 streamers are men. The only woman to crack that ranking was Kaitlyn Siragusa, who has attracted 5.7 million Twitch followers with the seductive streams on her Amouranth channel. Stream Hatchet’s findings confirm opinions that have been expressed by streamers of all genders. Earlier this year, popular creator Mizkif suggested that women have an easier time breaking out on Twitch, but they eventually run into a “glass ceiling” that limits the growth of their channels.

The male-dominated nature of the streaming industry’s upper echelon is only becoming more pronounced. The June 2022 State of the Stream report, published by StreamElements, reveals that men are breaking into a subcommunity that had previously been dominated by women: VTubing. According to the latest data provided by Rainmaker.gg, two male VTubers — Kuzuha and Kanae — ranked among the top ten most-watched personalities on YouTube Gaming. The best-known VTubers in the West are female creators like Ironmouse and CodeMiko, so this shift in viewer attention is notable.

The prevalence of VTubers on YouTube Gaming is not the only difference between that community and the one on Twitch. The types of games preferred by streamers seem to vary from platform to platform. On Twitch, esports-oriented titles like League of Legends, Valorant, and Counter-Strike all ranked in the top five in StreamElements’ latest list of the most-watched games. Meanwhile, mobile games are more popular on YouTube Gaming. In June, only Minecraft was watched more than Garena Free Fire, a popular mobile battle royale game.

“Looking at the games, creators, and strategy, it’s clear YouTube and Twitch differ in their appeal and approach to the livestreaming community,” said StreamElements Chief Business Officer Jason Krebs in a statement. “YouTube’s top 10 games lean more heavily into mobile titles while their VTuber creators have risen to the top much faster, and while Twitch hasn’t made many headline-making creator acquisitions in awhile, YouTube has maintained a steady cadence of talent grabs.”

One of those headline-makers has made a particularly big impression. As seen in the above chart, Brazilian creator Nobru was the second-most watched streamer on YouTube Gaming during the month when he signed an exclusive contract with the platform.