The document discusses the impact of Twitch on game sales, highlighting how mid-tier broadcasters are significantly more effective at converting views into purchases compared to top-tier streamers. It provides a case study on PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), illustrating the game's rise in popularity facilitated by streamer engagement and community involvement during its beta period. Additionally, it offers various strategies for game developers to leverage Twitch effectively, such as engaging the community and utilizing mid-tier influencers.

1. Introductions
Brendan Rocks
Data Scientist, Developer Success
Twitch: compl337
Twitter: @rocksbrendan
Ian Murray
Lead Data Scientist, Community
Twitch: icarus
Twitter: @advnturecaptlst

2. #TwitchDevDay
Contents
1
2
3
What can Twitch do for your game?
Case study: PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS
Tips & strategies for using Twitch effectively

3. Developers and Twitch
Why Game Developers
Care About Twitch?

4. #TwitchDevDay
Watching, Buying, Playing

5. #TwitchDevDay
An Investigation
Watching & Buying
What is the relationship between watching
and buying?

6. 100K
Sub-Sample of Users
With Twitch & Steam
Linked
Games watched
over time on Twitch
Games bought and
played over time
on Steam
Internal Twitch Data Steam Public API

7. #TwitchDevDay
Watch Then Buy
Attribution Model
We extrapolate from the sample, and estimate
the total proportion of game sales attributed.

8. #TwitchDevDay
Mid Tier Influencers
Moving Games
Mid tier broadcasters convert views into
purchases 13 times more effectively than top
tier broadcasters

9. #TwitchDevDay
80% of Sales
Came From Mid-Tier Broadcasters
80% of Hurtworld’s sales came from
broadcasters who streamed Hurtworld for at
least 10 hours, or on 3 separate days
H U R T W O R L D

10. #TwitchDevDay
Retention

11. #TwitchDevDay
Twitch Increases
Player Retention
Retained players are more likely to watch

12. #TwitchDevDay
How can you make this work?

13. #TwitchDevDay
PUBG Case Study
Let’s look at the numbers

14. #TwitchDevDay
PUBG’s Meteoric Rise
many factors, having Twitch Prime Loot helps too
14M
10M
6M
2M
sales
total sales
daily peak ccp
1M
ccp
2M

15. “PUBG works really well on stream
because you can modulate the intensity
of gameplay - the early game allows me
to talk to my chat and the tense late
game generates hype and clips”
ToddAwesome

16. Origins of the PUBG Community
appeal within multiple gaming genres
streamers
streamers
viewers

17. Origins of the PUBG Community
streamers
streamers
viewers
appeal within multiple gaming genres

18. “Having a long closed beta where you were allowed
to stream the game generated authentic hype
because people saw streamers returning to play
PUBG without it being a sponsored stream, it also
had the effect of making streamers some of the
best players as the competitive scene developed”
Halifax

19. #TwitchDevDay
Streamable
Lengthy Alpha and Beta period with
streamers created authentic hype
Closed Alpha & Beta

20. #TwitchDevDay
PUBG Stats Prior to Early-Access
Custom Servers for Content Creators
9 Tournaments
Live Playtesting & Feedback
6 Months
Unique Channels
2,308 Streamers
Ongoing Bug Fixing and Updates
13 Patches

22. “The PUBG streamer community is really
interconnected - because we all co-stream
together, forming teams for invitational
tournaments was painless”
TSM_Viss

23. streamer first esports
streaming → viewing → playing
minutes watched
daily peak ccp

24. #TwitchDevDay
Performance Tracking
Open Stats API
Vibrant Third Party Ecosystem

25. #TwitchDevDay
Performance Tracking
Strategy
Open Stats API
Vibrant Third Party Ecosystem

26. #TwitchDevDay
Actively Using PUBG Extensions
9,570 Streamers
Performance Tracking
Strategy
Extensions
Open Stats API
Vibrant Third Party Ecosystem

27. #TwitchDevDay
How Can I Make Twitch
Work For Me?

28. #TwitchDevDay
Create A Fun Game

29. #TwitchDevDay
Create For Your Community

30. #TwitchDevDay
Engage Your Community
Pre-Release

31. #TwitchDevDay
Present Via Mid-Tier
Broadcasters

32. #TwitchDevDay
Present Via Top Broadcasters

33. #TwitchDevDay
Re-Engage Players
(Consistent Broadcasts Over Time)

34. #TwitchDevDay
Convert Viewers To Buyers
(Broadcasts At The Right Time)