28 Dec 2015
17 great Twitch channels to follow so you can melt your eyeballs on video games
17 great Twitch channels to follow so you can melt your eyeballs on video games
Chances are that game streaming platform Twitch will generally have a player tacking your favorite video game at any time. But watching Twitch is just part of the fun — there are a lot of great streamers who, either with their immense skill or sharp community building chops, turn their channels into something particularly great to watch.
So, if you’re new to Twitch or you’d like to vary your stream, here are some great streamers separated by the games they play.
League of Legends
If you’re a fan of MOBAs, then Twitch has plenty of content for you. The streamer base of Riot Games’s ‘League of Legends’ is a mix of current pros, former pros, and community members. There are plenty of highlights — Twitch has had a big hand in broadcasting major ‘League’ events, and it’s one of the platform’s strongest communities.
Bjergsen is a professional playing for Team Solo Mid, where he is a mid-laner known for his adept handling of Twisted Fate and Zed. He’s a young pro — just 19 years old — but he entertains his million-plus subscribers with his intense training regimen and strong personality.
Imaqtpie is a former pro A/D Carry for Dignitas, where he built a reputation for playing Corki. Currently not on the pro circuit, Imaqtpie runs a Twitch that’s part casual hangout, part long-term tutorial for beginners and part hip-hop showcase. Seriously, he probably has one of the best hip-hop playlists when he’s gaming.
Nightblue3 is one of the community members that has built a million-strong subscriber base by playing as well as engaging strongly with those in his chat for around 7 hours per day. He’s a jungler — a former substitute for TeamSoloMid known for his Kha’Zix jungle strategy — who has informative and friendly streams, and his dedication to streaming means you can hit up a live stream throughout the day.
HearthStone
‘HearthStone’ has exploded onto Twitch as a fun, accessible game that actually requires a fair amount of strategy. With professional players on the rise and new single player adventures for gamers (most recent being ‘League of Explorers’) that add new cards into the mix, HearthStone is easy to follow but also involves a lot of meta game.
Forsenlol is a former professional HearthStone player who has turned to streaming full time. Frequently at the top of ranked play, Forsen is also known for his sense of humor and passionate fanbase, who are affectionately called “plebs.”
Reynad27 owns his own Hearthstone team, Tempo Storm, which also provides guides, decks and other strategy tips for those who are getting into the game. He’s gained popularity for his frequent discussions of the meta-game, including the decisions he makes every game.
Amaz is a pro currently who runs his own team, Team Archon, gaining fame for his Priest play but also known on Twitch for his very active chatroom. With more than half a million subscribers and nearly 100,000 Twitter followers, users flock to the rowdy community his streams bring.
Counter Strike: Global Offensive
While first-person shooters are arguably less in-vogue in terms of competitive online play compared to the early 2000’s, ‘CS:GO’ has carved its way into the professional pantheon right now. Tournaments for the game have awarded more than $7.5 million in prize money, gripping viewers with high stakes and intensity. When it comes to shooters, ‘CS:GO’ is one of the most compelling to watch on Twitch.
Summit1g is one of the most popular professional ‘CS:GO’ streamers on Twitch right now, keeping his follower base of more than 1.1 million followers entertained with his gameplay as well as his variety. His streams feel casual and friendly, and often switch from the intensity of ‘CS:GO’ to more fun, light games.
Olofmeister is a Swedish professional ‘CS:GO’ player currently playing for Fnatic, one of the most dominant teams around in tourneys. He was a part of the team who walked away with first place at both ESL Katowice and ESL Cologne this year. He’s what elite play looks like.
DOTA 2
The other major MOBA, ‘DOTA 2’ is also well-represented in Twitch’s channels. While it has a pool of pros that stream frequently on the platform, there are also a lot of non-professional personalities that have made their way playing the game for their growing legions of followers.
Sheevergaming is actually a well-known ‘DOTA’ host and personality at gaming events, and regularly streams from her home in The Netherlands. Her streams are often conversations with her chat, trying out strategies and learning the game along with players.
WagamamaTV is a longtime ‘DOTA’ player and former pro turned full-time streamer who is also very beloved by the audience. He’s known just as much for his kindness as his proficiency has a Carry, happily chatting about meta game tactics and knowledge with a laid-back and friendly attitude.
Draskyl has made a name as a commentator on the professional ‘DOTA’ scene, but streams the game in his off-time. He’s on daily, providing plenty of hours of games as well as hero requests from the chat stream.
Street Fighter
The fighting community has plenty of titles to choose from, but when it comes to ranked play and tournaments, none are as well established as ‘Street Fighter.’ As to be expected, there are plenty of high-level players who are streaming matches frequently.
INFILTRATION85 is a Razer-sponsored pro player in South Korea who has earned plenty of honors playing the ‘Street Fighter IV’ series– winning EVO 2012 and finishing in the top three on three separate occasions (including third place this year). Although he speaks mostly in Korean, high-level skill needs no explanation.
Snake_Eyez_ is one of those success stories you find in the eSports world. A relative unknown, he entered EVO 2010 and fought his way to the finals with his trademark character, Zangief. Now, he’s the first sponsored ‘Street Fighter’ gamer for Red Bull, streaming his fights with Zangief and others in ‘Ultra Street Fighter IV.’
Momochoco is actually a pair of Japanese pro players — Momochi and ChocoBlanka — who play together on team EvilGeniuses. Momochi is the more decorated of the two, having walked away with the EVO 2015 trophy playing as both Ken and Evil Ryu. Both stream ranked matches on their channel, each with their own style.
Super Smash Brothers
Another big game in the fighting arena is Super Smash Brothers, which is still in the middle of fleshing out its meta gameplay thanks to Nintendo’s diligent and fruitful DLC content. With dozens of characters to choose from, much of the streaming on Twitch is still about uncovering the play of this game.
ZeRo is the undisputed best player of ‘Super Smash Bros.: Wii U,’ having won nearly every single competition he has entered. Maining Diddy Kong and showing off skills with Zero Suit Samus, his channel shows the reason how he’s earned his title and a lucrative sponsorship from TeamSoloMid.
ArmadaUGS walked away from EVO 2015 with the trophy for ‘Super Smash Bros.: Melee,’ reaching the top of an expansive tournament that included more than 1,800 entrants. He continues to show off his skills in his stream, and his particular dominance with his main, Peach.
Mortal Kombat
The traditionally gory and high-impact series has an even gorier entry in ‘Mortal Kombat X,’ and creators NetherRealm have done a lot on Twitch to make it an attractive title for pro and pro-am fighting game enthusiasts.
zSonicFox came back big from being sent to the loser’s bracket of the ‘Mortal Kombat X’ tournament in EVO 2015, netting the championship with his fierce handling of main Erron Black. He’s just a kid — a junior in high school — but his streams of the game that has made him famous in eSports show a maturity in gaming.
malikmuddser