Daniel Slotta
Research expert covering Greater China
Kick - statistics & facts
Kick is a video live streaming service launched at the end of 2022. The platform has positioned itself as a creators-oriented hub for live content, attracting consistently growing numbers of streamers in the first months of 2023, as well as several professional gamers such as Fortnite sensation Ninja.
Kick has more lenient on content moderation practices than it’s Amazon-backed competitor Twitch , as well as allowing a diverse range of content categories that are more tightly regulated on the mainstream live platforms including Youtube Gaming, and Facebook Gaming. When it comes to online and live video competition, both Twitch and Kick must measure up against music and video giant YouTube. The Alphabet-owned behemoth generated over 8.1 billion hours of content watched in the first quarter of 2023, followed by Twitch with 5.3 billion hours. Despite being a newcomer, Kick made the the ranking, claiming the seventh spot with 58 million hours of content watched by audiences.
In the first quarter of 2023, slots and casino were the most watched live sessions on Kick, ranking up 26 million hours watched, while the Just Chatting category ranked second with over 18 million hours watched during the period. Live streamer Trainwreckstv – previously known for his casino and slot live session on Twitch – is the third co-founder of Kick. The creator amassed 4.4 million hours of content watched from its global audience in the first half of 2023, ranking fourth among all Kick streamers.
The ability of live streaming platforms to retain talent and to monetize content consistently will hugely impact their future performance. YouTube appears to be a strong box-to-box player, where creators can monetize via ads, earn revenue from direct users’ support, and even license their video libraries – providing a reliable monetization channel. Twitch, in comparison, has been at the center of several controversies for updating its advertising rules, a move that could deeply impact streamers’ earnings. In this landscape, Kick might have a true chance to challenge Twitch on becoming creator’s favorite platform but might experience difficulties in growing its revenue as a live hosting service.
Slot and casino content
Kick was founded by Bijan Tehrani and Edward Craven – who launched casino website Stake.com in 2017 – a website banned from being streamed on Twitch due to the platform’s gambling content policy.In the first quarter of 2023, slots and casino were the most watched live sessions on Kick, ranking up 26 million hours watched, while the Just Chatting category ranked second with over 18 million hours watched during the period. Live streamer Trainwreckstv – previously known for his casino and slot live session on Twitch – is the third co-founder of Kick. The creator amassed 4.4 million hours of content watched from its global audience in the first half of 2023, ranking fourth among all Kick streamers.
Live talents: creators’ choice will make the winning platform
In June 2023, Twitch heavy-weights Amouranth and xQc started streaming on Kick – with Amouranth claiming the first spot as leading female streamer on the platform in her first month of activity. The model and internet personality occupied users on Kick for roughly 500 thousand hours, while in February of the previous year it had managed to engage Twitch users for 2.6 million hours of live content. With its creator-focused 95 percent revenue share, Kick has been trying to attract more established streamers to increase the platform’s awareness. The platform launched an emerging creator’s program in August 2023, with streamer Crazytawn ranking up 50 thousand hours of live video watched in the first half of the month.The ability of live streaming platforms to retain talent and to monetize content consistently will hugely impact their future performance. YouTube appears to be a strong box-to-box player, where creators can monetize via ads, earn revenue from direct users’ support, and even license their video libraries – providing a reliable monetization channel. Twitch, in comparison, has been at the center of several controversies for updating its advertising rules, a move that could deeply impact streamers’ earnings. In this landscape, Kick might have a true chance to challenge Twitch on becoming creator’s favorite platform but might experience difficulties in growing its revenue as a live hosting service.
